Page 69 - Standard Bank KZN Top Business Women 2021

One of the beauties about life is that if your passion and

your heart are focused on something, somehow the universe brings it to you.

Broadcaster and Change Agent society around them. That love for story telling got me like. “I think that this responsibility has influenced a
starting campaigns and initiatives that spoke to life in lot of the initiatives that I do. I am a person, and I am
general and how the everyday person was affected.” ambitious. I want to be known as someone who respected
omfundo Xaba, aka Mfundo Dazzling,
her craft. I also want to be known as somebody who wasn’t
describes herself as a broadcaster, a mom, Nomfundo’s biggest inspiration, is the fact that she gets
afraid to speak up and address inequalities. I want to be
a wife, a lover of life, and most importantly to work with the people that influenced her career choice
remembered as a person who created campaigns and
Na lover of development. Although born in each day. While there were a number of broadcasters that
initiatives that spoke directly to challenges and problems
Port Shepstone, Nomfundo was raised in the small town she grew up listening to, one person comes to mind. “The
that society is facing. And beyond just addressing or
of Mtubatuba in KwaZulu-Natal. voice of the people – Alex Mthiyane. I consider him to
highlighting a problem, bringing solutions. I am also
be a wonderful inclusion in the media space – having
While her radio career spans just six years, Nomfundo observing moments in which I can share my knowledge
asked the questions the people at home want to ask.”
has proven talent and versatility. She has hosted radio with others and especially the younger generation.”
shows, business shows, and an award-winning gospel Another thing that inspires her in this space is not just
Nomfundo says that her family is her absolute centre.
show. Nomfundo has also hosted live music shows, the professionals but the ordinary people. In particular
“My children and my husband centre me. To relax I
summits and seminars, gala dinners, business dinners, Nomfundo feels that we do not spend enough time
spend time with my kiddies – but truly this calms my
corporate team buildings, wellness workshops and listening to our older people – to hear them and have that
mind. They stop me and remind me that life needs
personal development sessions. transfer of knowledge happening.
you to be present. We have goals and dreams, but they
She says that she did not plan her career path. “One of “What has always inspired me is to learn from the best, are for nothing if we can’t appreciate the simplicity of
the beauties about life is that if your passion and your hear their stories, and look at how we can bring that life… I also enjoy good music, movies, and series. And
heart are focused on something, somehow the universe knowledge forward, as we look ahead, as we think and as yes, I chill!”
brings it to you,” she explained. we shape the now,” she added.
Do extraordinary things
A love for story telling Creating opportunities
One thing that Nomfundo has learnt over the years is
In sharing about her journey in radio, Nomfundo There have been moments in her life when Nomfundo that life is difficult and that is one thing that we shouldn’t
says that she was a fan of the radio station that she thinks she should have given herself permission to succeed forget. She explains, “The journey is a difficult journey, but
currently broadcasts on as a university student. “I used in communities where men are leaders. Thinking back on it is worth it. If your why is strong enough, the why is the
to daydream about one day meeting the broadcasters how she was raised by a mother who was a widow within one thing that picks you up. On days where you have been
and telling them how great of a job they were doing on a community and who was able to raise her children and faced with a lot of ‘No’s’, your why will get you up and say
air,” she remembers. afford them opportunities and schooling, she considers I am one step closer to the ‘Yes’. The reason why this is
to be incredible leadership. “It took me many years to important is that we are living in a country that requires
When Nomfundo eventually was provided an
appreciate that it is not a lack of capacity that we have innovators to rise up. The tide is against you, but that is
opportunity to audition for radio, the intent was to
as women, but it is just opportunity. Opportunity doesn’t how worlds and nations were transformed and economies
meet the people that she had admired so much. And she
come because you scream and shout for it, but it comes were grown. It is just ordinary people who said that they
says that it is remarkable that she ended up winning a
because you say, ‘Yes, I am ready, and I am creating this would be extraordinary and do extraordinary things.”
competition, getting into broadcasting, and learning so
opportunity for myself’,” says Nomfundo.
much about it. “I fell in love with telling stories. This In conclusion, in advising others Nomfundo says, “Give
evolved to wanting to make people feel that we are part Another challenge was balancing her love for the media yourself permission to dream, give yourself permission to
of their lives and having them appreciate what is going space as a driver of stories and influencer with the do and know that you are what the world’s been waiting
on in their own lives and identifying what was going in responsibility of reflecting what greater society is really for to change, transform and build.”

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