Acknowledgments

Please click to link to these sections:
 
1. Official Endorsement: The Businesswomen's Association
2. Official Endorsement: South African Institute of Management
3. Official Endorsement: International Marketing Council of South Africa
4. Acknowledgments
 

1. Official Endorsement
The Businesswomen's Association

The Businesswomen's Association is proud and pleased to be associated with a publication such as Inspirational Women at Work. As the largest association of business and professional women in the country, part of our mission is to recognise the achievements of the many remarkable businesswomen in South Africa.

The women profiled in this book are worthy of our admiration for many reasons and their personal and professional achievements inspire all of us. However, by agreeing to be profiled in this book, they have also recognised that as role models, they have an obligation to share their experiences with other women who admire them and who would learn from them.

Our congratulations to all those associated with this initiative. As an Association, we agree that it is vital that we ensure that the stories and lessons of these remarkable women can be shared with the next generation of women business leaders in the country and would like to commend Lisel and her team for making this possible.

Niven Postma
Chief Executive Officer

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2. Official Endorsement
South African Institute of Management

Feminist and eco-feminist literature has increased markedly during the last two decades of the twentieth century, as the traditional sexist male-female and gender masculine-feminine attitudes are being recognised for what they are, namely, the deliberate suppression and marginalisation of fifty percent of Mother Earth's inhabitants.

Throughout the ages, in most societies, the patriarchal mindset has prevailed in religion, politics, education, business, as well as the arts and sciences, to the detriment of Womanhood. This represents the grossest form of violation of human rights in the world today.

Thankfully, the twentieth century has witnessed a long overdue correction to this historically self-destructive stance towards humanity - not through committees, collectives, or due processes, but through the superlative efforts of a minority of exceptional women, who have refused to be bound by cultural norms, taboos, and conventions, to prove themselves in professions of their choice.

The authors of this book bear testimony to the indomitable feminine spirit, and are themselves role models for the power of womanhood in a man's world, for those who yearn to march to their own drummer, to manifest the same creative urge that is within us all, both male or female.

This is an inspirational, celebratory book and an excellent read.

Dr Norris W. Dalton
Executive Director

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3. Official Endorsement
International Marketing Council of South Africa

Inspirational Women at Work has been identified by the International Marketing Council of South Africa as an important vehicle to showcase to South Africans and the rest of the world that South African women are key brand ambassadors who are motivating other women to succeed in their lives.

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4. Acknowledgments

This book was inspired by a personal vision - a personal vision given substance by a collage of personal and life experiences and a variety of colourful people who formed part of my life. I am most grateful for the ability and opportunity to realise this vision and to make a difference in this way.

It would not have been possible without the enthusiasm, guidance, encouragement and support of numerous individuals and institutions, including family, friends, business associates, role models and mentors many wonderful people who are part of my life!

I would like to express my deepest appreciation to an inspirational team of individuals who supported me individually and as a team, both in taking the first steps and then gently pushed me forward when I hesitated. The following group of women brought endless enthusiasm, insightful criticism, a wealth of knowledge and a world of experience that has enriched this project beyond its original vision:

•  Sinnah Ramakhula - National Economic Education Trust / ANC Councillor
•  Annemarie Mostert - Rotary International (Rotary Club of Johannesburg)
•  Marinda Bastiaans - FET Directorate: Department of Education (Gauteng)
•  Kaamini Reddy - International Marketing Council
•  Lindiwe Sadza - International Women's Forum
•  Angela Bruwer - ABSA Group

Thank you to you all for thinking, working, laughing, crying, sweating and dreaming together.
 
My sincere gratitude to the following individuals:

•  To all the women who made their stories available and were willing to share their personal and life experiences - your stories are an invaluable empowering gift to women today and tomorrow.

•  To language expert and linguist Cathy Schroder for ensuring that a number of contributions were made possible and are being featured in this publication and for capturing the important words of Graca Machel included as part of the foreword of this publication.

•  To my friend Berenice de la Croix who was a phone call away and available to offer her sharp insight and advice at strategic moments.

•  To businesswomen and role models Jenna Clifford, Marie-Louise Myburgh, Betty Sibeko, Shirlyne Serobatse, Laura Vercueil, Sharon Crous and Ronel Openshaw for their interest and professional support when needed and for being instrumental in creating valuable opportunities.

•  To business professionals Wilma Oosthuizen, Lynn Witbooi, Carol Auton, Liz Sheridan, Thoko Radebe - many of the pages in this book would not have been possible without your professional assistance and patience.

•  To Elinor Sisulu for ensuring that Mrs Albertina Sisulu's message to the women of our country was communicated at a very difficult time for her and for the Sisulu family.

•  To Sinnah Ramakhula and Miriam Makeba for reminding me that one should never, never, never give up!

•  To Annemarie Mostert for always being there at the right moment and for making things happen... miraculously and overnight.

•  To Marinda Bastiaans, a partner and friend who was there right at the beginning, when this idea was born and started happening. Thank you for your support and your unwavering belief in me.

•  To Mamphela Ramphele who generously gave permission to use material from any of her published work - thank you for your powerful words which I quoted as part of the introduction to this publication, as well as the words quoted by Mrs Albertina Sisulu - all of which I found in your autobiography A Life.

•  To Dawid Lotz of T.L.I. Attorneys for professional and legal advice.

•  Finally to my husband, Johann, for his emotional, intellectual and creative support - for respecting me as a partner and for loving me as his wife.

•  I am most thankful to and gratefully acknowledge the following institutions for their commitment to and support of this project:

•  The Westcliff Hotel, Johannesburg, "Perfectly Unique and Uniquely Perfect", for accommodating the Editorial Team and providing a professional and productive meeting space.

•  Knowledge Resources, for compiling a list of resources and further reading and taking responsibility of making these sources available and distributing it on request to any reader, thus providing a valuable service and adding value to this publication.

•  Knowres, for your assistance in developing further skills development programmes aimed at empowering women in business.

•  Piet Human and Ivan Woodhead of Visual Images Productions, Randburg, who were instrumental in capturing the words of Graca Machel, which forms part of this publication's introductory section.

•  SUNAIR, for their commitment as travelling partner. "SUNAIR, South Africa's only dedicated business class airline is not only committed to women's issues, but also strives to ensure the safety and comfort of women executives when they travel on business in South Africa."

•  All our mass media partners who are ensuring that the inspirational and empowering messages of Inspirational Women at Work are carried much further and to many more women across our country.
 


Lisel Erasmus-Kritzinger

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