SMag honours women redefining work life with grace

Fronting the second cover is Woman of the Year in Fashion & Beauty, Qongqo, who is basking in the glory of the success of The Last Ranger – Mzansi’s first Oscar-nominated film since Tsotsi won almost 20 years ago.

The third cover stars Woman of the Year in Food, homemaker and content creator Mathole. Her career in content creation kicked into high gear in 2021 when she resigned from a lucrative corporate job. 

Inside, Vilakazi (Woman of the Year in Business) is breaking through the glass ceiling as FirstRand's first female CEO.

Innovator Dr Maserumule (Woman of the Year in Health & Education) is shaping the future of medical diagnostics with new solutions. 

For her urgent attention to African-led genetic research, Dr Hayat is Woman of the Year in Science.

Here is an exclusive teaser of what to expect when the issue drops on Friday:

Christopher on women being underrepresented in the acting world after a certain age: Male actors are still alpha males, ageing gracefully on our screens without worrying about their changing looks... I’ve been portraying characters that are 40-plus since my early 30s; now that I’m in my 40s, I’m vying for roles that a veteran actress should be getting. Mathematically it doesn’t compute; there should be strong, rich, interesting characters across the board, regardless of age or gender.

Vilakazi on dreaming big: Growing up, I would not have thought I would be CEO of the largest bank in SA, but it is [the outcome of] a series of opportunities I was fortunate to have. I got opportunities along the way and that is what made all the difference. I always say I wasn’t the brightest or the most gifted, but I managed to get those opportunities...”

Mathole on choosing content creation over her corporate job: I worked in risk management for 10 years until 2021... It wasn’t easy coming to that decision and I didn’t take it lightly. I’m a spiritual person and God told me it was time to leave my corporate job, as He had an assignment for me to fulfil... I didn’t have any full-time job waiting for me but I was just trusting God’s voice. My husband knew I wasn’t happy at my job anymore and [that I wanted to] go into content creation. Fortunately, he’s also a believer and was supportive.

Maserumule on the inspiration in becoming one of SA’s most respected health diagnostic innovators: Losing both my parents at a young age made me want to understand disease: how it works, where it comes from, and what we can do about it. For me, it became about finding ways to buy more time for other people’s parents, other people’s loved ones.