African Women Chartered Accountants honours SA’s trailblazing female leaders
In honour of women’s month, the African Women Chartered Accountants hosted their annual Women of Substance Conference and Banquet, spotlighting the visionary leadership and emotional wisdom of South Africa’s most influential women in finance, business, and beyond.
August marks women’s month in South Africa, a time not only to commemorate the 1956 march of courageous women to the Union Buildings in Pretoria, but also to reflect on the present-day power and potential of women shaping the future.
This year, the African Women Chartered Accountants (AWCA) honoured that legacy with its annual Women of Substance Conference and Banquet, a gathering of influential female leaders and visionaries in finance, business, and beyond.
Read more: African Women Chartered Accountants (AWCA) spearheads solidarity among women in Sandton
Held on August 6 at Standard Bank Global Leadership Centre, and followed by a celebratory banquet at The Forum in Hyde Park, the events sponsored by Standard Bank, embodied this year’s theme: Pioneering Excellence: Passion, Power, and Mastery in Motion.
AWCA president Pumla Molope set the tone for the gathering. “As we honour women’s month, we honour women who are not only breaking barriers in boardrooms and businesses, but women who are lifting others as they rise. Our Woman of Substance initiative recognises those who have changed industries and inspired a continent. This is how we keep the fire of 1956 alive.”
The event showcased deeply personal and professional reflections from some of the country’s most accomplished women leaders in the accounting and finance sector.
Awakened Global CEO and South Africa’s first black, female, chartered accountant Nonkululeko Gobodo shared a powerful message about self-awareness, visionary leadership, and the emotional maturity required to lead with purpose. “You can have a strong vision, but if you run too far ahead, you leave your people behind. Women leaders must develop the wisdom to slow down, to listen, and to lead with heart, not just ambition.”
She also highlighted the importance of emotional training for leaders. “We’re trained in technical skills, but not in how to deal with people, pain, or pressure. As women, we need to know ourselves deeply, our triggers, our blind spots, our power. Leadership starts from within.”
Royal Bofokeng Holdings CEO Tinyiko Sihlangu shared her unexpected realisation stepping into the C-suite. “You become the thermostat in the room. You don’t measure the temperature, you set it. That influence is weighty. People watch you, and they follow your mood, your tone. You need to create psychological safety, so your team can show up, contribute, and thrive.”
She also reminded attendees of the importance of boundaries. “We often over give because we think we are irreplaceable, but organisations will take as much as you allow. Learning to protect your peace, and your purpose, is not selfish; it’s sustainable.”
Celebrating a trailblazer, Sharmla Chetty was recognised as the 2025 AWCA Woman of Substance for her significant role in redefining leadership and actively championing the empowerment of women in general, as well as in different sectors of business.
During her acceptance speech, Chetty said, “ To be recognised by an organisation that does so much work in uplifting communities and women is a huge achievement. This award is a tribute to the many women that walked before me especially our grandmothers, mothers, mentees and mentors, whose quiet strength and leadership I stand on today and it reaffirms my commitment to use education as a force for good.”
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