As the activity-packed Women’s Month draws to a close, renowned academic Professor Mamokgethi Phakeng drew from her rich experience as the former Vice Chancellor of the University of Cape Town to share practical insights with women on the lessons she has learnt to help them deftly navigate the multiple roles they play as caregivers, career women, wives, and mothers.
Professor Phakeng addressed 60 leading women at a Women’s Month function hosted by Southern Sun and Proudly SA, held at Southern Sun Katherine Street, Sandton, under the theme “Celebrating the Brilliance and Resilience of Women Who Lead.”The 2025 event is the tenth year that Proudly SA and Southern Sun have partnered in support of women’s empowerment in South Africa. The two organisations share a common focus on workforce diversity and inclusion. A total of 68% of the staff at Proudly SA are women, with 71% in managerial roles and 50% in executive positions. Similarly, at Southern Sun, 56% of Southern Sun’s 5,500 employees are women, and women occupy 56% of top management and 51% of the group’s senior and mid management positions.
Professor Phakeng urged the women delegates to take time off their demanding schedules to celebrate themselves. “Women miss the opportunity to pause from whatever occupies their time and celebrate themselves. As caregivers, we are good at celebrating others, but we don’t take the time to take a break and celebrate the milestones we have achieved, regardless of how insignificant we may think those achievements are. You don’t celebrate yourself because you are perfect, but you do because you are making progress,” said Phakeng.
She pointed out that a pause by its very nature denotes a momentary break and should not be confused with abandoning one’s life purpose or retirement.
Building on the importance of pausing, Phakeng urged the women to periodically remove themselves from the hustle and bustle of everyday life to spend time alone with themselves. She noted that people are often surrounded by clutter, and many of us are not in touch with our authentic selves because of the pressure of family and work. Even a break from the usual routine could be seen as a valuable pause, providing much-needed respite.
Echoing this sentiment, the team at Southern Sun Katherine Street treated the event’s guests like queens for the morning, with Executive Chef Elias Thobakgale creating a delicate bespoke menu specially tailored with them in mind.
Served at live food stations that flowed from the hotel’s restaurant terrace overlooking the swimming pool into the rose gardens, dishes included Infused Fruit selections, a variety of pastas like Three Cheese Ravioli, Parmesan Crème, Grana Padano and Pulled Short Rib, Risottos with Wild Mushroom Sauce, Parmesan, Truffle, and decadent desserts including homemade ice creams with delightful toppings.
Every type of beverage was made available to guests, from iced coffees and teas to ciders and wines, proudly sponsored by Avanti Coffee Company, Dilmah Tea Company, Heineken Beverages and Meridian Wine Merchants. Phakeng said all women should have a moment of power. These moments of power mark the time of triumph and achievement, Phakeng explained, and varied per individual. It could have been the day you were admitted as an attorney, when your son or daughter passed matric, or when the crowd reacted positively to your first public speaking session.
“These are cherished moments that should be kept safe and revisited to remind you of your sense of worth, what you have achieved and what you overcome when the chips are down,” said Phakeng, adding that these important moments can be pictures or mementos that can be stored physically within easy reach, or stowed digitally on a desktop, tablet or smartphone for easy reference during times when reaffirmation is required.
Phakeng urged women to be authentic to themselves and refuse to bow down to pressure to be defined by patriarchy. “In line with the theme of this gathering, it is critically important to also celebrate you. But don’t celebrate the version of yourself that the masculine world wants to see – celebrate the you that God has created, because by celebrating a diluted version of yourself, you are depriving the world of the gift of the you that He has bestowed on the world. The minute you try to become someone else, you have lost your power,” Phakeng said.
Happy Makhumalo Ngidi, Chief Marketing Officer at Proudly SA, reaffirmed Phakeng’s message, adding that such gatherings serve as important platforms where like-minded women can celebrate wins.
“We are delighted that we have once more partnered with Southern Sun on this delightful occasion to celebrate women power and to remind each other of our shared identity and struggles and draw motivation from each other on how to overcome some of the challenges that life throws our way,” said Ngidi.
“Celebrating the wins is essential for women in leadership positions to cultivate as a habit, as it improves their self-worth and enhances their confidence and overall well-being. When we acknowledge the significance of our own roles, we can really show up for others – with clarity and purpose. Southern Sun serves as such a great reflection of what is possible for women in leadership positions as the group continues to proudly uphold its commitment to a long heritage of empowerment in South Africa, not least through its enduring partnership with Proudly South African,” concluded Southern Sun’s Corporate Affairs Management Consultant and Director of the ASK Group, Candy Tothill Kruger.
In line with Proudly SA’s buy local campaign and its support for the local fashion industry through initiatives such as the Local Fashion Police, delegates dressed in local ensemble stood a chance to win prizes offering the ultimate pauses at Southern Sun Katherine Street, and other Southern Sun hotels as well as VIP experiences to Proudly SA’s Fashion Police Fashion Show taking place later this year.
