It’s a long way from the fields of KwaMpande to the air-conditioned boardrooms where Sinempilo Ngubane CA(SA) takes her seat as a financial director – and further still to the glamorous stages, tiaras and evening gowns of the Mrs South Africa pageant, where she qualified as a finalist. However, the journey is one she cherishes and which has helped her crystallise her purpose.
Sinempilo acknowledges that it has not always been easy. Growing up as one of seven sisters, in the rural areas around Pietermaritzburg, her days were filled with thoughts of herding goats rather than governance, and she admits that she had little concept of what accounting entails. Nonetheless, when her marks attracted the attention of PwC (she earned six distinctions in matric), she eagerly took up the offer of a bursary to UKZN.
Sinempilo soon discovered that she didn’t just have a flair for accounting; she had a passion, too. ‘I realised that it was a calling. I have always been an accountant at heart; even as a child, I worked in my father’s tuckshop, ordering stock, and did the daily reconciliation for the taxi drivers who worked in his taxi business,’ she recalls.
EMBARKING ON A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY
Although Sinempilo readily took to corporate life, she made a point of balancing her career with downtime in nature. ‘My credo has always been that I’ll spend Monday to Friday behind the laptop, but on the weekends it’s time to get outdoors,’ she says.
Her hiking habit had made her both strong and fit – which is why she was shocked to find herself in ICU last year, recovering from surgery to implant stents as a safeguard against unstable angina. ‘It was a life-changing moment. I found myself thinking deeply about my life, where I am, and where I want to be. It was the start of a real voyage of discovery,’ Sinempilo says.
One of the most important things she discovered was that it was time to define herself outside of the boundaries that had, until now, marked her life. Yes, she’s a CA, a wife and a mother – but beyond all these labels, who is Sinempilo, she wondered.
She found the answers through what some may consider a surprising source: The Mrs South Africa pageant. For those who know her well, Sinempilo’s interest in pageants didn’t come as a surprise: she’d harboured aspirations to enter this world of glamour since she was a teenager.
What was surprising, though – to her, at least – was the amount of learning that took place during her time as a
Mrs South Africa finalist. Sinempilo points out that pageants aren’t typically regarded as a serious undertaking. But, she insists, behind the lipstick and glitz there is some serious skills acquisition. ‘Mrs South Africa finalists are expected to garner sponsorships and give presentations. It takes real confidence to do both, and I hadn’t realised how much I had to grow in this area. My work means that I spend most of my time involved in back-office activities, busy with my laptop. Now, I feel I’ve been given a chance to develop in new areas. I feel like I have found my voice.’
This is the real value of pageants, Sinempilo maintains. ‘It has been a joy to discover that, as a professional, there’s so much I haven’t yet been exposed to. I might be a CA(SA) with an MBA to my name, but there is still so much to learn.’
THE POWER OF CONFIDENCE
Sinempilo cherishes her newfound confidence, especially since she believes it is a quality every young girl should cultivate. ‘I am where I am because of bursaries, so I know the difference that can be made in an individual’s life if they know there is someone out there who believes in them.’ This insight means that Sinempilo is passionate about the school engagements she hosts, where she strives to inspire girls, alerting them to the possibilities that exist and giving them direction. In fact, she maintains that all South African women who find themselves in a leadership position have a responsibility to encourage others. ‘Your input doesn’t have to be financial. Spending time with someone who needs a role mentor is just as valuable,’ she points out. Her commitment to giving back sees her sponsoring one child’s schooling – from uniform to fees – every year.
‘I think one of the most important lessons we can give these young people is that life is dynamic. You don’t have to be struck in the life you’re living. At any point, you can take a look at where you are and decide to change it. You never know what you might achieve, so it’s vital that you don’t limit yourself.’
Sinempilo includes herself when she speaks of the enormous scope of possibilities and what the future may hold. Indeed, one of the highly ambitious goals on her horizon is the establishment of a foundation that will encourage farming in rural communities. She’s looking to join forces with the Departments of Agriculture and Education in this regard, realising that their support may help to galvanise an initiative which could have significant implications for job creation and the alleviation of poverty. ‘We’re desperately seeking solutions for these problems, and the answer may be right in front of us. We have large amounts of fertile land that could become a tool for upskilling communities,’ she says. Thinking beyond subsistence farming and the ability to put food on the table, Sinempilo envisages the development of collaborative ecosystems with, say, one neighbour farming potatoes while another cultivates tomatoes, then joining forces to sell their produce to community retailers. ‘This can contribute to the development of economies,’ she observes.
GOING FULL CIRCLE
It’s interesting that Sinempilo’s introspection has led her back to where it all began: the farm. ‘I’ve done a complete 360,’ she laughs. She isn’t only interested in involving others in her plans for agriculture: following her surgery last year, she makes a point of spending time with her family. Their now regular trips include visits to a smallholding, where she relishes every minute spent under the sun.
‘My time on the smallholding has made me realise that there’s so much we can learn from nature – even in a business setting. After all, like business, nature is cyclical. Corporates have seasons, just as farms do, and the activities that require your focus change accordingly. While I think this understanding has strengthened my approach to business, it’s also great to be able to use my business skills in a setting outside of the office!’
Author
Lisa Witepski
