By: Christine McKeown
The 2nd annual Sunday Times Dialogues Women on the Move, in partnership with CEF Group, gave industry leaders and experts from the energy sector the opportunity to highlight how empowering the next generation of women in the energy sector is essential for fostering innovation, sustainability, and equity in a traditionally male-dominated field.
MC and event moderator Nozipho Shabalala touted the event as one of the country’s most critical conversations. Guests gathered in person and online to have an intergenerational discussion around empowerment in a sector seeking to be increasingly active in achieving greater equity.
Setting the scene was Ayanda Noah, Founder and MD of AN Duke Solutions (Pty) Ltd and Chairperson of CEF Group. She opened by examining women’s share in the industry 30 years after the new democracy—22% represented in oil and gas and 32% and 47%, respectively, in the renewable energy workforce and global average workforce. She noted that these statistics are concerning, considering that 51% of the country’s population is female.
Before welcoming the guest panellists onstage, she noted that everyone needs to get involved for the country to see successful equity transformation. “We cannot sit back and leave it up to the government; we all need to make a contribution if we hope to advance.”
The discussion opened with a retrospective of what it was like for these groundbreaking panellists to make their mark in a time when men dominated the sector. The overall consensus was that claiming their space, making their voices heard, being confident in their abilities, and immersing themselves in information and learning were the foundation of their collective success. Dudu Hlatshwayo, Founder and CEO of Change EQ, advised that when women are prepared for the conversation that is taking place in the boardroom, they can become active contributors.
Makgolo Makololo, MD and Sales Executive, ALSTOM Rolling Stock SA, discussed how policy implementation is crucial in empowering women in the sector. She noted that more must be done to incorporate a firm gender lens into policymaking, and women must be active participants as policy architects.
Cultural behaviours that lock women out in the sector were also a large part of the discussion. Along with language barriers and the need to be inclusive in promoting a language that all can understand, another cultural behaviour that needs re-examining, according to Dr Nompumelelo Siswana – Founder & MD, Naba Consulting (Pty) Ltd, is the pushback that women often face as they try to enter the career of their choice, or as they try to advance their careers. She reiterated that finding a supporting environment with a structure of encouragement that inspires women to lead the charge in their roles empowers them to take their rightful seat at the table.
When asked about her journey, Unati Figlan, Founder and MD of Hlonela Engineering Solutions, explained that being given the opportunity to develop skills in your role is a necessity. Learning on the job results in exponential growth that prepares women for the next level. Experience and exposure are key, and if women are not given the chance to learn and grow, they will never be able to advance.
“As women, we have such vast opportunity; we must learn that there are moments where we need to pull each other up.”
Rounding up the discussion, all panellists agreed that giving women a hand up, creating a culture of shared learning, and supporting the next generation is key to advancing gender equity. Women must support the next generation through programmes, initiatives, mentorship, and female-led contributions that actively engage and prepare the next generation of female change-makers.
Watch the full discussion here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GghjQpMAt4I
Joining Ayanda Noah, Guest panellists included:
- Dr. Nompumelelo Siswana – Founder & MD, Naba Consulting (Pty) Ltd
- Ms. Unati Figlan – Founder & MD, Hlonela Engineering Solutions
- Ms. Makgolo Makololo – MD & Sales Executive, ALSTOM Rolling Stock SA
- Ms. Dudu Hlatshwayo – Founder & CEO, Change EQ