Though our meeting is running late, I am instantly grabbed by her level of confidence as she smilingly approaches my table. The only word that comes to mind is dynamite! She is beautiful, short and extremely energetic. I brace myself and order a cup of coffee as she, in turn, requests hot chocolate.

I ask her to tell me a bit about herself. Presently a Law student at the University of Western Cape, twenty year old Sisi obtained her Diploma in Entrepreneurship whilst in high school. As I marvel at the concept of schhol scholars studying part-time for Diplomas, she continues to astound me by describing the rest of her impressive resume: she runs an events concept: “Sinful Sundays” at Club 91, upon which night she also manages the club; and she co-owns Cape Town Entertainment , Cape Town Party People, and Cape Town V Entertainment.

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She mainly organises events, and one of her most successful projects was the hosting of one of the J&B Met after-parties. Her latest (and probably most ambitious) endeavour involves her quest to establish her reputation in the industry.

The ‘Sinful Sunday” concept involves hosting a line-up of amazing entertainment for as long as demand allows. One of the most exciting aspects of this concept is the fearlessness of the team to go all out: at the  launch party, the guests were entertained by industry heavyweights ‘Tear Gas’. “The turn-out was beyond our expectation… This weekend we could have DJ Lloyd!” she exclaims ecstatically.

Although she enjoys events management, her passion is firmly planted in the legal industry. Since the innocent age of twelve, she has maintained a strong desire to become an advocate. She stresses that she could never let anything, including events management, hinder her from achieving that goal. With only two years left of her degree, Sisi strives to achieve even more than she already has, taking it upon herself to also produce two artists: dj Hlubi and an M.C Linz Mbeyiya, whose albums will be launching later this year.

Much of the work she does requires a great level of time and energy which inevitably requires the assistance of a dedicated team. One of the most significant lessons she has learnt is to never be shy to ask for help. “Not everyone wants to sabotage you; in fact, you’d be surprised to see how many people are willing to help if you provide them with realistic requests.”

Even with her hectic schedule and extreme level of popularity, this socialite is impressively grounded. When I asked her at which point she will know whether she has made a success of herself, she replies a rather unexpected answer that emphasizes both her uniqueness and humility: “When I have a house to my name!”

It is clear from our relatively short interview that this woman knows where she wants to go. For now, Sisi will be focusing on the managing and marketing of the Sinful Sunday concept at Club 91. Catch her there, every week, and look out for more information on her other projects on her Facebook page.

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Q:What inspires you to do what you do at such a young age?

A:I was lucky to find my passion at such a young age, I have always known that I wanted to venture into fashion it is what makes me happy and gives me that constant adrenalin rush. I remember as far back as when I was 9, I designed little stick figures in outfits.

Q:What has been the most challenging factor that you have faced?

A:Not to be pessimistic, as people always give you a look of disapproval when you say you studied fashion design.

Q:Your strength comes from…?

A:God always

Q:Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

A:I see myself as an entrepreneur with my own label, ideally I would like to have a chain of boutiques across the country but I suppose realistically that would happen over 10 years give or take.

Q:What legacy do you want to leave behind?

A:Its not the economy that shapes your success but its God and your passion for fashion (in my case)

Q: What advice would you give people who aspire to do what you do?

A:Retail experience is very important if you want to work for a retailer in order to understand your customer and processes; ideally you should do this part time while you are studying. There is a future in fashion do not hesitate be bold and passionate about it and you will definitely see the outcome.

FASHION:

Q:Since you live, breath and eat fashion, what can we expect from this winter?

A:Leather biker jackets, tunics with placement face prints or bold rose prints and etc, leggings whether printed or patent, waterfall knit pieces, acid wash skinny jeans, lace detailed and, studded ankle boots, knee high boots and embellished tops.

Q:How would you advice South Africans to incorporate their love for fashion and their country for the world cup?

A:South Africa is one of the most diverse country’s in the world, incorporating our cultural diversity in our clothing would definitely make a statement of national pride.

Q:What can we expect from Woolworths in the coming seasons?

A:Quality and style. Our brands are involving rapidly both classic and modern; and new ones are being born. We continue to cater across all lifestyles, genders and races.

Q:What is your favourite item for autumn and winter?

A:Woolworths leather biker jacket

Q: Since SA is a year behind in fashion, what will you be wearing come summer 2010?

• Embellished dresses and tops
• White is hot, this is achieved through fabric interest
• Grecian styled tops and dresses
• Leggings
• Soft harem pants
• Hem interest: uneven hem, hitched or bubbled
• Bra tops
• Bandeau tops
• Body con dresses
• The short : from supper short to rolled up cuff
• The newest trend to watch out for across all clothing styles is military which will also be key in W11

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ALIYANA INTERVIEWS BONANG MATHEBA

She is young, talented, inspiring and successful: Bonang Matheba shares her secrets to success with ALIYANA.

