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The mission of the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education is to provide equitable access to quality education for the people of KwaZulu-Natal. The Department's strategic goals are to broaden access to education and provide resources; improve schools' functionality and educational outcomes at all levels; develop human resource and organisational capacity and enhance skills; develop schools into centres of community focus, care and support; ensure good corporate governance, management and an efficient administration; and promote national identity and social cohesion. Subscribe Subscribe Education MEC: Mbali Frazer Contact details Physical: Anton Muziwakhe Lembede Building, 3rd Floor, 247 Burger Street, Pietermaritzburg Postal: Private Bag X9137, Pietermaritzburg, 3200 Tel: 033 846 5000 Fax: 033 355 1213 Web: www.kzneducation.gov.za The mission of the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education is to provide equitable access to quality education for the people of KwaZulu-Natal. The Department's strategic goals are to broaden access to education and provide resources; improve schools' functionality and educational outcomes at all levels; develop human resource and organisational capacity and enhance skills; develop schools into centres of community focus, care and support; ensure good corporate governance, management and an efficient administration; and promote national identity and social cohesion. Back to government departments

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< Back Next Heather Flack Heather Flack is the impassioned business leader of Flair Accounting Heather Flack is the impassioned business leader of Flair Accounting, a boutique accounting practice based in Morningside, Durban. Heather grew up in Vereeniging in the Vaal Triangle. When she matriculated in 1997, she was unexpectedly offered a full bursary to study any form of art, which Heather says was quite unheard of. “However, I was blessed with the wisdom to know that while art was my passion, it’s a subjective field. I could end up in jail for beating somebody up when they said they didn’t like what I had made!” she explains with a chuckle. Preferring the structured nature of accounting and realising the impact sound financial decision making could have for businesses, she started her articles after school and studied at night at the then Potchefstroom University. After working in a practice for a few years, Heather realised that the traditional accounting model was never going to work for her. Heather explains, “My heart was always in a space to really help business owners in the full sense of what finance can give to a business owner – not just their tax structure.” Heather then joined a business in Durban in 1999 and after three years, on her 23rd birthday, started Flair Accounting, which has now been serving clients for 21 years. “I am blessed to lead a wonderful team. We have always said that we want to change the world one business at a time because life is about people, not about numbers, titles, or accolades. Finance has an amazing ability to empower people to make decisions to change their businesses to affect the economy, and to positively affect the country.” Flair Accounting’s mission statement is “to be the most loved accounting practice in Durban.”“We love the work we do and seeing the impact it makes.We want the businesses and clients that we serve to love working with us because ultimately relationships are what empower us to make that difference in their lives.” THRIVING FOR 21 YEARS The accomplishment that makes Heather the proudest is not just surviving for 21 years but thriving. “I’m very proud of our legacy of impact, which was not my intention when I started, but which has been the outcome of the last 21 years of focusing on relationships whilst providing incredible accounting solutions. This means the world to me.” She is proud of the many people who have worked for Flair Accounting, who believed in her ethos of breaking the traditional accounting practice mould. The grounding gained has seen them go on to work for companies such as Unilever, Derivco and the PKFs of the world. Heather says, “Our success is really due to each individual who has served with us.” The best advice Heather has received was from George Ross, the first client that she took on when she started her business. He said that the definition of a leader is somebody that people WILLINGLY follow, which shaped Heather’s approach to engaging with staff, clients, community and stakeholders. “If you are not a leader that people will willingly follow, you’re just a dictator. Understanding that defined my entire company culture and how I interact with every single person in my life,” explains Heather. Heather has faced two major challenges in her business. The first she has resolved by getting older because the immediate challenge that she faced was her youthful age when she started Flair Accounting. “Firstly, to get anybody to have the confidence that I had the