Petrol attendant turned business woman
A former petrol attendant from Malalane has made it big in the corporate industry and has inspirational words for all business women during Women's Month.
Thulisile Manzini might have started out as a petrol attendant in Malalane but is now the acting CEO of Brand South Africa (BrandSA).
Her background of being born in the dusty streets of Matsulu did not determine the future for this energetic leader. Hard work, determination, resilience and dedication saw her rising from being a petrol attendant at a garage in Malalane and a shop cleaner, after graduating from the University of Zululand.
“I remember telling my friends that I do not belong at the garage where I worked, before going to the university, ” she said. “Determination, respect, having a vision, knowing what you want and playing your part will see you through.”
Manzini’s appointment comes after years of serving as the deputy director general for the Department of Telecommunications and Postal Services.
“In my role at BrandSA, I have brought my excellent leadership skills in providing solutions and stability to the organisation. I have further played an integral part in the promotion of the country’s brand, domestically and internationally, at key strategic engagements where BrandSA championed the integrated reputation and communications programme,” she said.
Her ability to navigate complex stakeholder networks has yielded positive results for the organisation, as she has leveraged her networks to open windows of opportunity for the organisation to discharge its mandate.
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“I oversee the implementation of proactive and coordinated strategies for the organisation across multiple functions, namely research, communication, marketing and stakeholder relations. My job also includes being invited as a guest speaker at key strategic engagements that are led by business, civil society and government. I have also extensively travelled as part of ministerial delegations in foreign missions and represented the South African government on many global platforms,” Manzini said.
Talking about issues affecting women and children, Manzini said interventions are needed to curbing violence against women and children.
“The development of a girl’s education is key, particularly in digital skills. According to the World Economic Forum’s Global Competitiveness Index of 2018, South Africa ranks an unsatisfactory 116 out of 140 in global rankings on digital skills among its population. We need to prepare our girls to succeed in the fourth industrial revolution through digital transformation,” she said.
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Manzini advised women to listen to their inner voices, dream big and have tenacity.
“Those women who have achieved, must be committed to open doors for other women who are still on the path of discovery.
This Women’s Month, make a pact with yourself and tell yourself that you are the future leader of your community, country and for the world. Be the version of that leader,” she concluded.