Having started out in the entertainment industry at the tender age of fifteen, Bonang has made her name for herself. She sports a range of amazing talents, which she exploits through her work as a radio host, model, television personality, fashion designer, business woman. This stunning young lady has proven herself to be versatile and determined. This determination is visible in all the fruits of her labour, including the launch of her new website. Read on to discover Bonang’s secrets to success!

Congratulations on the new website! I have seen it and it looks amazing. Tell us, what motivated you to create your own website?

Thank you! A friend of mine, who’s also quite successful in the industry, suggested I get an “online profile’ where visitors can read and find [out] everything about me, from my past work all the way through to my current work, my achievements and my goals etcetera. It’s a great business tool. Most international and local personalities have websites to document their lives and stay in touch with their fans. I’m slowly working towards that too. I also believe a great or successful “brand” needs to have a website that represents them and one that also acts as a singular port of communication to all relevant markets.

You discovered your passion for performing at age 15. What exactly made you realise your talent, and what projects did you get involved in that finally got you recognition in the industry?

It was a dream of mine after watching countless hours of TV and believing that I too can do what the people on my TV were doing – only better. The difference is with me, I did something with that dream and have been hard at work ever since. Live was the show that catapulted me into the industry. That show is the reason why I can do most of the things that I’m doing today, [for example]: YFM, Kaizer Chiefs TV and my fashion line. My “stardom” is the result of Live.

You recently started working at YFM which means you are officially an accomplished TV and radio personality in the entertainment industry. How you are finding radio, and which you prefer between radio and TV?

Radio is a different environment altogether. [With] TV there IS a “reality” to it. With radio you need to create the “reality” in your listeners’ imaginations, which can be a little bit more difficult to do. My first love is of course TV because I have been doing it for so many years and have therefore become so comfortable in that space. Ask me the same question in 5 years and I will probably have a different answer…

Let us know a little more about your experience of hosting events of high social caliber, such as the SABC year end functions in 2008 and 2009 and the SAA Express Awards etcetera? Where you nervous?

I am nervous with every interview. Every radio show and every time I go on Live. Nerves are good. They mean you’re in the right space and that the adrenalin is flowing through your veins – proof that your body and mind are prepared and ready to pounce into action. Hosting events is probably the one area that not many people have seen me in and probably one of my strongest characteristics. I’m a stellar “live host/mc” and being part of such awards ceremonies and events is nothing short of a blessing and a dream come true.

I understand you also have your own business, and you certainly are an inspiration for many of our readers who are young women seeking empowerment and a bright future. Is Baby Star your only venture as a business woman and how did you get that going?

Baby Star is a fashion brand that I started together with Koketso Chiepe, who is a London-based but Botswana born designer. It was an idea that [I’d] had for years but was still looking for the perfect candidate to partner up with. I met Ketso in March 2010, and together we started Baby Star. It was also a dream come true. The reason I say this was because it came just in time to be launched with new website while all these years it had failed when I was doing it alone. God has a plan that’s way bigger than me. At the end of the day my destiny has been laid out of me, all I can do is live it out as perfectly and as successfully as I possibly can. How did I get it going? – With a lot of faith and a lot of money that I had been saving up. If things cannot happen immediately, they will happen eventually. I just needed to make sure that the money was ready when God and [I] were ready. It’s all self-funded at the moment: Koketso and I pay for everything. The rewards will come; with any business one needs to put in money in order to make money.

Have you studied anything directly regarding your choice of career? If so, how did it help in all the different paths of entertainment that you have excelled in?

I did a TV presenting course in my early teens, and yes it has paid off. Once I complete my degree, I want to do a short fashion course [because] clearly that’s where I am headed at the moment.

Tell us more about your “Just B” Legit range. Did you design everything yourself, and what do you think makes the range a success?

Yes I did [design everything myself]. It was a fresh, quirky and edgy collection that most South African girls could relate to. And the reason
why I think it was successful was partly because I believed in the brand. I wore the clothes everywhere I went: on TV, at events at school, around the house etcetera. It’s one thing to just put a brand in a store, but another to actually live and be the brand. The range is still the highlight of my career to date.

What are the plans for your career this year? Are you involved in any way in the FIFA World Cup? And are you going to any of the World Cup matches?