ability to do what I said I was going to do was quite difficult. Developing trust in my abilities took many years and sometimes meant that I offered to do the work for free. If the clients were happy afterwards, they could pay me, which worked. One client even paid me double!” she explains. The second challenge, which took a little bit longer for Heather to resolve, was realising that when it comes to hiring people to join the practice that you can’t just hire anybody – you need to find the right body. “I overcame that by developing a meaningful hiring process whereby we can discover who you are before you work with us, because who you are we can’t change. What you know we can change; we can teach you and you can learn. I’m immensely proud of our hiring process and how we go about finding those right people.” LIVE YOUR WHY In addition, Heather says that although businesses will always encounter obstacles and workforces will always have conflicts, the best way to resolve these is to be clear about what your culture is and to live your why. “There’s a wonderful book by Simon Sinek called Leaders Eat Last and that ethos I’d like to think we model here. When the times are tough, I will be the first one to join the team and do the hard yards. I have always found that when I climb in the trenches with the staff there’s nothing that we can’t achieve.” Heather is inspired by ethical people who are not afraid to stand up for what they believe in. She adds, “Not because they have to, but because it’s the right thing and that has always been a wonderful affirmation for me.” An example of a leader she follows is Thuli Madonsela, because in a male dominated world and in an incredibly challenging environment, she has had the strength of her convictions. Heather’s vision for her business in the next five to ten years is that, although they’ve grown exponentially over the last years, she would like to see even more impact being had on the economy by empowering people with brilliant financial information. The motto that Heather lives by is “life is about people” which is the superpower driving her company culture. “If we always remember that, whether it’s a tax return I’m dealing with or a financial statement or a forensic audit or estate planning. I’m doing it with numbers, but I’m doing it for people,” she concludes. Previous Next

Up Home Up Jasmeena Shiba JASMEENA SHIBA is a director at Royal Tyres, which is a leading tyre fitment centre and part of the Bestdrive franchise. Royal Tyres is a family run business that was started by Jasmeena’ s grandfather in 1939 and celebrates its 83rd anniversary in 2022. The company is South Africa’s oldest tyre dealer. Jasmeena was born in the heart of the Indian casbah in Victoria Street, Durban and later moved to Reservoir Hills. She studied Business Administration through ML Sultan Technikon, which led to her being exposed to many industries over the years where she also garnered international experience. Jasmeena lived in London, United Kingdom for 13 years between 1998 and 2011 where she worked as an IT Analyst for investment banks (Alexander Forbes, Deutsche Borse Bank), Media (Sky News), and Health Care (NHSU). Jasmeena joined the family business in 2011 as the first female director at Royal Tyres, which is predominantly male-orientated. This, together with Jasmeena’ s international business administration experience, has brought a new dimension to the business. She says, “Being the first female director in the history of the business is a difference in itself. I have added some female qualities to the business and always look at the female aspect. “Consequently, Jasmeena has been able to contribute to the business and the client experience, from a female perspective, bringing into the equation what a female client would like to experience when having her vehicle fitted with tyres, and has made these types of changes. Jasmeena has also implemented company policies and processes to assist staff in working efficiently and effectively. Her goal being to build a strong workforce and create an inclusive company culture. MOTIVATED AND ACCOUNTABLE For Jasmeena, her motivation comes from knowing the responsibilities she has as a director and employer. This motivation includes the responsibility she has for the livelihood of all the employees relying and depending on her. Her motivation extends to the responsibility she has for the sustainability and success of the business. “Being accountable for the business and its people, keeps me motivated and on track,” she commented. Her inspiration has been her father and mother who, she says, have gone through so many challenges with the business over the years. They have been her mentors and inspired her and her fellow directors. Jasmeena says, “They have definitely inspired us to take the business to the next level, they guide us if they see us making a wrong decision that could cost us.” Her father, who is CEO, is still actively involved in the business, to provide direction. Jasmeena commented, “We don’t do expensive school fees so to speak – we