The Mail & Guardian hosted its annual Power of Women event on 26 August at the Fire & Ice Hotel in Melrose Arch, Johannesburg, under the theme 'Women leaders charting the path towards gender equality and sustainability'. There were eight categories: the businesswoman; editor’s choice; the governing woman; guiding; harvesting; healing; mining and production, and the networking woman.
To reflect on the Power of Women: As gender and social norms evolve over the generations, it’s important to note the integral and historic place women hold in leadership. Women are and always have been the strategists and planners for familial, community and national growth. Women are the pillars that safeguard our society and enable the survival of our people. They are the manufacturers, producers, tutors and powerful influencers of change. They’re also often the worst affected in times of trouble, and as we’re all too aware, South African women face challenges economically, environmentally and in terms of frightening rates of gender-based violence. As a publication, the Mail & Guardian works to bring awareness to these issues, but as a project, the Power of Women is special because it highlights the women making strides not just in spite of these challenges, but often directly against them: The bold women featured on these pages are achieving successes for themselves and for all of us.
The finalists were awarded with beautiful certificates, with Kaybee the saxophonist serenading women with beautiful melodies. The women were treated to a high tea and great gifts: Perfumes from Montblanc, Vitality caps and water bottles, Lisa Raleigh vouchers and recipe books, Port and Winx power banks, earbuds and backpacks, and vouchers from Marang Aesthetics and UniQBrows. The first lounge at Fire and Ice was full to capacity with the cream of the crop. Cathy Mohlahlana, anchor and news reader, was the MC at the event. Athandiwe Saba, the Mail & Guardian deputy editor, welcomed the guests and unpacked the processes behind the Power of Women. This project started 16 years ago and has evolved so much. This year we awarded 51 women, including the editor’s choice, Desiree Ellis, for the wonderful job of coaching Banyana Banyana to their World Cup win in Morocco.
For more information on the event, follow this link to the video, and for pictures of some of the winners holding their certificates:
The Mail & Guardian would like to thank all the sponsors for Power of Women high tea. A special thank you to Afrocentric Group, Thungela, Coca Cola Africa|South Africa Franchise, Central University of Technology Free State, Coca Cola Beverages South Africa, Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr, Commission for Gender Equality, Nissan, Port Design, Marang Aesthetics, The Aurum Institute, Signature|Montblanc, CEF, NCPC, UniQBrows, Oneconnect and SAHTAC.
For more information on the winners visit: https://powerfulwomen.mg.co.za/.
To know more about the Power of Women project, contact:
Mahlodi Makate | az.oc.gm@midolham or call 072 774 1053
Sewela Mamphiswana | az.oc.gm@malewes or call 011 250 7300
