Equal But Different by Dr Judy Dlamini
Justify The Enemy: Becoming Human in South Africa by Zakes Mda
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The Other Story Dr Judy Dlamini
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Dr Judy Dlamini
E qual But Different
Born in Westville,a suburb in Durban,nine years after it was declared a whites-only area when Group areas Act No 41 of 1950 was enacted. Dr Judy started out as a medical doctor before changing into business. She is entrepreneur, author, and philanthropist. She is the Chancellor of the University of the Witwatersrand and the founding chairman of Mbekani .She is married to Sifiso Nxasana,a South African business executive and accountant. He is the former CEO of Telkom Group and FirstRand Group and was a chairman of NSFAS and is founder of Sifiso Learning Group. Sizwe is also a member of South African Institute of Chartered Accountant
„Equal but different: life stories; overcoming race, gender and social class does an excellent job in illuminating the similarities as well as the differences in the women’s experiences despite all of them having attained success as leaders, by beginning with the women’s early lives, Dr Judy Dlamini provides insight into the major influences on gender identity development, particularly the formation of aspirations for their lives. One of the prominent themes in the women’s early lives, and also in our research fifteen years ago, is that the women received a message from parents or other significant people in their lives that they could aspire to be anything they wished.Prof Stella M Nkomo University of Pretoria, October 2016”
A s an educated young woman, “Equal But Different” resonated a whole different me. There is something breath-taking about reading stories of women beating all odds. There is something liberating about women sharing their experiences to shape the many challenges that we face as women in the various industries. Being a young woman who was exposed in the public sector was not an ideal experience. My very first formal employment was in Government. I was fresh out of varsity and ready to contribute to change. Little did I know that I would be reminded that race, gender and social class would be a factor.
According to myself, some women are allies of patriarchy and that is the truth. I remember entering this diverse environment very overwhelmed and willing to learn. I remember seeking guidance and mentorship from women who have had years of experiences. To my surprise ,instead of being assisted, I was turned down and ignored. The challenge here is that, if you come with the intention of moving up it poses a threat. Again, most women in this sector are broken because they had to work themselves to the top. I later stopped myself from being angry at these women because they need to unlearn the old ways of thinking and misconceptions of mentorship..
It is time we as women play an active role in grooming young leaders for a better Afrika. It is reading books written by Dr Judy Dlamini I understood fully the impact of gender inequalities, race, social class, and intersectionality..
The highlight of this read is that we get to read about some of the failures, highs and victories seen by women in Afrika. We get to tap in our entrepreneurial spirit that has been sleeping and wake it up. I highly recommend that all genders and races read Equal But Different. I loved it.
„ It is my strong belief that people are born equal but different. It is a belief that equity across gender,race,social class and sexual orientation will be attained in my lifetime.”Dr Judy Dlamini