go to my dad who says, ‘no don’t do that or yes do that. So that has been a huge help.” TEAMWORK OVERCOMES CHALLENGES For Jasmeena, the most obvious challenges are being in the motor industry as a female in management. Despite this, she is well supported by the team and management board. Recent challenges, faced by Royal Tyres, as with many businesses, was Covid, and in Durban it was the floods, looting and protesting which broke many Durban businesses who could not recover their losses. “We worked with these challenges collectively as a team and a business. These were not challenges that I personally faced alone, we faced them as a team and this is how we overcame the challenges,” explains Jasmeena. “There were tough decisions that had to be made to survive, and our priority was our staff and the family’s dependent on them. For us working as a team, trusting our team, and constantly adapting to the changing environment, is how we overcame these challenges,” she said. “My future goals are simple but important,” says Jasmeena, “to be healthy, to be happy, support my team, support my staff, and strive to always do my best in all my endeavours.” VALUES ARE IMPORTANT In advising young women who are entering the business world, Jasmeena cautions, “Don’t lose yourself to prove yourself. Stay true to yourself and your values which are so important. Don’t get lost trying to make your mark or make a difference in a space that is not aligned with who you really are. Be humble and always trust your gut when it comes to a big decision. And be consistent, consistency delivers results.” Jasmeena has been married for 21 years and has three children. The boys are aged 16 and 12 and her daughter is 9, which, she says, means life is pretty busy. To stay balanced, she likes to keep fit and active as this allows her time to recalibrate. As a family they stay active by doing bike rides and going to the gym. CONSISTENCY IS KEY Jasmeena concludes by saying: “Sometimes when we start off, we cannot see the finish line. But don’t give up, keep going and the key is to be consistent. You won’t see the results immediately, but just keep going and be consistent as it’s a long-term thing, the results will come.”

Health is your wealth and wealth is your health, and that’s what we need to teach to empower and influence others < Back Nozuko Basson Regional Manager for Communities and Corporate Affairs Tronox South Africa Nozuko Basson’s role at Tronox, which is based in northern KZN, entails making sure that the mining company honours its responsibility of creating value for its stakeholders, of which, communities take centre stage. The most significant event in Nozuko’s life is, she says, when she became a mother. “I had my daughter when I was fairly young and from the moment she arrived in this world, I knew that the game had changed. It’s an ambition of mine, that when my daughter is asked who your role model is, she mentions my name.” In ensuring that she is an inspiration to her daughter, Nozuko constantly evaluates how she behaves, how she practices professionalism in the workplace, and how she treats other people. Nozuko believes that she has got to where she is today through hard work, dedication, a lot of praying and the support from many people who have crossed her path. “I’m somebody who is focused on her religion. I’m a Christian and I’ve always believed that everything that I do is enabled by my faith. I started my career as a journalist, but I realised that was not the life that I wanted to live. I’m not a social and out-there type of person, so I moved into public relations. I was fortunate to work for an agency where I had an amazing mentor who helped me in building the capability to understand how media relations works.” From there, Nozuko moved onto one of South Africa’s largest medical insurance organisations, Discovery. Here, Nozuko said, she had mentors who helped guide her through her career. “I’ve been fortunate that I had other people lifting me, guiding me, and making sure that I stayed on the right track. My journey has been difficult; it’s always good to be reminded by those who are ahead of you how to remain positive and confident in what you are doing.” Having courage Nozuko says that her decision to move to KwaZulu-Natal has been an amazing journey that has required her to really stretch herself. This meant going into areas where she thought she would never be able to venture. She added, “Just having the courage to really push myself and push the boundaries for my team members so that we all work towards one single vision. This requires that we stay close to the cause and really live our own personal values, as well as the values of the organisation in which I work right now.” In commenting on the challenges that she has faced, Nozuko says that as a young female professional, the first challenge that she would like to focus on, is the “pull her down syndrome”. “When you, as a female, start rising in your career there are times when other females do everything in their power to pull you down. I have a strong view