I am going grow my new baby – Baby Star – [and] try to get it into as many shops as possible, [and] ultimately into as many arms as possible. I will be going to the games and taking part in the World Cup. It’s a HUGE deal for our country, so I’m going to be embracing it as much as I possibly can. [I’m] glad to be living in this lifetime; I doubt my children will see a World Cup in our country, which is quite sad. I will be at the games, the pubs, the fan parks, the pre-, during- and after-parties, and I’ll be here after the World Cup. I wonder if anyone’s thinking [about] what’s going to happen when all the tourists and soccer teams are gone…

What is your message to all the aspiring business women out there, and what do you think is the first step to a successful career?

Have faith, hang in there and work bloody hard. If it’s written in your destiny it will manifest. Take advice and ask questions, leave that pride behind…. No one likes a know it all… The beauty of this whole thing is that there’s absolutely NOTHING you cannot do. What are you waiting for? First step: believe that it is possible!

Do you feel that there is a lot of support for women in the industry and that you are taken seriously? Do you also think that is it a necessity to venture out into other endeavors within the industry to be taken seriously in your skill?

Yes, yes, yes! Women aren’t successful only because they don’t believe in themselves; no one else is to blame. You do it, and [in so doing] make it easier for those who are coming [after] you…

If you could meet anyone in the world, dead or alive, who would it be? And what would say to them?

Oprah: How did you do it?

Now that you have heard what Bonang has to say about taking that first step towards achieving your dreams, just remember to never let anyone tell you that it is impossible. Nothing is impossible; your dreams can be realised with perseverance and willingness to heed reliable guidance.

Make sure you check out Bonang’s new website at www.bonangmatheba.com. Also, catch Bonang on our screens every Friday at 21:00 on SABC1’s LIVE! And, of course, don’t forget about her new hip-hop radio show on YFM: every Thursday, 22:00 -24:00.

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The youth of today finds itself stumbling across inspiration more and more each day. It seems that there’s a movement, marked by the desire to succeed at a young age. This week ALIYANA sat with two of UCT’s many budding entrepreneurs, and these are their stories…

Name: Sheila

Company: Lavish Industries. It is a lifestyle company which was established in 2008.

Employment: I currently have a team of four students who all attend UCT.

How did you get involved? I was inspired to start my own company after attending a workshop where I met students who had started their own companies. I remember, it was during a Film and Media lecture when the name popped into my head, so I run to the closest computer lab and registered my company.

What type of leader would you say you are? Interesting question; I am a leader who motivates. I want people to rise up and be part of the decision making process.

What has changed you about running your own company? I have become more driven, which is good but frustrating at times as sometimes I wish I could just do nothing.

What difficulties have you experienced? Being an entrepreneur is challenging! Having to pace yourself based on your finances and time may be difficult as you can’t implement all your ideas, due to lack of financial backing.

Any successes thus far? Having offices a year prior to what my goal was.

What are you goals? I have a seven year plan. By the time I am thirty I should have the following: offices in Johannesburg, Port Elizabeth and Cape Town. Have a TV show, as well as my company must be a multi-million in worth.

2010...Is just the beginning!

Name: Thulani

Company: Forrard Research and Consulting Services. The company provides business support for small to medium businesses. We do their accounting documents as well as monitor their internal systems.

Employment: Just partner (Kwasi Okyere-Boakye) and me. If we need extra people, we hire them for that period of time.

What are the difficulties involved with starting your own company? It is challenging to get clients, as they don’t know who we are.

What has changed you? I wouldn’t call it change, but rather I have realized that there is a possibility that I could fail or succeed There is a wall of expectation. For someone who is at UCT, Business Science student, doing their masters, you are expected to make tons of money…which I am not at the moment.

What are your goals? To make R20 million by September 28th.

Any advice? Just do it!

So there you have it: yes, there are challenges in starting your own business, but clearly there are rewards to be considered. Forget about what people who say you can’t, follow your heart and just do it!

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The beautiful Zizo Beda is one of South Africa’s brightest young talent making a mark in our local Entertainment industry. She recently launched her own label, “Life of the party” which is available at Legit stores. ALIYANA had an opportunity to interview this powerful force, letting us in on her thoughts for the future…

1. Do you think you have reached the pinnacle of your career and if not, where you see yourself in the next 5yrs? No,I have only just started. I will be doing something in the corporate space in 5 years, I’d like to be a CSI manager for a corporate company.

2. Media pressure seems to have evaded you, how to remain scandal free with the constant pressure and at times lies in the media about “celebs”? You learn to separate work from your personal life and what I do is work. It’s my 9-5 and when I’m not at work I don’t think about it I don’t hang out with ‘Colleagues’ I just hang out with my friends.

