4. Electronic Theses and Dissertations (ETDs) - Faculties submissions

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    Accelerating the advancement of black women leaders in corporate South Africa
    (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024) Letsoalo, Shamiela; Mazonde, Nomusa
    As of 2022, the disparity in corporate South Africa's top management positions were evident, with only 11% of Black women holding such roles, contrasting starkly with the 53.1% representation of white males in similar positions. Examining the progression over the preceding four years, the data from 2017 reveals that Black women occupied 14.2% of board positions, indicating a modest 6% increase during that period. This information substantiates the observation that Black women face substantial underrepresentation in high-ranking corporate roles within South Africa and that their advancement to these positions has been notably sluggish. The study's theoretical framework employed a comprehensive approach by integrating three interconnected perspectives: Intersectionality Theory, Organisational Leadership Theories, and Marxist Feminist Theory. This triangulation offered a nuanced exploration of the factors influencing the acceleration of Black women leaders to top positions. A deliberate selection process involved choosing 8 Black women leaders from 7 companies and 1 state-owned entity for participation in this study. The selected individuals participated in either face-to-face interviews or virtual open-ended question sessions through video conferencing platforms, Zoom or Microsoft Teams. During these interactions, the participants candidly discussed their career paths to executive positions, highlighted obstacles faced during their journeys, and reflected on the strategies that enabled them to overcome challenges in their pursuit of leadership roles. The participants described the challenges they encountered which in their view impeded their progress in pursuit of career advancement to senior and top management positions. The study delved into the professional journeys of these accomplished Black women leaders through semi-structured interviews. Targeting c-suite and senior-level professionals, including CEOs, CFOs, COOs, and group executives, the research explored their experiences across diverse sectors such as financial services, professional consulting, technology, government entities, and mining. All participants, who were situated in Cape Town and Johannesburg in South Africa, were deliberately selected from the researcher's professional and personal network. Purposive sampling ensured representation from various leadership roles. This qualitative exploration, rooted in the participants' lived experiences, uncovered insights into systemic barriers, and organisational initiatives affecting the accelerated progress of Black women leaders to senior and executive positions, and the strategies which supported them in their advancement to leadership roles. The study's approach provided more information on the lived experiences of the participants, urging further research and interventions to enhance and accelerate the representation of Black women in senior corporate positions in South Africa. The study addressed a pressing issue of transformation and diversity in corporate South Africa by offering practical solutions for Black women leaders and companies. It emphasised the significance of actively building and nurturing professional networks, mentorship, and continuous learning as pivotal strategies for Black women navigating corporate landscapes. Additionally, for companies aiming to foster diversity and inclusion, the study underscored the importance of clear communication of policies, effective mentorship and sponsorship programmes, and the promotion of an inclusive organisational culture. Providing flexible work arrangements to support work-life balance and addressing specific challenges faced by Black women leaders were identified as key contributors to a supportive environment. The study concludes by recognising its role as a foundational exploration, shedding light on the challenges faced by Black women leaders in corporate South Africa, offering solutions, and serving as a baseline for further in-depth investigation
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    Exploring opportunities and challenges on the consumption of colour cosmetics and make-up products by black women in South Africa
    (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2021) Mashaba, Constance; Mogotsi, Keratiloe
    Diversity, inclusivity, and empowerment are driving today’s fast-changing beauty attitudes, transforming expectations of looks and dismantling age-old patriarchal beauty standards in the process. Even though make-up is perceived as a means of self-expression, this study considers why many black women do not use make-up and colour cosmetics regularly. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore opportunities and challenges on the consumption of colour cosmetics and make-up products by black women in South Africa. The study sought to examine the influence of cultural beliefs, personality traits and social class on the consumption of colour cosmetics and make-up products by black South African women. The theory of buyer behaviour and the purchasing decision model were employed as the lens for the study. A mixed-method study was used for this research where a survey of 316 non-users or occasional users of colour cosmetics and make-up products was quantitatively carried out and qualitative interviews, designed to understand the consumption of colour cosmetics and make-up products, were conducted with 14 purposefully selected women in Gauteng Province, South Africa. The research findings supported one hypothesis, personality traits, as