The Mandela School supports women’s leadership

21 Aug 2020
The 2019 Fellows with Prof Mamokgethi Phakeng at her residence during the inaugural Leading in Public Life: Women, Influence, Power Programme (WIPP)
21 Aug 2020

South Africa commemorates women’s month in August, to honour the unity, courage, resilience and strength of the extraordinary women who marched on the Union Buildings in 1956. This moment in history paved the way for women to speak their truth against power.

At the Mandela School we consciously strive to uphold these values and those of our namesake Nelson Mandela, to create inclusive spaces for students and staff to thrive.

The School boasts impressive alumni across the African continent who are leading groundbreaking work in social justice and entrepreneurship, promoting democratic governance, as well as women's empowerment.

In the coming weeks and months, we will introduce you to some of the amazing women who form part of the School’s growing community. Participants from our Building Bridges, Executive Education, and Postgraduate programmes will be invited to share their leadership journeys and hopes for the “new normal” in the aftermath of COVID-19 world.

From 25 until 27 August 2020, the Nelson Mandela School of Public Governance at the University of Cape Town (UCT) and Zenande Leadership will co-host the Women Leadership Masterclass. This is a three-day virtual event that forms part of the much-anticipated South African Local Government Association (SALGA) Women’s Leadership Development programme. The theme of the event aligns with the national theme, “Generation Equality: Realizing Women’s Rights for an Equal Future.”

The flagship Local Government Women Leadership Development programme is a comprehensive leadership intervention that seeks to promote diversity in leadership, enhance women’s leadership capacity, and amplify their impact in the local government space and the communities they serve. This programme will ensure that women in local government are positioned to influence positive change where it is needed most.

The 2019 Fellows with Prof Mamokgethi Phakeng at her residence during the inaugural Leading in Public Life: Women, Influence, Power Programme (WIPP)

The 2019 Fellows with Prof Mamokgethi Phakeng during the inaugural Leading in Public Life: Women, Influence, Power Programme (WIPP).

In June 2019, the Mandela School launched the Leading in Public Life: Women, Influence, Power Programme (WIPP), in partnership with the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung’s Rule of Law Programme for Sub-Saharan Africa.

Twenty women leaders from six African countries (Botswana, Gambia, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, and Zimbabwe) participated in the three-day programme. A leadership fellowship for mid-career African women working in the rule of law and social justice sector, WIPP aims to promote solidarity, ambition, and ultimately enhance democracies with more women stepping up into public leadership positions.

For more information on the School’s ongoing activities and to participate in our events, email petunia.thulo@uct.ac.za

To stay up to date, visit our website and follow us on our social media platforms: