True leadership goes beyond holding a position. It lies in opening doors and creating space for others to thrive. Co-hosted by the Centre for Gender and Africa Studies, the Faculty of The Humanities, in collaboration with the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences, this year’s annual Distinguished Women’s Month Lecture challenged conventional thinking on gender equity, urging leaders to move from mere representation towards tangible societal impact.

Redefining leadership and institutional purpose

Opening the event, UFS Vice-Chancellor and Principal, Prof Hester C. Klopper, noted that the complex challenges facing society demand inclusion, collaboration, and collective accountability. Reflecting on seventy years since the historic 1956 Women’s March, Prof Klopper emphasised that progress requires deliberate action and continuous engagement.

"Inclusive leadership is therefore not simply about representation," Prof Klopper stated. "It is about creating the conditions for better decisions, stronger institutions, and greater societal impact. The true measure of leadership is not the position we attain, but the opportunities we create, the people we enable, and the institutions we leave stronger than we found them." 

Delivering the keynote address on the theme Beyond Equality: Women as Architects of South Africa’s Future, distinguished business leader and chartered accountant Sindi Mabaso-Koyana shared insights from her journey as co-founder of African Women Chartered Accountants (AWCA). AWCA played a pivotal role in growing the number of black women chartered accountants in South Africa from 407 to more than 12 000.  "As women, we are no longer waiting to be invited," Mabaso-Koyana asserted. "We have realised that the next chapter of South Africa will be written by leaders who solve complex problems in spite of their gender. Qualifications can no longer be the destination; they should be the foundation used to achieve one's purpose and to create a better society." 

Laying foundations for inclusive and ethical futures

The event featured a panel discussion chaired by Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research, Innovation and Postgraduate Studies Prof Vasu Reddy, bringing together Mabaso-Koyana, UFS Chancellor Prof Bonang Mohale, and sociologist Prof Marlize Rabe. The panel explored systemic barriers and institutional culture across corporate and academic landscapes.  

Addressing institutional succession and equity, Prof Bonang Mohale offered a forward-looking perspective on leadership accountability.

"My job is to ensure that I hand over to a woman Chancellor," Prof Mohale noted. "What I would say to her is, let us continue to lay the foundations to make it easy, natural, and uneventful for women to assume positions of leadership. Please help us build inclusive academic excellence and bring a social justice approach in the assessment of merit."