that if one of us rise, we all rise. It’s hard enough being a young female, let alone being black in the workplace; we need to hold each other up and motivate each other.” The second challenge she has faced is working in the mining industry, which is a male dominated sector. Over that, working within the community, which is also a male led environment that still subscribes to traditional practices has brought a great deal of learning, that has come with its own difficulties. Currently, the third challenge has been dealing with unconventional community issues, that pose a serious risk to Tronox’s public reputation. “This is where the company’s values, procedures and policies need to guide you to deal with the challenges in a manner that does not compromise your role or its reputation,” said Nozuko. “Lastly, I have often found myself feeling not quite welcome around the ‘table’, as if I am a token BEE candidate,” says Nozuko. “I’ve learnt that I shouldn’t wait for somebody to offer me a seat at the table. If there’s no seat for a female in the workplace or in this industry, you bring your own, and that’s something that I have really started being vocal about.” Leaving behind a legacy In the future, Nozuko wants to leave behind a legacy that says, “When Nozuko Basson was in that community or was working in that organisation, she made a positive difference.” In terms of her career, she sees herself growing from strength to strength. Right now, she is focused on her work in South Africa, but soon, she wants to share her knowledge and skills with the rest of the world. Nozuko added that she is fortunate to work for an organisation that has the platform that will allow her to do so when the time is right. On the personal side, Nozuko wants to travel the world. “I want to touch other lives in my own personal space. I want to live my best life and it’s something that I’m making a deliberate effort in doing and I know that I’m on the right track.” In advising others, she says, “It’s important not to be side-tracked by other people’s opinions. It’s important to remain true to yourself. It’s important that when you venture out, you understand that not everybody will be cheering for you, so learn to be your own cheerleader and as you’re cheering yourself, cheer those around you because they may not know the power that they have within themselves.” Nozuko believes one needs to put their heart into everything that they do. “I always say to people, if you’re not going to give it your all, rather don’t start. I believe in dazzling people. One of Tronox’s values speaks to doing the right work, the right way in every aspect of our business and that’s really what I subscribe to. I don’t take short cuts; it’s about doing something right all the time. It’s behaving in an ethical way and ensuring that everything I touch, doesn’t only represent organisational integrity, but also my own personal integrity.”

< Back Natasha Naidoo Next As CEO of Azisa Consulting, Natasha Naidoo leads a busy life. Asked about her journey, she is candid. "I got this far through hard work, long hours and being prepared to make sacrifices in my personal life As CEO of Azisa Consulting, Natasha Naidoo leads a busy life. Asked about her journey, she is candid. "I got this far through hard work, long hours and being prepared to make sacrifices in my personal life. When you want something badly enough, and you're prepared to fight for it, you'll find a way to make it happen." Things haven't come easily to Natasha. Brought up by a single mother, she says she knows what it's like to go without. "My mother is an inspiration. She's always had to fight to keep her head above water, and it's her strength that made me who I am today. We grew up knowing what it's like to not to have lights and water, and sometimes even food." As a schoolgirl, she dreamed of being a lawyer, but there was no chance of studying after school. While her brother left school early to help support the family, she was lucky enough to complete matric. Natasha was only recently able to study safety management and construction. "Life doesn't always work out exactly as you'd hoped but that doesn't mean you can't achieve great things - if you're prepared to put in the effort." When Natasha finished school there wasn't money to learn to drive. "I need to renew my driver's licence for the very first time this month," she smiles. "I only got my first licence five years ago!" It's harder for women Today, as CEO of her own business, things have changed considerably. Competing in diverse business sectors, her focus is on construction safety consulting, safety management and telecommunications. She's responsible for marketing and business development, and spends much of her time with clients. She loves the operational side of the business and can be found on site two or three days a week, often presenting training courses on construction safety. "The construction industry is tough, and I believe it's harder for women in this industry. We constantly must prove our expertise, and that can be disheartening. But