In celebration of Women’s Month, the North-West University (NWU) hosted a vibrant and thought-provoking Women’s Day celebration on Friday, 8 August 2025 under the theme “Personal branding – Leadership branding master class”.
Held at the Mahikeng Campus and livestreamed to the Potchefstroom and Vanderbijlpark campuses, the hybrid event focused on empowering women through leadership, branding and growth.
The programme began with an enthusiastic welcome by Innocentia Mphuthi, the programme director, followed by opening remarks from Prof Linda du Plessis, senior deputy vice-chancellor for teaching and learning. She shared a powerful leadership acronym: GRACE, with G standing for Growth, R for Resilience, A for Action, C for Compassion and E for Empowerment
“Grace is not just a word,” she said, “It’s a leadership philosophy that reminds us how women can lead with strength and empathy while inspiring transformation.”
In her address, Prof Sonia Swanepoel, deputy vice-chancellor for student life, transformation, people and culture and the assigned function of the Mahikeng Campus, encouraged women across the university to actively create environments where others can grow, particularly within the academic and professional spaces they influence.
“True leadership is about cultivating spaces where people feel safe to express, fail, learn and rise,” said Prof Swanepoel.
Prof Liandi Van den Berg, director of the TELIT-SA research entity and a professor in sport management, also contributed to the welcoming remarks, reinforcing the NWU’s vision of building inclusive and empowering leadership pipelines for women across the institution.
Helen Lekalakala, director for talent management and organisational development, delivered a presentation on “Women in leadership and NWU ambassadors”, highlighting the importance of visibility, accountability and collective advancement. She called on women to not only lead but to uplift others as they rise.
Spotlight falls on growth and thriving
The spotlight then shifted to Dr Kelebogile Paadi, deputy director of the School of Industrial Psychology and Human Resource Management, who shared a detailed overview of the GROW project, which stands for Gender Responsive Opportunities for Women. This transformative initiative focuses on expanding leadership and academic advancement opportunities for women in higher education.
GROW is spearheaded by the NWU and is being implemented in partnership with the University of Lincoln in the United Kingdom and funded by the British Council. It seeks to provide a sustainable platform for NWU women to thrive in academia through mentorship, development and collaboration.
The keynote address was delivered by the dynamic Tumi Lekaba, an author, CEO, leadership coach and motivational speaker, whose presentation electrified the room. With a strong personal narrative and business-minded perspective, Tumi shared how women can position themselves as impactful leaders by developing intentional, strategic personal brands.
“Your brand must be your voice. You are a brand. Handle your personal brand like a business.”
Tumi also introduced her latest book titled Thrive, offering practical tips for women navigating corporate challenges, from imposter syndrome to salary negotiation.
“To thrive as women leaders,” she said, “we must commit to lifelong learning, self-reflection and lifting others as we rise.”
As the university continues its Women’s Month 2025 campaign, this celebration stands as a strong reminder that women are not only present in leadership but are reshaping it with innovation, empathy and excellence.
In celebration of Women’s Month, the NWU hosted a vibrant and thought-provoking Women’s Day celebration.
