10 Sep 2024

The newly elected president of the Women in Business Association (WIBA), Ms Christinah Leshego, has emphasised the need for women entrepreneurs to adopt a growth-oriented mindset in order to thrive in today’s ever-changing business landscape.

Speaking during her inaugural address, Ms Leshego highlighted that embracing change and innovative thinking was crucial for women entrepreneurs across all sectors, including the informal market. “To progress and produce more, we must do things differently,” she urged.

Outlining her roadmap and vision for WIBA, Ms Leshego stated that the organisation’s mandate was to inspire wealth creation and increase women’s participation in the economy through advocacy, training, mentoring, and essential linkages. She noted the critical role the informal sector plays in economic growth and asserted that a shift in mindset could unlock tremendous potential for success within it.

“We aim to break the barriers that have limited our members’ potential to explore new ways of approaching challenges and opportunities,” she continued. “We want to empower and transform our entrepreneurs so they can navigate toward growth.”

Ms Leshego also encouraged women to move away from replicating existing business models and instead consider forming clusters to adapt to market demands. Drawing on the success of the cooperative model, she remarked, “By creating synergies of ideas, we can more easily approach financers and enhance our production capabilities.”

Her primary focus will be on agriculture and manufacturing—two sectors she believed were profitable and essential for improving livelihoods and contributing to the national economy. Ms Leshego acknowledged government ban on vegetable imports that had spurred local farmers to invest in horticulture and emphasised the importance of adding value to products within these sectors.

“The ultimate goal of WIBA is to mold women into strong entrepreneurs who can achieve self-sufficiency and export surplus,” Ms. Leshego declared. She also expressed her commitment to recruiting young women into the association, emphasizing that instilling an entrepreneurial spirit in the next generation could be transformative. By introducing them to the basics of business, WIBA aims to equip young females with the tools necessary to navigate future challenges.

Additionally, Ms Leshego pointed out that the North West District is renowned for its high-quality basket weavers and emphasized the importance of product development.

 “Teaching our weavers about product development will elevate their businesses to a higher level,” she noted, explaining that this process enhances existing products, making them more competitive.

In the WIBA national executive committee elections, Ms Barati Seiketso was elected as deputy president, while Ms. Wapula Matshambane secured the position of secretary, with Ms. Jane Matome assisting. Ms Dineo Swartz-Mokomo was chosen as treasurer, and Ms Thato Dithupe will serve as the public relations officer. The committee is set to serve for the next two years. The WIBA national executive committee elections also elected Ms Barati Seiketso as deputy president while Ms Wapula Matshambane took the secretary position assisted by Ms Jane Matome.

Ms Dineo Swartz-Mokomo was elected treasurer while Ms Thato Dithupe was entrusted with the position of public relations officer and he committee will serve for two years.