3. Has it always been your dream to be in the public eye and be recognised as a “celeb”? NO,I was always going to be the journalist who reported about ‘celebrities’. Life just has its own way of working itself out, I guess.

4. If there was 1 thing you could change about the industry, what would it be and why? I think everything has its challenges whether it is entertainment or not but overall I think if I could I would wish that there were no drugs. Dude, that is hectic!

5. Do you view yourself as a role model? And what for you makes one a role model? Kind of, not self-appointed but people sometimes people give you titles you can do without. For me I look up to somebody who tries to live their life right but understands and accepts that they are not perfect.

6. If you had the opportunity to interview one person besides Mandela, who would it be? I would interview any of the women who marched to the parliamentary buildings over 30 years ago. That atmosphere must have been awesome!

7. Polygamy has made the headlines lately because of Pres. Jacob Zuma, do you believe that our African customs are under attack or should we adapt to the times we live in as the country has adopted a Western Constitutional framework with a mix of African customs in it? I think that culture serves as a guideline to the kind of people that we once were. People have evolved and so have the views of culture and what it means. If you and your partner are in agreement about your stance then that’s ok. The danger with being as public a figure as a countries president is that you not only the president of a nation of people who share or necessarily understand your beliefs. There are certain sacrifices that one has to make in such a position and I don’t necessarily agree with some things the president has allowed to become public. It’s a tough one..

8. Would you recommend the media industry to a young girl or boy growing up looking at you and hoping to one day emulate you if not do better than you? If it is where one wants to be I would just say that try and learn what you can about the industry before you make a hectic commitment because it is not as easy as people sometimes believe it to be. I will never tell someone not to follow their dream.

9. Who in the industry is your source of inspiration? Different people for different things. For one, Connie Ferguson is such a classy, well-respected woman who is also an entrepreneur. She is cool.

10. If you could sum up your years in the media industry in three words, what would they be? Awesome, challenging, educational.

Enter our competition now and stand a chance to win R 500 worth of clothing from Zizo Beda’s collection. Tell us what about Zizo inspires you.

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The phrase “beauty with brains” must have been coined with Basetsana Khumalo in mind, because that is exactly what this amazing businesswoman is. Born in Soweto in 1974 to what one would call a fairly ordinary family, Bassie, as she is commonly known, has definitely risen above what was expected of her as a young black woman at that time.

Basetsana stepped into the spotlight at the tender age of sixteen after winning the Miss Soweto pageant. Four years later, she took it a step higher and was crowned the first black Miss South Africa. Her reign as Miss South Africa was the stepping stone she needed, and like the sharp businesswoman she is, Bassie took hold of the opportunities that came with the title to build her brand. One of her greatest opportunistic moments came during her reign as Miss South Africa when she became a founder and host for one of South Africa’s top lifestyle shows, Top Billing, through which she gained some business savvy and exposure. Her job at Top Billing opened yet another door for an even bigger business venture, leading to the birth of Tswelopele Productions, a partnership she formed with the show’s producer, Patience Stevens. All this at the age of twenty! Tswelopele now produces Top Billing, and Bassie has opened up a publishing division in the company, through which she has launched the successful Top Billing magazine.

In 2001, Basetsana stepped onto the fashion scene with the launch of her clothing line “Stature Ladies wear by Bassie”, which was not only distributed nationwide, but throughout Sub-Saharan Africa as well! In 2002, she introduced her optical and sunglasses range, which has contributed to solidifying her brand throughout the country.

This amazing woman is also leaving her mark in the corporate world. In 2001, she joined Gauteng Travel Academy as Director. Currently, she sits as a board member of numerous companies such as Unipalm Investment Holdings, Morongwa Investment Holdings and Seven Falls, to name a few. In addition, Basetsana is also the President of the Business Women’s Association of South Africa.

Bassie has built her brand over the years, and to say she has made a success of it is merely an understatement! It is no wonder she has graced the glossy covers of some of South Africa’s most successful magazines, such as Cosmopolitan, Drum and True Love. She has even been awarded an honorary scholarship by former President Nelson Mandela to further her studies at Georgetown University in the United States – the same institution where Bill Clinton studied!

Even with all this on her plate, Bassie is more than just a businesswoman. She is a mother, wife, columnist, motivational speaker and writer.

As you read this, I am sure you are probably thinking “Wow!” because that is exactly what I thought. Though we often hear people say “the sky is the limit” or “you can do anything you put your mind to”, sometimes we all need some inspiration to remind that indeed it is all possible. May you all be inspired by this amazing woman and remember that it all starts from the humble beginnings, so even if it takes a while to land that job, get that business contract or even get a degree, with hard work and perseverance, nothing is impossible!

