Page 20 - KZN Top Business Women 2022 Powed by DRG & BusinessFit SA

achievement. Because we know what we have Pindiwe says that when she gets a chance to
achieved, and we have given the companies stand in front of any audience, be it young
PINDIWE FILTANE, MBASANE WOMEN IN IT
what they are looking for.” graduates, be it young start-ups, she says that
they need to see and appreciate where they
“We don’t just focus on technical skills, we are, then they can build on that.
INDIWE FILTANE is a social entrepreneur look at honing these graduates, so that they
who runs a company called Mbasane are better people in terms of the general She commented, “There’s a lot out there that
Women in IT. This is a company that etiquette that is needed in business. Nobody is happening. People are so angry, people
Pfocusses on upskilling unemployed teaches you that, so we fill that gap and make don’t have jobs, people hide their certificates
IT graduates. She has been in IT for the past sure that we build on their soft skills as well,” just to set their foot in the door. Then when
25 years, so she says that she understands explained Pindiwe. they are inside that anger comes out. So, I say
the struggles. KNOCKING ON DOORS show the people what you can do. Show them
what you have, because when you walked in,
Pindiwe said that she never aspired to be The challenges that Pindiwe has faced are you accepted that job, so now do better.”
a programmer when she started working. related to being a small business. She has had
However, that was the job that she got, and to knock on doors, make people understand She added that when she gets an opportunity
she spent seven and a half years behind the that they are different from others, and make to run programmes for the companies that
laptop. Her company is therefore more about sure that they understand why they are doing have already employed the people, she
going back to where she thought she wanted what they are doing. finds that often employee performance or
to be. attitude is not up to scratch. “I say to them you
She commented, “Because I love what I do, accepted this job, you knew it was not what
Looking at her journey and where she was it works when I tell my clients what we do, you wanted to do, so start here and you will
when she started and when she left the instead of writing a proposal that is not go far. No one is going to accept you if you are
corporate executive level, makes it easy for going to tell the person the story behind the grumpy. No one is going to notice you if you
her to understand what these graduates are business. I believe that when people hear my are not happy. If your certificate is with HR, no
looking for. In addition, she knows what skills story, they understand why I am doing this. one else knows that you have a diploma or a
they are not equipped with and then she The challenge is getting to the person who degree, so do the best where you are and then
bridges that gap. will listen to you, and I must say when they you can move from there.”
do listen, then I have my foot in the door. That
“I understand that when you finish your is how I manage to manoeuvre in business, A GREAT OPPORTUNITY
degree, you don’t have it all. We have an end get that appointment, sit in front of the client,
game in mind, where we look at the client and share my story and ask them what is it you Pindiwe spends a lot of time watching her son
see what they are looking for and then upskill want to achieve?” playing sport and that takes her away from
the graduates. The idea is for them to be the working environment as she gets to be
employable at the end of the training or start FUTURE GOALS a mother. She also like walking. “When I get
their own businesses.” to walk, I get to think, I get to come up with
Pindiwe’s future goal is to build the solutions to problems that I would not have
Mbasane Women in IT also works for companies business. She says, “I believe that there is come up with when I am sitting at home, so
that are looking to upskill their small businesses a lot of help needed out there for these doing the walks and being in touch with nature,
or start-ups and equips them with the basic young graduates, and the SMEs or start-ups that gives me a sense of peace and I enjoy it.”
business skills.. and somebody has to do it. A lot of us are
needed; the cake is big enough; we can all In conclusion, Pindiwe says that this is a
A SENSE OF ACHIEVEMENT share in the cake and all of us need to do great opportunity for women in business
something. There’s a skill gap, there are few to showcase their work and get people to
Pindiwe says that she bases her successes on respect them. “We want to be known, we
seeing the impact of what they do. “When the women in IT. What are we doing about it? want to be seen, we want to be acknowledged
graduates get into the corporate environment So, for me, it is to grow the business and not because we are women, but because of
and they perform well and the clients are empower as many women as I can, so that what we do, so this initiative is great for us as
is why it is all about women in IT.
saying thank you, that for me, is a sense of women in business.”

19