Honourable Sizakele Nkosi-Malobane is a passionate advocate for eradicating gender-based violence and caring for victims. Honourable Nkosi-Malobane is a seasoned lawmaker who goes beyond her primary mandate in order to actively address one of the biggest challenges that South African society faces. One of the initiatives she has driven is the Gauteng Legislature Multi-Party Women's Caucus (MPWC), which brings together women from different political parties in order to deal with the common issues they are facing.

In the latest Top Women podcast, Tonderai Samkange, CEO of ThePRHouse speaks to the Honourable Sizakele Nkosi-Malobane about her efforts to deal with gender-based violence, the role the Gauteng Provincial Legislature plays, the cycles women and children are forced into and how coming together, regardless of gender, age or profession can lead to further progress in eradicating violence against women and children.

“Strong women have the chance to make the change they need in the mining industry” - Impala Platinum (Implats) leading women weigh in

The mining industry has long been one of South Africa's largest sectors, but women are still a minority in its workforce. Impala Platinum (Implats) is one of the world's foremost producers of platinum and associated platinum group metals (PGMs). The company aims to attract the best people in the industry and to maximise their potential, increasing organisational capacity and positioning Implats as an employer of choice. At the forefront of their mission is Diversity & Inclusion, making sure that more and more women are welcomed into the sector - taking on various roles in leadership, especially.

In the latest Standard Bank Top Women podcast, Fiona Wakelin, Head of Editorial for Topco Media, engages in conversation with Thabile Makgala, Executive: Eastern Limb at Implats, and Lee-Ann Samuel, Implats Group Executive: People. Both women weigh in on the transformational change taking place within Implats, and the larger mining sector in South Africa. Key themes addressed were organisational development, the role of women in mining, and important leadership statistics.

Mariana Santos from Lisbon wants to change the world, and is working on it right now. She founded Chicas Poderosas, a non-profit organisation that aims to bring more women into technology. The organisation was founded in Latin America, back in 2013 while she was an ICFJ fellow. Chicas Poderosas is a global community that ignites change by inspiring and developing women in the media and creating opportunities for all voices to be heard.

In this week’s Standard Bank Top Women Podcast, Head of Editorial for Topco Media, Fiona Wakelin, sits down with Mariana Santos to discuss the representation of women and other marginalised communities in the media, and the importance of advocating for different leadership styles. Mariana goes in depth on teaching women to work collaboratively, gender perspectives and social betterment.

Business Director at Aspire Solutions, Mushfiqoh Samodien, is celebrated for her passion for South African businesses, out-the-box thinking, and her incredible keynote speaking capabilities. As the recipient of the 2020 Standard Bank Top Women Award, in the ‘Top Woman in Tech’ category, Mushfiqoh continues to aim higher in her field and hopes to educate others along the way. A mom who takes keeping healthy seriously and a true role model, she has shown exemplary leadership and a knack for juggling multiple roles on a daily basis.

In the latest Standard Bank Top Women podcast, Fiona Wakelin, Head of Editorial for Topco Media, engages in conversation with Mushfiqoh Samodien to discuss tangible value impact through technology, pivoting during the pandemic, and why networking is key. Mushfiqoh touches on finding work/life balance, female entrepreneurship, and why practicing gratitude leads to more success.

Founder and Owner of Baked Online, Aisha Baker-Parnell is an award-winning digital content creator and entrepreneur with a flair for all things beauty, fashion and lifestyle. One of South Africa’s most beloved style icons and businesswomen, Aisha is a remarkable example of the results that can come from utilising social media to its full potential. Today, as a mother of two and wife to cricketer Wayne Parnell, Aisha continues to be an iconic creative through her eclectic array of entrepreneurial endeavours.

In her latest podcast, Aisha Baker sits down with Topco Media’s Head of Marketing, Karla Fletcher, to discuss her successful transition from online blogging to making real-world change. Aisha goes into depth on how she juggles everything, finds inspiration for her next big business move, and how the term ‘influencer’ is set to evolve in coming years.

Having faced tradegy as a teenage girl, today Sodfa Daaji is a remarkable Women's Rights Advocate, who is passionate about Feminist Jurisprudence. Currently, Sodfa is the Campaign Coordinator for the Nala Feminist Collective – guided by the Africa Young Women Beijing+25 Manifesto targeting the political, digital and offline spaces - its areas of work focus on Advocacy, Research and Fellowships. She is also the Executive Director of the African Legal Think Tank on Women's Rights.

