Page 17 - Winning Women 2017

BWASA 17

EDUCATION
JUDGES’ NOTES

MZIKAZI NDUNA:
Education has the power to Associate professor and head of the
change the future of an School of Human and Community
individual, of a country and of Development at Wits University
the world. And it all begins with
one group of people: educators.
“We’re looking for somebody zikazi Nduna spent
who is a role model, who is an a happy childhood
inspiration, who other young Min Butterworth in
women can look up to,” said the underdeveloped Eastern
Kgomotso Tshaka, a board Cape. Now the head of the
member of the Businesswomen’s School of Human and Community
Association. Development at Wits University, Nduna
This year, three women were oversees the school’s teaching, learning
shortlisted for the award. and research outputs.
“They are all amazing. They At Wits, she became involved with the
have had to overcome an Young Women’s Leadership team.
incredible number of challenges “We started a project on sexual
and they have done so with grace, orientation and gender identity and Nduna counts herself fortunate to
with humility, with an interest in formed a network with 10 other work with leading researchers: “It is the
helping others to do the same,” institutions that are based in the close mentoring that I receive from
said Karin Brodie, the head of the predominantly rural provinces and in them that makes me who I am”.
school of education at Wits the southern Africa region. The young “My heroes are women across the
University. women with whom I am privileged to racial divide and I’m grateful for the
Dr Mafu Rakometsi, the chief work are empowered to contribute to support and mentorship that I receive
executive of Umalusi, a quality society in phenomenal ways.” from, especially, white women. Their
assurance body for education, said Nduna has used her participation in willingness and availability to extend
this year’s candidates were different forums to advance and address their personal and professional
transforming the education sector intersectionality – even “before I knew resources to young black women
on the basis of gender and race. the term ... I have always been mindful goes to show that unity across the
“And even more so, they are of race, gender, class, disability and racial divide can help us as women
helping a new generation avoid sexual orientation and how these shape to face the ugly system created by
the obstacles that would have our participation and success in the patriarchy and maintained by sexism
been there had it not been for education sector.” in the workplace.”
their intervention.”
But the judges acknowledged
that the education sector in South EDUCATION
Africa is still deeply flawed.
“Education is facing challenges
but the situation is not hopeless. KATIJAH KHOZA-SHANGASE:
We have to work collaboratively,” Associate professor at Wits
Rakometsi said. in the speech pathology and
Brodie said that while this audiology department
year’s finalists were doing their
best to address the problems,
systemic change was still needed. atijah Khoza-
Yet the finalists provided hope Shangase’s roots lie
for the judges. Kin a rural life in
“What this country needs to get KwaMafahlawane, KwaZulu-
out of this morass that we’re in is Natal, where she
education – good mentors who “experienced all aspects of farm life –
will actually help the next herding cattle, milking cows, working
generation of children and create the corn fields. I come from a big
a better destiny for us,” she said. polygamous family where, as a child,
you did not know who was a brother or
sister versus a cousin – everyone was
treated as family.”
Khoza-Shangase’s mother was “I was the first black person to be
“naturally brilliant”. She couldn’t read awarded a PhD in audiology from a
English, yet developed a passion for South African university – in the
reading in her daughter – the two of 80-year history of this profession in the
them would “read” and discuss books, country. I remain the only black African
which taught her valuable lessons: “You with this degree – and I got it in 2008.
can still support someone even if you “This is problematic. This is unjust.
don’t have what they have; you have to This cannot continue. That is why I do
be resourceful and creative.” what I do. Lack of transformation in
Because of her excellent academic our profession has significant
performance in primary school, she was implications for what we do, how we do
chosen to attend St Luke’s Senior it, and why we do it. I fight for
College in Kyalami. transformation because it has
Today, Khoza-Shangase is an associate implications for the curriculum, for
professor at Wits in the department of research, for clinical practice – but also
speech pathology and audiology. because it is the right thing to do.”