On 18 October 2017, to celebrate women’s achievements in the South African property sector, WPN is holding a gala dinner at the Polo Room, Inanda Club. Prior to this event, regional events will be held in Durban – Tuesday, 22 August 2017; Cape Town – Thursday, 24 August 2017 and Johannesburg – Thursday, 31 August 2017, to announce the regional nominees and the finalists in the respective categories that will go forward into the national judging process.
These prestigious events have been proudly sponsored by Airports Company South Africa (ACSA), with the awards sponsored by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). The awards are a collaborative platform dedicated to recognizing outstanding leadership, inspiration, vision and innovation in organizations that have stepped up and shaped women’s roles within the private and public sectors. “The award categories reflect a wide spectrum of work these deserving women from the public and private sectors are involved in. This includes CEO’s, executives and leaders in corporate South Africa, SMME’s, government departments and agencies, as well as entrepreneurs,” says Mbutuma.
The following nominees have been recognized in their respective award categories for KZN:
YOUNG ACHIEVER AWARD (under 35 years old)
Thembelihle Khumalo - Engineering Consultant - MKZ Engineers
Nirupa Gopidayal - CEO - NG Architects
Nicole Richards - Director - FWJK Architects
Sandra Terblanche - Portfolio Manager - Cenprop
The KZN regional finalist for this category is: Nicole Richards
BUSINESS WOMAN OF THE YEAR – ENTREPRENEUR AWARD
Serica Charles, Executive Director of Charles Consulting has been acknowledged as a regional nominee.
PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR: CORPORATE / PRIVATE SECTOR AWARD
Subashnee Moodley - Managing Director - Livingston Leandy
Cathy Dale - Member - The Planning Initiative SA
Zakeira Mahomed - Property Finance Consultant - Standard Bank
Hlo Gabela - Director Operations - Tsebo Facilities Solutions
Jodi Davids-Harber - Professional Architect & Executive Director - Theunissen Jankowitz Architects
The regional finalist for this category is: Subashnee Moodley
PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR: PUBLIC SECTOR AWARD
Beryl Mphakathi - Head Human Settlements - eThekwini Municipality
Xola Mjaja - District Engineer - iLembe District Municipality
Logashri Sewnarian - Regional Manager Eastern Region - SANRAL
Roshini Naidoo - Deputy Director - Municipal Finance Directorate KZN COGTA
Both Logashri and Roshini have been recognised as regional finalists in this category and will go forward into the national judging process.
A panel of judges representing a range of industry disciplines adjudicated the regional awards, and the KZN judges included:
Monalisa Sam, Founding Managing Director, Tungwa Retail Holdings
Jackie van Niekerk, Chief Operating Officer, Attacq
Genevieve Naidoo – Head of Real Estate, Standard Bank CIB, and WPN Ex Officio Chair
Beyond recognizing women that have made strides in the sector, October’s gala dinner will act as a fundraiser, with table sales raising funds for the WPN Educational Trust to ensure continuity in the bursary scheme into 2018 and beyond.
Ms Mbutuma - also Managing Director of Azzaro Quantity Surveyors and who holds a number of board positions of affiliated property organisations - maintains that educational and mentorship initiatives are important in WPN’s drive to prompt demographic change across the entire spectrum of the property sector.
Since 2008, the WPN has awarded just fewer than 70 bursaries to previously disadvantaged female students studying towards a property-related degree or diploma. Further, with the WPN Educational Trust’s financial support, a total of 11 bursaries were awarded to students studying at various institutions across the country in 2017. In addition to the bursaries, the students are also given exposure through the network to women active in the industry and are assisted with vacation work and in some instances with placements after they have graduated.
Ms Mbutuma, says: “We continue to be overwhelmed by the generous support of companies in the industry and on behalf of the WPN Executive, I would like to thank contributors for their support, and specifically ACSA for partnering with us for what is going to be a spectacular event, and the RICS for sponsoring the awards and celebrating the successes of women in the property sector.”