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1. Khanyi Dhlomo

The time is exactly 13:00 on sunny Tuesday afternoon. I am waiting on campus, patiently, to meet with Sizwe Mpofu-Walsh; a second year PPE (Politics, Philosophy and Economics) student at the University of Cape Town and recently elected SRC President 2009/2010.

As he approaches, I am immediately drawn to his mannerism; he arrives beaming with a smile and offers me a seat on one of the available tables.

As an aspiring businessman, this young man brims with enthusiasm at the prospect of using his business as a vehicle to serving the community. Without delay, he proceeds to share with me his thoughts on women, transformation and his vision for the future of South Africa.

M: What is your company about?

S: The Company is about leadership, what we found was in South Africa a lot of people highlight two problems that we have; the one is education and the other one is leadership. And so we thought we would give our small contribution to both these problems by teaching the concept of leadership in schools to high school age learners. And so what we do is, we go into schools we have written a number of programmes and we teach leadership to these school children.

M: By we, who are you referring to?

S: The Grow2lead team, Grow2lead was founded by 5 people of whom one was me. We started just as us five going in and facilitating and we have expended our team to 20 people.

M: What inspired the idea of starting this company?

S: Well, that is a brilliant word to use because our motto is actually ‘Aspire to inspire’ and so we thought that basically inspiration is something that was lacking in a lot of young people and something that is able  to catalyse positive in South Africa. So our whole inspiration was to inspire other people.

M: When was Grow2lead founded?

S: It was founded in 2007; I was 18 at the time and had just left high school. And since then we have rolled out programmes to over 6000 learners.

M: And do you target particular schools?

S: Yes, well the business model we run is obviously rural schools and schools in previously disadvantaged areas we do not charge. Umm… so what we do is we have given programmes to private schools particularly in Johannesburg; we have worked with a number of private schools whom we charge. And we also go out to rural schools and roll out our programmes for free.

M: So what was the concept behind formulating these programmes?

S: The basic theme was: you know when you’re at school you get to Grade 11 and you want to become a prefect or whatever but some 40 year old person who runs a campsite is telling you how to lead. And we thought… why not get leaders who are young, who lead at school, who can be relevant to these young children to actually write something that matters to them that matters to the school children to go out and teach leadership. So, we spent 6months writing out programmes.

There are various modules we do, we do a leadership one, public speaking, personal development and one in which we try to get them have a vision for their lives.

M: How does it work, what do the learners do… do they attend or do they read the programmes?

S: There are two components: we go out and give workshops and instead of giving one workshop for 5hours and leaving forever, what we do is we go in once every 2 weeks in a term. So we do 4 modules per term. It is obviously us facilitating the workshop but then what we also give them is a manual they can take home and read which has all the material pertaining to the programme in a systematic format.

M: And then do you check up on the learners to see if the programme is working and how is your interaction with them?

S: We do, it is something that we take very seriously. Well firstly, we do not like starting with Grade 12 learners, in fact, we prefer to start with Grade 8s. What is the point of learning leadership when you get to the end of school? So in the first school we ever went into we started with their Grade 8s and now they have called us to come back for their Grade 9s, so we are probably going to take them through their whole schooling career doing modules like that. But I think even just four times is good enough for seeing them through. We cannot see them everyday of our lives but rather that then just once.

M: Seeing as you are in Cape Town when do you go back to Johannesburg to check up on everyone else?

S: Umm, well, I go back during the holidays but we have a core group of people who are directing the Johannesburg branch and we have also done some work in Mpumalanga and Limpopo. In Cape Town my friend Mpumi and I, are currently starting up the Grow2lead Cape Town branch. And that requires us building a team here. In fact last year in September we had a conference where we invited various schools here at the University which was very good.

M: Now tell me about the founders, who are they?

S: firstly I must mention that we are a very diverse team comprising of 2 women and 3 men: Mpumi Tshabalala, Sule Burger, Puso Thahane and Warren Chalklen. And the small matter of me. We all met on the Johannesburg Junior City Council when we were 17. They are all amazing young leaders.

M: What motivated you as a team?

S: I think the 2 key things were what I had mentioned in the beginning in particular this idea of leadership because, we have been exposed to leadership positions in school and we saw how these positions had not only shaped us but once you form a leader that leader can give back to the community which the leader leads. So we really saw that as a niche that we wanted to fill. In addition to that, we wanted to started a business and learn entrepreneurial skills so we had to register the business and form a profit structure. Nevertheless, we did not wish to just start any old business. We wanted to start a business that would give back, to some extent, to society at the same time.

