The line-up of speakers included: Prof Raymond Parsons, chairman of the NWU School of Business and Governance’s Advisory Board, Mr Bonang Mohale, CEO: Business Leadership South Africa, Mr Songezo Zibi, head of communications at Barclays Africa Group Limited, Mr Yusuf Abramjee, former global communications director of Crime Stoppers International, Justice Bess Nkabinde, Constitutional Court of SA, and Dr Adrian Saville, founder and chief executive of Cannon Asset Managers. The welcoming address was delivered by Prof Dan Kgwadi, vice-chancellor of the North-West University (NWU).
This year saw panel discussions being added to the programme. During these panel discussions leaders from across the public and private sectors weighed in on issues ranging from the importance of quality higher education, the demands of the South African job market and the role of entrepreneurship in sustainable development. The panellists included: Prof Linda du Plessis, NWU Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Planning and Campus Operations, Cllr Bongani Baloyi, Executive Mayor: Midvaal Local Municipality, and Mr Alfred da Costa, CEO of Ukuvula Investment. The panel discussions were facilitated by Mr Clement Manoko, NWU Executive Director: Corporate Relations and Marketing and Mr Warren Makgowe, NWU Director: Stakeholder Relations.
Although the speakers represented different sectors of business and civil society, the same sentiment echoed through each presentation, namely the dire need for responsive and responsible leadership in South Africa. With public distrust on the rise, it is important that leaders to become much more aware of the impact of their decisions and the needs of their respective constituencies. From the presentations delivered at the Summit it becomes clear that all leaders should take up the baton of responsive and responsible leadership. In much the same way Joe Public must step to the fore to champion these leaders and, need be become the ambassadors of sustainable change themselves.
All South Africans are put before the challenge to reflect on what they can do to help the country to regain its footing as a leading player within the African continent – be it from a personal, professional or societal perspective.
More about the Summit
The event, hosted at the Birchwood Hotel, represented a dynamic collaboration between the NWU and the Ukuvula Foundation. The theme for the 2017 rendition of the summit was: “Thriving during uncertainty and complexity – a leadership challenge.”
The aim of the NWU Leadership Summit is to create a platform from which intellectual capital can be shared and, by doing so, contribute towards sustainable and innovative leadership in business, government and civil society. By means of the Summit, individuals are afforded the invaluable opportunity of first-hand interaction with leaders who have their fingers on the pulse of economic and management issues. In today’s fast paced business environment, knowledge sharing is of utmost importance.
According to Mr Warren Makgowe, who spearheads the annual Summit, the vision of the Summit is to support sustainable future growth as well as the development of South Africa and Africa by exploring best-practices, ideas, and lessons from visionary, responsible, and forward-thinking leaders.
Proceeds from the Summit will go to the Ukuvula Foundation, a charitable not-for-profit organisation that was established to coordinate and fund social development initiatives. The Foundation’s vision of “making a difference through shared learning, development and empowering people” is underscored by the fact that most of the assistance granted is in the form of bursaries for tertiary education. Students of the NWU will therefore directly benefit from this initiative.
Prof Dan Kgwadi, NWU vice-chancellor, Mr Bonang Mohale and Prof Raymond Parsons during a panel discussion of the NWU Leadership Summit.