a significant positive influence and two hypotheses, cultural beliefs and social class, as negative influences on the consumption of colour cosmetics and make-up products by black South African women. The study contributes to the existing literature on the consumption of make-up products by black women in South Africa and to an understanding of the importance of inclusivity when cosmetics companies develop products. Based on the research results, recommendations for possible strategies that may be adopted by marketing managers in the colour cosmetics and make-up sector are provided. It is also recommended that future studies consider expanding the research to women of colour in general as they tend to use the same shades of colour cosmetics and make-up products and might have the same challenges or opportunities. Finally, future research to investigate other factors, such as disposable income of black women in South Africa, which could influence the consumption of colour cosmetics and make-up products, is recommended
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    In Search of Blackwomen’s Voices – Engendering South African Liberation Movement
    (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2023) Rodwell, Karabo-Maya; Shange, Kholeka
    The Black Consciousness Movement played a vital role in South Africa’s fight for liberation against the apartheid government. A significant part of this movement were the Black women that risked their lives for the country. Despite the work that they have all done and continue to do, Black women in this movement have faced multiple challenges related to their gender. I am interested in sharing the experiences of these women to add to the growing literature on the role and impact of Black women in South Africa’s history. To do this, I conducted interviews with six Black women over six months, between July 2022 and January 2023, all of whom have been involved in the Black Consciousness Movement. The participants in this research represent a small glimpse into the experiences of Black women in South African liberation movements. This research report follows the lived experiences of Black women in South Africa’s liberation movement, looking specifically at the Black Consciousness Movement. My research found that while each of these women were involved in the movement at different time periods, and in different areas of South Africa, many of their experiences overlap. I have broken these findings into three major themes. The first ethnographic chapter follows their early consciousness building and when they believe they came into consciousness. This chapter explores the formative years of Black women in the Black Consciousness Movement, namely who and or what influenced their political consciousness. The second ethnographic chapter examines Black women’s subjective interpretations of Black Consciousness and the impact this has on the self. While they were all part of the same movement they all seemed to have experienced the ideology differently. The third and final ethnographic chapter interrogates the marginalisation of Black women in the BCM. Here I discuss how women joined this structure for the emancipation of Black people at large, as well as connections to the ideology, and yet many felt that as women they were not always allowed the space to fully participate.
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    Rediscovering forgotten IsiXhosa women writers: the visibility of Letitia Kakaza and Victoria Swaartbooi in the history of IsiXhosa written literature
    (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2022) Salayi, Tembakazi
    The benefit of the study is that it will give insight into a period in our country that failed to recognize women in isiXhosa written literature. This is also the period Letitia Kakaza and Victoria Swaartbooi made history by being part of the first black women to publish a novel in isiXhosa. We are also able to explore a country where missionaries took control by manipulating black men and women to convert to Christianity. It is during these times that the Lovedale Press was produced and isiXhosa literature was developed. The history of isiXhosa written literature has largely concentrated on men's contributions to its development, with little mention of women's contributions. As a result, women were silenced and erased from public records. This thesis aims to make visible the identities of Kakaza and Swaartbooi by providing their biographical information and background information of the different institutions that they were part of. The study explores how both writers interrogate language, identity, womanism, and education in their writing. As part of the study, a film has been created that explores the themes that are discussed in the paper. This thesis and the accompanying film project, Ndokulandela, reimagine the histories and experiences of black women writers. By speaking back to narratives that erased women’s voices, this re-imagining sought to correct the lens that only maintained one view of the history of isiXhosa literature. The thesis also raises questions on how biographical films depict women's experiences. The film incorporates both the past and present by including letters and manuscripts by both Kakaza and Swaartbooi as well as the current isiXhosa women writer's experiences. The study will also trace the literature written by the women and an analysis will be conducted of their work. Based on the analysis of the three novels, Intyantyambo Yomzi (1913), UTandiwe wakwa Gcaleka (1914) and UMandisa (1975), the thesis examines the themes that Kakaza and Swaartbooi discussed as well as the political context of the early twentieth century. These books irradiate how both women viewed a woman’s life during the time as well as the idea of womanism.