for me, that makes me try harder. I'm a firm believer in the importance of customer service, and I think that's helped greatly." Natasha's head office is based in Durban but, after only five years in business, the company has extended operations to Johannesburg. "I planned to expand into other regions, but I had to put that on hold for a while." Natasha's brother was murdered in 2017, and for almost two years her priority was the fight to get justice for him. "The two men who killed my brother were convicted in August, and now we have closure. Hopefully I can put this behind me and focus on my business and begin the expansion project." Natasha's business has grown dramatically from her beginnings. Her move into construction safety and telecommunications has borne fruit, but making the leap from salaried employee to entrepreneur is always a risk. A year of planning "I was clear that I wanted my own business but I knew that there were no guarantees that I'd generate an income immediately. It took a year of planning and I was terrified. We have two children, and I wouldn't jeopardise their security, so I saved almost my entire salary for several months before resigning. This gave me a cushion and covered essential expenses until I could draw a salary from my business." Asked about her support structures, Natasha says her husband is the foundation she stands on. Highlighting the truth that most successful business people achieve success despite failures along the way, she notes that if you want success, you can't give up when things get tough. "Whenever I fail, he picks me up and dusts me off, so I can start again." Natasha is very grateful to her mother. Admitting that she has no real work-life balance, working long hours most days, she is fortunate to have her mother's help daily. "My mother is up and active at 6am, and I rely on her for a home-cooked dinner most nights too. I couldn't do what I do without her support and I'm lucky to have someone who loves my children, helps me take care of them, and is a big part of their lives." An understanding partner But the long hours aren't relentless, and Natasha does enjoy precious time with her family. "I do steal time to fetch the children from school and spend a few hours with them. I can't do it every day, but I love that time." She also points out that it helps to have an understanding partner. "It takes a great man to support his wife unconditionally, and not every husband is willing to bath kids and feed them. If you don't have a good support system, it must be exhausting trying to do it on your own." Asked what advice she'd give her younger self, she responds instantly: "Fight harder, be stronger, be better." When it's suggested that she's a bit hard on herself she's quick to explain. "I don't ever want to have to go without again, so I fight harder. I want to be heard." She admits to one legacy of the hard times. "I tend to over-buy. It might be a bit paranoid, but I want to make sure I have the things I need. But I'm proof that you can change your life. You may need to make some sacrifices, but if you're prepared to fight for what you want, nothing is impossible." Previous Next

< Back Next Andrzej Kiepiela KZN Growth Coalition Andrzej Kiepiela was born in Poland in the 1950s and spent the first 21 years of his life in a communist state. Reflecting on his past, Andrzej states, “I came to South Africa in 1974 and lived under apartheid for a third of my life, and under democracy for the last 30 years.” This unique exposure to three vastly different systems, communism, apartheid, and democracy, has shaped his understanding of life, history, and business. Andrzej’s journey to South Africa was not without difficulty. He recounts, “I got my degree at twelve o’clock on the day of my departure with the help of some sympathetic professors. By two o’clock, I was on a train to Austria, avoiding any police or army who might have prevented me from leaving for South Africa.” His first job was with his uncle’s construction company in Pietermaritzburg; his uncle, who was Andrzej’s sponsor, provided him with employment for a year. Andrzej went on to teach at Glenwood High School and was later recruited by the then University of Natal as a sports director. “I raised quite a lot of money for sports, and the rector suggested I start a foundation,” he says, recounting his move to the public affairs department, the creation of a foundation and his success in fundraising. AN ACTIVE PARTICIPANT Andrzej’s career took a significant turn when he became the director of the Durban Publicity Association in 1984, a role that positioned him at the centre of the exciting time of political change in South Africa. During his tenure, he played a key role in facilitating meetings between various political parties, including the African National Congress, United Democratic Front and the National Party. “I arranged the first meetings and coordinated the logistics, which led to the formation of Operation Jumpstart,” Andrzej notes, highlighting the sponsorship and support of top CEOs in KwaZulu-Natal