Empowering women, shaping the future of leadership and governance - address by Dr Naledi Pandor

SAIGA hosted it's second Women’s Breakfast to commemorate Women's Month. Former DIRCO Minister, Dr Naledi Pandor delivered a powerful keynote address and was followed by a panel discussion. The panel comprised Advocate Kholeka Gcaleka, Public Protector SA; Rakshika Danilala Founder & CEO of AAA Consulting, RGA; Dr Hlengiwe Ndhlovu Senior Lecturer at Wits School of Governance; Ayanda Mafuleka, CEO of FASSET and Bontle Lerumo CEO of PSETA. The panel was moderated by Ayanda Allie, Member of the Gauteng Provincial Legislature. The programme director was WSG Marketing Manager, Mmane Boikanyo. WSG Research Director, Dr Caryn Abrahams welcome our guests to the prestigious event.

“Empowering women, shaping the future of leadership and governance”

Read the full speech:

Good morning to all of the distinguished guests present here this morning, to fellow panel members, executive members of SAIGA and staff of the university.  It is a great honour to have the privilege of speaking to women leaders at this August month breakfast. August 9 is an important date in South Africa’s history signalling recognition of the sterling contribution women in struggle made in strengthening resistance against apartheid.  There is often commentary that expresses irritation at marking such days, however it is important for nations to mark their history and celebrate those who made history in the most challenging circumstances.

As you are all well aware, women in South Africa are confronted daily by the most complex socio-economic challenges.  The past socio political description of the burden of triple challenges confronting African women in South Africa remains appropriate today.  Black women are largely without education and skills, lack decent employment and come from working class backgrounds all of which exacerbate their inequality. It is largely these women we celebrate in August, for their courage ingenuity and resolute refusal to be intimidated by oppression and the denial of basic human rights.  Their August 9 march to the Union Buildings signalled the ability of women to organise across race class and geography for a common purpose.

The practice of Internal auditing that you lead is a critical potential contributor to South Africa’s ability to overcome the difficult process of transition. Professional competent government auditors can help address our democracies inadequacies and restore public sector integrity and credibility. One of the critical features of our Constitution and of the Public Finance Management Act is the emphasis both place on transparency, monitoring and professional ethics.  Auditors can be defined as the pinnacle of integrity if they execute their role unflinchingly.

Our country requires significant expansion of integrity professionalism if we are to address our inadequacies.  Women leaders in sectors such as auditing can enhance progress in addressing public and private sector failings.  A few priorities should be the core focus of a goal oriented public service professional.

Firstly, our constitutional objective of achieving equality must be acted upon.  Women internal auditors should be appointed to senior positions and play leadership roles in executing audit functions.  This means women in this sector must ensure they have the skills and competence to fully execute their obligations.  Leadership without requisite skills is a major reason for public sector incapacity and we must not be party to affirming incompetence.  Of course, male managers should be required to steer the promotion and achievement of equality.  Leadership implies acting on our Constitutional responsibilities and achieving our national goals.

Second, the work environment created by leaders should be free of harassment abuse and exploitation.  There are departments and companies in which there exists an atmosphere of fear and terror.  Many women in our work environments report on regular intimidation and the absence of skill-based opportunities to advance.

Third, therefore all in the institution must embrace a responsibility to create an environment of empowerment and growth.  Research on the progress of women in the workplace sometimes suggests women are held back by the absence of a shared agenda of gender equality in their places of work.  Some colleagues become party to exclusion rather than agents for women leadership.

Fourth, our Constitution describes the public service as a sector in which quality results-oriented focus should thrive, this means like the women of 1956 if the intention is to achieve a successful mass campaign, careful accurate planning of tasks and their execution would be imperative.  For our purposes as internal auditors we should plan to assure the departments we serve in that every risk is identified anticipated and planned for. Internal audit sets the template for success. 

Our professionals should recognise that they bear a very important obligation.  They can give effect to the realisation of the socio-economic rights set out in our Constitution or serve as a barrier to access to these rights.  People tend to define their professional roles in very narrow terms; they trust that the bid evaluation committee will do its tasks effectively. They do not advise the Director General or the CFO to ensure minutes are kept by all committees involved in procurement so that the audit function has records to track work performance. 

Internal audit is a key public service skill and full leadership in this domain requires the professional to be a well-read all-rounder understanding financial management auditing and ethics. 

Fifth, empowerment implies understanding that the function is about utilising funds in terms of the law and achieving the objectives of the sectoral department. At times lack of expenditure or inadequate expenditure is a signal of poor ability, or an intention to reserve funds for sudden rushed expenditure at the end of a financial year.  Empowered auditors will understand all these failings and find ways to address them within the department. 

Sixth, the department is sometimes the cause of public sector failure, this is where the Association becomes critically important.  The association must stand ready to support its members in halting negative utilisation of public resources and corruption.  Members must be able to trust the association as an entity that will work faithfully with its members to advance positive financial and policy outcomes for South Africa. There is nothing worse than leadership without clear objectives and mechanisms to advance them.  The women of August 9 showed that they were women with a purpose a goal to achieve freedom and a readiness to sacrifice in the interest of those goals.

Seventh, equality is not set out as an obligation for women on their own.  Men have immense access to power in our country, and they are required to use that power to also ensure women’s progress and success.  At times male executives ask women what they are doing to advance gender equality implying they have no responsibility for this aspect of development.  All of us have an obligation to pursue and secure equality. Eighth, the women of 1956 marched in a diverse mix of class, race, age and organisation.  Leadership today in post-apartheid South Africa mandates attention to diversity, to ensuring that women from all backgrounds enjoy opportunities to lead and succeed.

A programme of leadership development in your profession has to incorporate attention to all these elements if women are to play their full role.  And of course, as the women of 1956 taught us logistics are critical for success transport food and posters must be ready and available to support the key priority of not failing to succeed.