In her latest podcast, Sodfa sits down with the Head of Editorial for Topco Media, Fiona Wakelin, to discuss her 28 year journey within the Women’s Rights space. Sodfa provides insight into women-led research, mainstreaming gender amongst youth clusters, the current digital divide women are facing, and the on-going struggle across the globe for gaining access to justice. She also provides in-depth understandings of ‘The Feminine’, technologically-facilitated gender-based violence, and the liberation of women in disaster-struck regions.

Rolene Strauss’s life, since winning Miss SA and being crowned Miss World in 2014, has been one of total transformation. A leading woman in many spheres, Rolene’s initial passion was Medicine, which she studied before getting married and becoming a mother. For Rolene, family comes first, thus, she understands the many roles women have to juggle on a daily basis whilst trying to achieve all the goals they’ve set for themselves. She believes that if she opens up about her self-confidence journey and shares valuable insight, many women will be able to uplift themselves and find their true purpose in life, living unapologetically and being the best version of themselves.

In this week’s Standard Bank Top Women podcast, Karla Fletcher, the Head of Marketing at Topco Media, sits down with Rolene for a motivational discussion surrounding women rediscovering self-confidence, changing the narrative, and how women in South Africa can equip themselves to successfully climb the ladder towards positive leadership. Rolene provides key insight into maintaining a work/life balance, getting the most out of your personal growth journey, and overcoming stereotypes and domestic gaps.

Together we build it - Extremely Together Hajer Sharief on democracy and youth empowerment

Hajer Sharief, co-founder of the Together We Build it NGO in Libya and an Extremely Together Young Leader of the Kofi Annan Foundation, is known for playing a key role in peacebuilding and conflict prevention. An initiative of the Kofi Annan Foundation's Extremely Together initiative, Hajer has also assisted in designing the first ever youth-led countering violent extremism toolkit. A former member of the UN Advisory Group of Experts for the Progress Study on Youth, Peace and Security, Hajer is a recognised UN Women Champion on Women, Peace, Security and Human Rights, and has been nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize this year.

In this week’s Business Unusual Podcast, Karla Fletcher, Head of Marketing at Topco Media, chats with Hajer on how she began her peacebuilding journey and what inspired her to take this path. Hajer goes in depth on topics surrounding democracy and gender norms, as she discusses sensitive womens’ issues and the importance of womens’ participation in debates geared towards societal change.

As a human rights advocate and the co-founder of “Together we build it”, Hajer Sharief promotes gender equality and the participation of women and youth in peacebuilding efforts in Libya. She was selected by the UN Secretary-General to serve as a member of the Advisory Group of Experts for the Progress Study on Youth, Peace and Security mandated by UNSCR 2250. Hajer is also one of the twelve UN Women Champions on Women, Peace, Security and Human Rights.

Born in Kenya, Dr. Vera Songwe is a highly regarded economist and banking executive, with a long history of providing policy advice on development and a wealth of experience in delivering development results for Africa, as well as a demonstrated strong and clear strategic vision for the continent. Vera took up the role as the Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) in August 2017 - at the level of Under Secretary-General. Dr. Songwe has, to date, published multiple resources and policy ideas on development and economic issues.

In this week’s Business Unusual podcast, Karla Fletcher, Head of Marketing at Topco Media, engages in conversation with Dr. Songwe for an incredibly insightful discussion on Digitalisation in Africa, Gender Peace, and creating better access for all. Vera addresses the need to accelerate women in Africa, young girls having access to good mentors, Identity and registration issues, and formalising the African economy.

Born and raised in the Cape Flats area, Professor Shirley faced many challenges, but defied all odds, obtaining an M.Ed from the University of the Western Cape, and eventually completing a PhD at Harvard University. She successfully transitioned into the HR space, working as the Group Executive for HR at Nedbank and HR Director at Standard Bank South Africa. In 2008, Shirely was awarded ‘Top Business Women of the Year’ at the annual Top Women Awards. Today, she is a Consultant, running her own business, and is the published Author of Swimming Up Stream (2015) – a must read which truly inspires human endeavour. Shirely is incredibly passionate about leadership, equality and empowerment - a passion which informs her strong work ethic.

In this week’s Business Unusual podcast, Karla Fletcher, Head of Marketing at Topco Media, engages in conversation with Prof Shirley Zinn for an incredibly motivational talk on ‘purpose-driven, value-based leadership’, and making a lasting, positive impact on society - and Africa at large. Shirley addresses new leadership paradigms, the growing importance of developing ‘soft skills’, practicing gratitude in all spheres of life, and committing to constant self-improvement.