to manage the political transition with an emphasis on local government. Reflecting on his motivation, Andrzej says, “My obvious motivation was always to promote democracy. I’ve seen the ravages and the destruction of communism in Poland and Eastern Europe. When I came to South Africa, I saw that apartheid was no better.” This realisation led him to become an active participant in the country’s transition to democracy. “Whenever there was an opportunity to reach out and make a difference, that became my motivating factor,” he explains. Andrzej finds it challenging to pinpoint a single accomplishment in his life. However, he says. “I regard my major achievement as my ability to learn English, a foreign language to me, and use that language to create platforms for progressive people in politics, business, and life to enhance humanity. "Once Andrzej was able to communicate properly, communication became part of his life and work, which is where his life’s passion and dedication is focused. NOTABLE ACCOMPLISHMENTS Reflecting on milestones, he cites his work at the University of Natal, where he helped create two major athletics events in the country. At the Durban Publicity Association, he promoted the city through initiatives like the Easter Fiesta and the July Handicap Festival of Racing. Andrzej was recognised for this role as the Marketing Man of the Year in South Africa by South African Airways and South African Tourism, even beating Sol Kerzner! One of his most notable accomplishments is becoming the Honorary Consul of Poland after initially being seen as an undesirable in his native country. “Twenty years ago, I was offered the role of Honorary Consul of Poland by the then President and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Poland,” Andrzej shares, adding that he served as the Dean of the Diplomatic Corps in KwaZulu-Natal for eight years. Andrzej also highlights his role in establishing the KwaZulu-Natal Growth Coalition in 1998, which is aimed at fostering collaboration between businesses, the KwaZulu-Natal government and key municipalities to support economic development. In addition, Andrzej played an administrative role in forming the African Renaissance initiative after Thabo Mbeki called for a Renaissance of the African continent,” he explains. “We ran the initiative for 21 years until the Covid-19 pandemic forced us to pause.” Through the African Renaissance, issues such as youth unemployment and education were addressed, and a platform for South African and international artists was provided. FOCUSING ON POSITIVES When asked about the best advice he has received, Andrzej recalls a profound statement from the late Nic Labuschagne: “It’s not what you know, it’s not who you know, it’s who knows you.” He reflects, “That was always a reminder for me when I thought I was a big fish.” Discussing the biggest challenge he faced, Andrzej says, “There was a time when I was seen by the black community as a positive thinker and by the conservative white community as someone working against them.” He recounts promoting the idea of opening beaches in Durban, against the advice of the then-mayor. “Together with the secretary of Cosatu, we orchestrated visits by black South Africans to the beaches that were still officially closed,” he remembers, adding that this act helped to challenge the status quo and promote inclusivity. For Andrzej, inspiration comes from the issues he confronts. He states, “My biggest satisfaction is looking at a room of people arguing and finding the common thing they can support.” He believes in focusing on the positives while addressing the negatives, a strategy he has applied in resolving disputes and attaining positive results or progress over the years. Looking ahead, Andrzej remains optimistic about the future, despite the challenges the country has faced. “I was a little down earlier in the year, but the outcome of the recent elections has lifted my spirits,” he shares. He believes that common sense will prevail across the political spectrum and sees this as an opportunity for South Africa to recalibrate and create a modern political and economic system. Andrzéj’s personal motto reflects his enduring optimism: “The glass is always half full, not half empty.” He concludes, “When I am doubtful or upset, I remind myself of this, and I even teach it to my grandchildren.” Previous Next