M: Are you involved in any other projects?

S: Yes, I am involved in a non-profit organization, The African Schools Debating Championships.

M: How do you manage being at University and running a business?

S: Hahaha… I am still asking myself that question…hahaha!  It’s a question of balance and intricate planning. You have to plan ‘when is my day to sleep’ 2 weeks in advance. You will be amazed at how much you can do and at this time in our lives we should be doing as much as we can.

M: What are your interests?

S: Soccer, reading, socializing (interacting with people), music, I released an album it was called The Royal School of Hip Hop. We released it when we were about 16, still young and naïve.  And I am currently recording an album.

M: What inspires Sizwe?

S: Finding a solution to our social and economic inequality. We have not awoken to our true potential and being able to at least think about the probability of finding solutions to these problems, which are not only exclusive to South Africa but, to Africa as a whole is inspiring. And the following mottos I live by inspire me; ‘Aspire to Inspire’ and ‘LEARN BUILD and GROW’.

M: Anyone you look up to?

S: Various people; my mother in particular, Steven Gerrad from Liverpool (soccer inspires me), President Barack Obama, various philosophers and various political theorists as well.

M: Do you regard yourself as being a role model to young children?

S: I would like to think so, I try to be, and I believe it is one way that we can give young people something to aspire to. Yet at the same time I am definitely not where I think I could be and I still feel that I have much to do and much to achieve.

M: What is your take on Women’s Day?

S: I never cease to fail to acknowledge the role women have played in my life. We need to start taking cognizance of the role women have played in our lives- everyday. If Women’s Day helps us to remember that then I suppose it is a good thing.

M: Are there any women who impress you in business?

S: Umm… now you are making the playing field hard because I have to compare them to my mother… I would have to say my Godmother; Ziona Jacobs. Buyelwa Sonjica, our current Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs. And Angela Merkel; the German Chancellor.

M: South Africa is currently debating the issue of transformation, what is your thought on that?

S: Firstly, we have to say on the issue that it is one that is very close to people’s hearts whatever side of the debate they’re on. I think we all tend to agree more than we disagree on the issue it is just the wording that sometimes wrong foots us. I think we all agree that we need to redress apartheid and we also all agree that diversity in any institution is a bonus and is a good thing, something that we should aim to achieve. So the question is not on the core issues we agree on the question is, how do we achieve them. I believe we do need to be cognizant of race as we try to address it, because of the fact that race as defined by the old regime is what has gotten us into this situation. Nevertheless, similarly we cannot be ignorant of economical and social issues, in particular economic class and we need to take that into account when we try to address transformation. Finally, I will say that institutional mechanisms can only do so much; you can put people in the same room of different hues for 100 years but to get them to actually talk to each other and interact is a whole different ballgame and I believe that is what our generation has to start thinking about now. We are in the same room but how are we going to reach across the room and try to understand each other.

“Aspire to Inspire and LEARN BUILD and GROW”

M: Your thoughts on our country?

S: Our country is amazing and people need to understand that. We are exposed to a great breadth of experience and this is not just culturally, racially or politically but economically as well.

M: Any future Plans?

S: In terms of the next 2 years it would definitely be excelling at my degree and establishing the Grow2lead Cape Town branch. And I would like to study further (do my masters) and venture into the corporate sector in South Africa and global politics after that.

M: Any words of encouragement you wish to share with the youth who aspire to start their own business?

S: There are two as mentioned earlier; Aspire to inspire and Learn Build and Grow!!!

“Aspire to inspire” and “LEARN, BUILD and GROW!!!”

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Aliyana magazine dedicates this month’s Professional of the Month to the following four truly amazing women. These are South African women whose successes constantly remind us that we are more than able and capable of achieving our dreams and aspirations, that one is able to overcome obstacles unless they are perceived as indestructible limitations. As you read through each profile, realise that you, at this very point in time have achieved success in many areas of your life, be it an accomplishment that has earned you much recognition or a small and seemingly insignificant success you often tend to over look, take this time out to be inspired and take pride in this one fact: you are where you are right now and are still able to achieve!

Our daughter this month is Nicky Greenwall. This dynamic and highly driven young lady has ensured that we are kept entertained by premium prime time programmes such as Behind The Name, the Style Report and the ever-popular, Show Biz report. These shows (and many others that she has produced and presented) have entranced many audiences, gaining much popularity. But before all this there was Nicky the student, pushing her career in the advertising industry.

