Unisa Graduate School of Business Leadership (SBL)

09/09/2026

South Africa can point to significant gains in women’s representation. Women now occupy more than 40% of seats in the National Assembly. Nearly half of the country’s judges are women. And women account for more than 60% of graduates from South Africa’s colleges and universities.

On paper, the progress is undeniable. But representation does not always translate into power, influence, economic participation or lived equality.

Read more by clicking the link:
https://www.unisa.ac.za/sites/sbl/default/News-&-events/Articles/Seventy-years-after-the-march,-representation-is-no-longer-enough

Seventy years after the march, representation is no longer enough

01/09/2026

Some academics teach you what to think. Others teach you how to think.

In this edition of Meet the Mind, we profile Dr Colene Hind, whose work challenges neat answers and makes space for complexity, curiosity and context.

From strategy and supervision to the realities of South African organisations, her scholarship reminds us that meaningful leadership begins with the courage to observe, question and resist oversimplification.

Read more about Dr Hind and the thinking behind her work on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/unisa-graduate-school-of-business-leadership-sbl_meet-the-mind-dr-colene-hind-activity-7500568863638515712-C7mV?utm_medium=ios_app&rcm=ACoAAAkSyEgBpjU2vbmXbcqMfXUILOOPZ5wsrTw&utm_source=social_share_send&utm_campaign=copy_link

31/08/2026

As Women’s Month draws to a close, Prof Keletso Mohale journey reflects what is possible when an institution believes in education, invests in its people and creates space for women to progress.

At UNISA, lifelong learning is part of that commitment. It enables women to continue learning, advancing and leading, while strengthening the institution and the communities they serve.

For Prof Molale, the SBL MBA sharpened her leadership, strengthened her focus and supported her progression to Associate Professor.

Her journey is a reminder that when women progress, the impact travels with them.

Invest in women. Invest in learning. Invest in progress.

31/08/2026

This Women’s Month, UNISA Graduate School of Business Leadership (SBL) celebrates Dr Lonell Coetzee, an accomplished aviation professional, commercial helicopter pilot, academic and UNISA SBL alumna.

Holding both an MBL and a DBL from UNISA SBL, Dr Coetzee has built an impressive career spanning air traffic control, helicopter piloting, flight instruction, aviation management, and higher education. She currently serves as an IT Executive, helicopter pilot and flight instructor at Henley Air, and Academic Director of the Henley Aeronautical Institute of Learning (HAIL).

Her doctoral research focused on leadership, followership, and employee morale in air traffic control, reflecting her commitment to aviation safety and organisational performance. She is also pursuing Designated Flight Examiner (DFE III) approval with the South African Civil Aviation Authority, which would make her the first female helicopter examiner in South Africa.

Dr Coetzee’s journey reflects the impact of UNISA’s leadership studies in developing skilled aviation leaders and advancing industry innovation.

28/08/2026

Meet the Mind

Some scholarship explains the world. The most powerful scholarship unsettles it.

As part of our Women’s Month celebration, Meet the Mind turns the spotlight to Prof Peliwe Mnguni, whose scholarship interrogates women’s lived experiences of leadership, power and organisational life.

For Prof Mnguni, scholarship cannot simply confirm what society already accepts. It must challenge taken-for-granted narratives and contribute to healthier organisations and a more humane society.

Read more about Prof Peliwe Mnguni and the thinking behind her scholarship on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7499066418882289664

28/08/2026

This Women’s Month, the UNISA Graduate School of Business Leadership (SBL) proudly honours Dr Shallaine Padayachee, a distinguished Doctor of Business Leadership alumna and Finance PMO Head at Rand Water. Her remarkable career exemplifies the transformative impact of education, strategic leadership, and a steadfast commitment to driving meaningful change.

With over two decades of experience in South Africa’s water sector, Dr Padayachee has played a pivotal role in advancing strategic, financial, operational, and transformation initiatives that contribute to organisational sustainability and improved service delivery. Her extensive expertise and forward-thinking approach have enabled her to navigate complex challenges while delivering lasting value to both her organisation and the communities it serves.

27/08/2026

Yesterday’s Distinguished Dialogue reflecting on 70 years since the historic 1956 Women’s March brought together powerful voices on women, youth and disability, and on the work that still lies ahead.

Across the keynote, panel discussion and contributions from the floor, one message stood out: representation alone is not enough.

Meaningful inclusion must translate into access, dignity, economic participation and opportunity. It means workplaces that better support women, stronger pathways into sustainable employment for persons with disabilities, and greater inclusion of women in rural and marginalised communities.

Seventy years on, the legacy of the women of 1956 calls us not only to remember, but to act.

To build institutions where no woman, young person or person with a disability is left behind.

26/08/2026

HAPPENING NOW | The Distinction Dialogue

We are live from the Unisa Graduate School of Business Leadership for an important Women’s Month conversation on moving from presence to power.

Featuring Minister Sindisiwe Chikunga, Minister in the Presidency responsible for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, tonight’s dialogue confronts a critical question, how do we ensure that women are not only included in economic spaces, but are empowered as decision-makers, leaders and owners?

Join the conversation live on YouTube: youtube.com/live/HG7c1q7bC…

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

26/08/2026

A distinguished Doctor of Business Leadership alumna of the UNISA Graduate School of Business Leadership (SBL), Dr Forbay has built an exceptional career at the intersection of education, leadership, research, and organisational transformation. Her professional journey reflects a steadfast commitment to advancing institutional excellence while fostering meaningful and sustainable change.

As the first Black female Executive Director acting in UNISA’s Department of Study Material Production and Delivery, she has played a significant role in strengthening the University’s operational environment. Her leadership serves as a powerful example of the value of inclusive, transformative, and purpose-driven leadership in higher education. Beyond her executive responsibilities, Dr Forbay served on the Executive Committee of the Unisa Women's Forum. In 2025, she received the FranklinCovey Award for the Top Achiever in the Senior Management cohort. She was also awarded the prestigious Feroza Adam Memorial Lecture Award for Advocacy and Promotion of Women's Rights in 2025.

All of this underscores her dedication to empowering women and creating opportunities for growth, leadership, and meaningful participation within the institution and beyond.

22/08/2026

As Women’s Month draws to a close, the conversation must move beyond representation to real economic power.

The Unisa Graduate School of Business Leadership invites you to the Distinction Dialogue, featuring Minister Sindisiwe Chikunga, Minister in the Presidency responsible for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities.

Together, we ask a critical question: how do we ensure that women are not only present in economic spaces, but are equipped, empowered and positioned as decision makers, leaders and owners?

Click here to RSVP: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/r/Typx5SN9Mz?origin=lprLink