As with any entrepreneur, your experiences build you and that’s the way to get to the top of your pyramid < Back Nozuko Basson Regional Manager for Communities and Corporate Affairs Tronox South Africa Nozuko Basson’s role at Tronox, which is based in northern KZN, entails making sure that the mining company honours its responsibility of creating value for its stakeholders, of which, communities take centre stage. The most significant event in Nozuko’s life is, she says, when she became a mother. “I had my daughter when I was fairly young and from the moment she arrived in this world, I knew that the game had changed. It’s an ambition of mine, that when my daughter is asked who your role model is, she mentions my name.” In ensuring that she is an inspiration to her daughter, Nozuko constantly evaluates how she behaves, how she practices professionalism in the workplace, and how she treats other people. Nozuko believes that she has got to where she is today through hard work, dedication, a lot of praying and the support from many people who have crossed her path. “I’m somebody who is focused on her religion. I’m a Christian and I’ve always believed that everything that I do is enabled by my faith. I started my career as a journalist, but I realised that was not the life that I wanted to live. I’m not a social and out-there type of person, so I moved into public relations. I was fortunate to work for an agency where I had an amazing mentor who helped me in building the capability to understand how media relations works.” From there, Nozuko moved onto one of South Africa’s largest medical insurance organisations, Discovery. Here, Nozuko said, she had mentors who helped guide her through her career. “I’ve been fortunate that I had other people lifting me, guiding me, and making sure that I stayed on the right track. My journey has been difficult; it’s always good to be reminded by those who are ahead of you how to remain positive and confident in what you are doing.” Having courage Nozuko says that her decision to move to KwaZulu-Natal has been an amazing journey that has required her to really stretch herself. This meant going into areas where she thought she would never be able to venture. She added, “Just having the courage to really push myself and push the boundaries for my team members so that we all work towards one single vision. This requires that we stay close to the cause and really live our own personal values, as well as the values of the organisation in which I work right now.” In commenting on the challenges that she has faced, Nozuko says that as a young female professional, the first challenge that she would like to focus on, is the “pull her down syndrome”. “When you, as a female, start rising in your career there are times when other females do everything in their power to pull you down. I have a strong view that if one of us rise, we all rise. It’s hard enough being a young female, let alone being black in the workplace; we need to hold each other up and motivate each other.” The second challenge she has faced is working in the mining industry, which is a male dominated sector. Over that, working within the community, which is also a male led environment that still subscribes to traditional practices has brought a great deal of learning, that has come with its own difficulties. Currently, the third challenge has been dealing with unconventional community issues, that pose a serious risk to Tronox’s public reputation. “This is where the company’s values, procedures and policies need to guide you to deal with the challenges in a manner that does not compromise your role or its reputation,” said Nozuko. “Lastly, I have often found myself feeling not quite welcome around the ‘table’, as if I am a token BEE candidate,” says Nozuko. “I’ve learnt that I shouldn’t wait for somebody to offer me a seat at the table. If there’s no seat for a female in the workplace or in this industry, you bring your own, and that’s something that I have really started being vocal about.” Leaving behind a legacy In the future, Nozuko wants to leave behind a legacy that says, “When Nozuko Basson was in that community or was working in that organisation, she made a positive difference.” In terms of her career, she sees herself growing from strength to strength. Right now, she is focused on her work in South Africa, but soon, she wants to share her knowledge and skills with the rest of the world. Nozuko added that she is fortunate to work for an organisation that has the platform that will allow her to do so when the time is right. On the personal side, Nozuko wants to travel the world. “I want to touch other lives in my own personal space. I want to live my best life and it’s something that I’m making a deliberate effort in doing and I know that I’m on the right track.” In advising others, she says, “It’s important not to be side-tracked by other people’s opinions. It’s important to remain true to yourself. It’s important that when you venture out, you understand that not everybody will be cheering for you, so learn to be your own cheerleader and as you’re cheering yourself, cheer those around you because they may not know the power that they have within themselves.” Nozuko believes one needs to put their heart into everything that they do. “I always say to people, if you’re not going to give it your all, rather don’t start. I believe in dazzling people. One of Tronox’s values speaks to doing the right work, the right way in every aspect of our business and that’s really what I subscribe to. I don’t take short cuts; it’s about doing something right all the time. It’s behaving in an ethical way and ensuring that everything I touch, doesn’t only represent organisational integrity, but also my own personal integrity.”