She graduated from one of South Africa’s well-known schools of advertising and went on to work within the industry. But this did not limit her span of influence. She went from model in Pantene and Burger King ads, arts anchor on Etv news, presenter to now being one of South Africa’s most sought after leading entertainment journalist, writer and producer. The list is never-ending and there’s no denying that she has not only made her mark in the media industry but will continue to impress audiences for many more years to come.

Our mother is the noted Dr Precious Moloi–Motsepe. Many know this chic and stylish woman as the wife of the affluent Patrice Motsepe and chairperson of the African Fashion International, yet fail to remember that she was and still is a doctor.

Dr Moloi-Motsepe majored in gynaecology which has made her very aware and active in women’s health. She made the choice of limiting her contribution to the medical field to advising women on health issues in order to work closely with non-government organisations (NGOs). However, she continues to incorporate her medicinal knowledge in the humanitarian field as medicine has helped define the person she is today.

Another fact that is worth mentioning is that she is a woman intent on improving the disadvantaged communities that set the progress of development in South Africa back. She and her husband, Patrice Motsepe, made history by becoming the first black couple to donate a record amount of $107 000 in support of the UNICEF child program in South Africa.With regard to her involvement in the fashion industry, Dr Moloi-Motsepe aims to change the opinions of many who believe that Africa has no impact in the industry that may seem to be governed by Western trends. Hence, she has made it her mission to become the platform for the growth of South African fashion.
Our grandmother is the late Miriam “Mama Africa” Makeba. This amazing woman was an artist and in the frontline of the pursuit to freedom in her own right. The ultimate highlights of her career came in 1952 when she was invited to tour and perform nationally with the Manhattan Brothers. 4 years later, she went further to release the song “Pata Pata”, which has been re-recorded by several international artists. Since then, she has recorded 30 albums. However, her rise to fame was not an easy one as success almost always comes at a price. The many storms that she has weathered include cancer, a plane crash and even several car accidents.

A little over 10 years after Pata Pata was released in South Africa, Makeba became an instant international hit when it was released in the United States of America. After her marriage to a key controversial black activist at the time, Stokely Carmicheal, she rapidly lost fans. Once again, Makeba was the victim of a country in a state of emergency. Feeling dissatisfied, Makeba migrated back to Ghana, where she returned to a heroine’s welcome. She progressed to speak about the Apartheid regime and went further to inspire the famous “black is beautiful” movement.

On the 9th November 2008, Mama Africa suffered from a heart attack in Castel Voltunro, after performing Pata Pata. She was and still is; exceptional artist and her contribution to the liberation of the South African country cannot be denied. Not even by death. She will forever remain a living legend by those who are fortunate enough to understand her achievements made in the music industry.

Lastly, I make no mistake in stating that we have witnessed the struggles, mood swings, joyous times and achievements that our mothers have attained in our life times, and that these have taught us a vast number of lessons. Because of this, we will continue to support their efforts, will continue to aspire in mothering our children the way they have us and continue to strive towards being women of immense strength. We thank them for personifying God’s love and His unselfish nature and that we, as daughters, mothers and one day grandmothers, will continue in their legacy,

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Aliyana magazine had to speak to this talented and all rounded young woman so that she can enlighten us on exactly what it is she has been up too and give us more insight on her new production company and the exciting new show!

S.A hasn’t seen much of you on our screens since EMS volume1. What have you been busy with?

P: The reason why I haven’t been on screen is that firstly I’m very weary of being over exposed. When you’re sick of seeing yourself on air, know that it’s time to take a break and explore other avenues which is what I did. To ensure a longevity and financial stability in the TV business, I co founded a television production company called Kofi Productions. It’s been a challenging yet rewarding experience and finally our first production called Precious Africa will be launching on the 11^th of August 2009

What spurred your interest in becoming a producer?

P: I wouldn’t really call myself a producer as all that I do is come up with the TV concepts, pitch to funders and broadcasters and when we get the gig, I hire an experienced TV producer. I’ve always had a drive to have a significant say in the editorial of a program and finally my current position, executive producer, allows me to do just that.

Who are the women producers that you admire and which qualities that they posses would you like to personally adopt?

P:It’s probably be very cliché of me to say this but Oprah has set the bar on what women can achieve and I know that other young women like me are up for the challenge of going even further than that!

Changing roles from presenter to producer must have been a challenging one, what were the golden rules or lessons you learnt in that transition?

P: I’m lucky to have never felt comfortable as just being a presenter, to a point where my past producers needed to put me in my place when I wonder into their positions. The transition has been very natural for me, I enjoy the role of leadership, I enjoy learning from others and I welcome growth.

As a young producer, do you feel that your ideas or visions are respected as much as those of more experienced, older producer?

