9 August 2003
Deloitte & Touche
Deloitte & Touche has sponsored the popular and highly successful "Winning in the Workplace" Workshop for the sixth year in succession on 9 August, Women's Day, at its premises in La Lucia. Run by the Businesswomen's Association of Durban, the workshop is aimed at matric girls from predominantly disadvantaged schools.
Matric Students listening to 1 of the many speakers on the day
"There is a chasm between leaving school and finding employment which this workshop aims to bridge," said the Businesswomen's Association's Chairperson, Cathy Yuill. "The sessions provided participants with the tools, strategies and skills they will need to enter the workplace."
Topics covered in the workshop included "Corporate survival skills, Interviewing skills, Presentation and speaking, Lifestyles, Assertiveness at work, Dressing for Success and Money." Speakers are all leaders in their respective fields.
"The topics provided participants with exposure to the corporate environment and gave them an understanding of the skills they will need to make a success of their future entrance into the business world," continued Cathy Yuill.
Matric students singing along to the workshop's theme song, 'The Greatest Love of All'
Participants were requested to submit an essay on the theme "The Role of Women in South Africa". The winner, Bongikile Ngcobo of Zwelethu High School, received one year's computer training from New Horizons Learning Centre to the value of R 20 000.00. The runner up, Amina Peer of Al Falaal College, received a Computer from AST Computers.
Emma Ballard of Open Air School commented "A really, enjoyable, informative day. Well organised - we walked away with many ideas and new ways of looking at things."
Essay Winners 2003
Topic: The Role of Women in South Africa
- Bongeikile Ngcobo - Zwelethu High School
- Amina Peer - Al Falaah College
- Nelisiwe Hadebe - Ndukwenhle High School
- Candice Manthiri - Ridge Park College
- Nothando Shezi - Parkihill Secondary School
- Marcia Tembe - Pinetown Girls High School
- Hlengiwe Nkosi - Inanda Seminary
- Kelly Degnan - Westville Girls High School
- Astri Saestad - Kuswag Skool
- Goodness Mkhize - Vukuzekhe High School
Winning Essay 2003
Bongekile Ngcobo of Zwelethu High School & Gitta van Welbergen of New Horizons Computer Training Centre
The Role of Women in South Africa
Like a shepherd forgetting to close a gate of his kraal so did they forget to close a cage of where women in South Africa were kept. They forgot to get rid of their wings so that flying could be out of reach for them. The days when green leaves were brown and beautiful flowers were only possible in a dream are spoken of no more because they are a thing of a past. Whoever locked them forgot to tell the sun never to dedicate its brightness towards women as a result women discovered the meaning of success with the help of the light from the sun.
Women of South Africa were brainwashed and made to believe that their role was in the kitchen. They were made to believe that the only occupation they can qualify for was home management, the only career they were good at was that of getting married and have as many children as possible. Women of South Africa were made to believe that they were weak and fragile. They were put in a rocking chair and were told that the chair was moving forward. Though the chair was giving them something to do which was rocking back and forth, it was getting them nowhere because the chair was not moving but standing still.
Look around you and you will like what you see, women in action. In every field and every career there you will find a woman. From the hardest job to the toughest sport. From politic to education. As the saying goes: "BEHIND EVERY SUCCESSFUL MAN THERE IS A WOMAN". A woman behind the brain of our President, Thabo Mbheki is Mojanku Gumbi who is his legal advisor. She is the only woman out 260 advocates at Pretoria high court during the times of apartheid era. She was once put in walk-in freezer for 18 hours.
In the world of sport women are excelling. The famous and best teams in the Premier Soccer League are managed by women. Natasha Tshcilas of Sundowns, Manto Mahlangu of Golden Arrow and Ria Ledwaba of Ria Stars. It does not end here, Veronica Phew the very best in a man's world, play soccer like she was born a soccer star. In water world Penny will never be forgotten for her role and best achievements in sport. These women made the world to be aware of the women in South Africa when it comes to sport.
Our society, our communities are what they because of women. Their wisdom and kindness are a language all the nations can understand and the deaf can hear. Mrs. Johnson for 11 years kindly looked after Nkosi Johnson and gave him her surname. Colour which seem to bring this country down did not stop her as a woman from providing a child in need, a child who was a victim of AIDS with a home and a loving parent.
Women are able to bare a tremendous pain that men can never bare, they give birth to man. A home is a home because of a woman. Kings, Chiefs and Presidents are born by women. The role of women in roads can never be put aside, it has been proved that they are the best drivers meaning they don't promote road accidents. Our country's back bone are the women.
The women of South Africa have come across obstacles along their way to success but they did not give up, it only made them strong. Women of South Africa are here to take this country by storm.