The Time for Women to Lift the Glass Ceiling on Leadership has Come

Nkosikazi Nomandla Dorothy Mhlauli, Chair of the National House of Traditional Leaders and Khoi San leaders (NHTKL), South African Deputy President David Mabuza and Kgosi Thabo Seatlholo, Deputy Chair of NHTKL at the 6th Annual Opening of the NHTKL on 24 February 2022 (Photo: Elmond Jiyane/GCIS)

24 February 2022

“Some men and women still believe that women cannot lead, but the time for women to remove the imaginary limitation has arrived, the time for women to remove the glass ceiling on leadership has come, the time for women to contest positions held by men has come, the time for women to express themselves freely without fear of any contradiction has come, the time for all of us to promote equality is here,” said Nkosikazi Nomandla Dorothy Mhlauli, Chair of the National House of Traditional Leaders and Khoi San leaders (NHTKL). She was speaking to the Diplomatic Society after being elected as the Chairperson of the NHTKL. She is the first woman to hold this position since the inception of the NHTKL in 1997.

Nkosikazi Mhlauli referred to the InvestRural Initiative which is a comprehensive strategy that outlines the development opportunities and the realisation of the potential of the natural abundance of South Africa’s traditional lands. The initiative identifies that South Africa’s traditional areas comprise 15% of the nations’ land mass and are home to roughly 1/3 of the population (25 million people). Governed by traditional systems that pre-date colonial and apartheid rule, these rural communities play a pivotal role in preserving African culture and customs for all South Africans. They offer a permanent home to those who have moved to urban areas, large hectares of land lie underutilised, and a wealth of untapped human potential. Rural communities are also shaped by the legacy of apartheid, which systematically denied black South Africans freedom of movement and speech, the right to good education, and access to meaningful employment. Twenty-five years later, the effects of these policies endure. Rural communities are plagued by high unemployment, poverty, food insecurity, and an inability to attract investment, hence the InvestRural Strategy. Rural people are also the most vulnerable to job loss, sickness, and climate change.

“The InvestRural initiative must be commended, for it carries the promise of valuable economic opportunities for traditional communities. It is an initiative that needs to be embraced across society because an investment in a rural area is an investment in the future of the country,” - President Cyril Ramaphosa’s reply to the debate in the National House of Traditional Leaders in 2019.

The enduring challenges wrought by apartheid and reinforced over decades of neglect have created significant barriers for rural development. Communities are located far from economic hubs, leading to lengthy commutes and urbanisation; rural people lack adequate water, sanitation, internet and financial services. Agriculture is limited by insufficient capital, infrastructure and access to markets; and many rural people suffer from a lack of motivation, weak organisation, and affronts to their sense of dignity and self-worth. The challenges faced by rural areas are well-known to government, articulated in both national and global development plans. Though the government of South Africa has a National Development Plan and Rural Development Strategy, these have not yielded the results that rural communities expect. Traditional leaders have a role to play in development of their communities, however, they are hamstrung by the lack of resources and skills. Rural communities are able to come up with their developmental strategy through InvestRural which is driven by Developmental Monarchs Approach.

In his State of the Nation address to the South African Parliament President Cyril Ramaphosa made reference to Mpondoland in the Eastern Cape Province and the amaMpondo people that have cultivated cannabis for thousands of years and have indigenous knowledge of this herb and many other medicinal plants that grow in the region. It is also an area of breath-taking landscapes and pristine beaches and is an ideal destination for health and wellness tourism.

Nkosikazi Mhlauli was born into the Sigcau Royal family (Mpondo Kingship) and grew up in a traditional home in amaMpondo Kingship within Mpondoland. She trained and practiced as a nurse, a vocation she was passionate about and found great joy and purpose in. It was only after her husband passed on that Nkosikazi Mhlauli had to take over to preside as regent of the community of amaHlubi kaMhlauli whilst the heir apparent was still young.

Being thrust into her role as regent, she witnessed, and was exposed to the many hardships and challenges faced by her community and noticed that women, in particular, found themselves in the most unjust and harshest situations and she made it one of her priorities to champion women empowerment and tackle the issues of gender head on. She realised the pivotal role of women in society and the valuable contributions and inputs to the stability and prosperity of a community. Together with the structures of women in traditional leadership such as Imbumba YamaKhosikazi AkomKhulu (IYA), the NHTKL has heeded the Presidents call to rid the nation of the scourge of gender-based violence (GBV). They have embarked on various campaigns that sensitise people, especially youth and men to the ills of this kind of abuse and create greater awareness on how it should be stopped.

She has a clear understanding of the responsibility of her position and the impact she has on bringing about beneficial and sustainable value. Nkosikazi Mhlauli explains her interactions with the structures and framework that comprise the NHTKL and her active engagement and rise through the system of the organization which is based on Royal lineage and heritage.

As the first female Chairperson of the NHTKL, Nkosikazi Mhlauli has embarked on Asset Based Community Development (ABCD) to create a paradigm shift away from the victim mentality to a flourish mind-set, away from survival mode to thriving and building true wealth and prosperity. “We need more research to provide data on how the abundant resources can be dynamically utilised. We need to identify relevant partners locally and globally and form robust cooperation and agreements to seek out opportunities for fair and mutual benefit. Energy, water, agriculture logistics and infrastructure is where the focus should be. This will lead to empowered communities and will be a catalyst that will alleviate the social ills of crime, corruption and gender based violence.

Nkosikazi Mhlauli believes that the future of communities living in areas of traditional leadership is bright if the InvestRural Strategy coupled with the District Development model can be put into operation. She is very aware of the role of traditional leadership in development, hence she always refers to the change of attitude by traditional leaders. Developmental Monarchs Approach requires all traditional leaders to think development and prosperity of the communities.

TDS