P: This depends on the people you surround yourself with; if you hire close minded people then your voice might never be heard. Either way I may be young and in some ways inexperienced, but I know my strengths and I’m aware of my short comings so I surround myself with people that compliment me.

You are truly a young woman of many wonders. Not only are you a presenter and actress, producer but also the head of your own production company, Kofi productions.

How did Kofi productions come about?

P: It came about at a time when I needed to take control of my destiny; I couldn’t just sit there and wait for the phone to ring. As we all know the TV industry is incredibly fickle, you need to be on top of your game for you to cultivate a career that you yourself respect. I create authentic African programming, I want my shows to make Africa local, and having a production company allows me to do just that.

What does Kofi Productions have in store for us?

P: Our first program is called Precious Africa and it’s a story of an ordinary South African girl who travels to other Africa countries and learns about what makes us one as a continent. The episodes vary in experiences as we see the red, green and gold which make up the blood that has been shed, the fertile land as well as the wealth in our continent. Oh and that girl is me!  We hope that through this show, young people in South Africa will gain a desire to explore our continent.

What challenges did you face travelling in these parts of Africa?

P: Being out of my comfort zone was quite a challenge because I’m a home body that enjoys the company of my family.

What are you hoping the viewers, especially the young people in S.A learn from this?

P: Young people in South Africa will see that in fact the pain of a 20 something year old in Gulu Uganda is also your pain. Pain is universal, love is universal and the rest of the continent is part of our home. We need to wake up and realise that Sudan is in a revival and that they want and need our support as the South African youth. I hope that we as young South Africans learn to embrace our continent; otherwise Africa will never be free!

Let’s shift the focus back onto you and how you managed to turn these ideas into reality. How hard or easy was it for you?

P: I know who I am. I am a child of God and therefore my word is powerful. When I say I want something, I get it because God’s got my back!

You’ve given us an idea of who Precious the producer and presenter is, now we’d like to know a bit of Precious, the girl next door! Here are sentences I’ve left unfinished so that you can complete!

When a guy takes me out he should…. make me laugh so that I can forget my deadlines!

Odd habits that people who love me hate are… I’m lazyL

Never ever will I…. relax my hair!

During an ad break I…. eat and prepare for the next segment

An embarrassing moment was when…. I’m quite a klutz so I’m over being embarrassed!

Running in heels….it more like running in slip slops or takkies, I’m afraid of heights!

Before we end this interview off, do you have any words of wisdom that you’d like to leave our readers with?

P:Love is the greatest emotion, it has so much power. Put love first and all that you do will rock!

Well readers there you have it!  Hopefully now you have a better idea of who this lovely lady, well known for her huge and proudly African afro is, and are inspired to “Put love first!”  Remember that success is inevitable if you not only work hard but are genuinely in love and passionate about what you do!

Be Sure to catch her very exciting show called Precious Africa on SABC1 from the 11 of August at 21:00

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Zukiswa Sithole is one of South Africa’s beautiful dynamic and smart women; who has come, and taken over the law industry of South Africa by storm. Having made a significant impact at Bowman Gilfillan Attorneys, this power personified figure met with ALIYANA magazine, illustrating that power married with love and maturity pave the way to achievements of any respect.

Being both a newly wed and mother Zuki boasts not enduring the stresses of spending too little time with family. “When you marry and have a child, your priorities change – regardless of the fact that your work load and working hours don’t decrease, you work more efficiently, getting the job done much quicker.”One of the perks however of this industry is the strenuous task of admin. “ I hate admin!” – she calmy states, “although in the field you are given clerks to help you with filing etc, it is still a huge task on its own, ” (and it is boring i hear.)

Having completed her LLB at the University of Stelenbosch not so long ago, she moved to the streets of Johannesburg only to find her prince charming. In 2008 she was admitted as an Attorney of the High Court, married and had a baby boy, what a year!

In effort to euphemise corporate governance, tensions at work and the rest of the problems inherent in any working environment, Zuki explains how “there will always be personality clashes. If you are mature you will learn that there are more important things in life to be concerned about as apposed to entertaining time consuming mind game,” in which ALIYANA couldn’t be more supportive of that statement.

One of the interesting facts about Zuki that many people are not aware of, is her fear of entering pagents. From an early age, this kind yet self – assure interlect was appraoched by family, friends, acquintances in attempt to persuad her into entering Miss SA 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006. Though she failed at persuing the pagent girl lifestyle, Mrs Sithole however achieved at being an inspiration to countless young females who too want to becom a prominent figure in the legal industry.

Word of advice, she shares: “If you are not passionate for Law, you will not like Law.”

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