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< Back Next Hantie Plomp Hantie Plomp is the founder and director of Triplo4 Sustainable Solutions Hantie Plomp is the founder and director of Triplo4 Sustainable Solutions. Hantie’s professional studies began at the University of Pretoria, where she completed Bachelor of Science degree in microbiology and physiology. Her first employment was in AngloGold Ashanti’s chemical laboratory. During that time, she completed a National Diploma in Analytical Chemistry on a part-time basis. In 1996, an opportunity arose for her to move to the environmental sector of AngloGold Ashanti. After two weeks, Hantie realised that environmental management was where she wanted to work for the rest of her life. She then graduated cum laude from the University of the Orange Free State with a Master’s degree in Environmental Management. After working through the ranks of AngloGold Ashanti, Hantie relocated to KwaZulu-Natal in 2007 to start up an environmental division of an engineering company. In 2010 she founded her own company, Triplo4 Sustainable Solutions. CARING ABOUT PEOPLE However, Hantie added that another part to her life is caring about people. Throughout her working life she has studied theology as well as natural health and has assisted people with their well-being through counselling, healing sessions and prayers. “Triplo4 really brings together my passion for the environment as well as my passion for people. And this is why this company assists me to live my potential and also my divine purpose,” Hantie explains. Triplo4 Sustainable Solutions’ purpose is to solve environ- mental challenges and to help companies to improve their environmental performance in a sustainable way. “We look at all issues or challenges that there can be to try and help people find an approach where the components of social, economic, and environmental matters are balanced. We help those individuals or companies to find a solution that is sustainable and profitable without impacting on future generations.” While Hantie has had many accomplishments, she is particularly proud of winning the National Business Awards Entrepreneur of the Year award in 2019. “I was really proud of that award because it honoured the effort that I have made throughout the years. The recognition also acknowledged what my team has done for Triplo4 Sustainable Solutions as well as the role my parents played, “says Hantie. “My career aspirations began early, between the age of three and five years. Often when driving with my mother between the towns of Orkney and Klerksdorp, she would want to know what I wanted to be when I grew up. I replied with a child’s dream and ambition: to own a cafe so that I can eat as many chocolates as I wanted. I believe that my entrepreneurial spirit recognised that ownership would present the ability to make decisions and influence direction.” Consequently, throughout her career, Hantie has worked towards opportunities for entrepreneurship. She added that her parents had shown her the importance of working hard and undoubtedly influenced her to be an entrepreneur. “I do believe that my parents played a significant role in my life because the first job that I had was working for them. They had a mini golf putting course which my dad had built, and we worked there over weekends and holidays. From early on we learned that you need to be creative, go the extra mile, and we worked hard.” Working at the course taught Hantie how to engage with people and to care about their needs. “We learnt to understand what’s important for people, it was not just looking after yourself and what you would like to have as a child. This is the reason I care about people and am passionate about entrepreneurship.” STAND TOGETHER Speaking of who inspires her, Hantie first turns to God. In terms of Triplo4, she feels inspired by her employees as they stand together and go through challenging times as a team. She added that her husband has always been there for her. “Together with God, my parents, my husband, and the team, I’m always inspired to do my best for Triplo4 Sustainable Solutions.” In line with obtaining inspiration from her team, Hantie believes in keeping the members well motivated. “One needs to set an example; one needs to do your best and show your team how to work in a positive and a constructive way to find solutions,” she said. Hantie also guides her team through training and development while encouraging them to be creative, show initiative and help themselves in terms of their careers. The best advice that Hantie has received was from a previous manager who said that not all people will think or feel the same as you do, and that they don’t necessarily share the same values or ethics. This has helped her in the environmental field as she often deals with stakeholders who have different requirements, needs and agendas. The biggest challenge that Hantie has faced was when she felt that both her competence as well as her ethics were challenged during a major project. “Keep in mind that when I started my career, I said this is what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. I have dedicated 30 years of my career towards environmental management and the profession,” explained Hantie. DO THE RIGHT THINGS Hantie’s vision for KwaZulu-Natal is that considering we have the infrastructure in terms of ports and airports as well an environment that provides open spaces to support conservation, we should become a powerhouse in the country. “My vision is that we will strive towards sustainable development and excellence where there’s no corruption and every person and municipality is empowered to deliver the best for their community.” The motto that Hantie lives by is that you should ‘do the right things right’. Hantie has tried to live by this motto her whole life. She recently found a new aspect to add when she read that one should ‘do the right things right at the right time’. In conclusion, Hantie says that there’s another motto that she lives by in terms of Triplo4. This is that a leader is only as good as the team and the team is only as good as the leader. “Together, the two need to work together to make the best of the opportunities and the value that can be created.” Previous Next