Automotive Business Review — February 2018

Eastern Cape region: Chantaal Poovan

Chantaal, a wife, mother and grandmother, is service admin manager at Autohaus Monti, East London, where she has worked for more

than 27 years. Apart from being passionate about her job and her active involvement in various community projects, Chantaal lives, eats

and breathes soccer. She serves as secretary for the Pride of India Football Club and says the game is her passion. “I love the game of

soccer and I so enjoy watching the utter joy on the boys’ faces on match day.” Chantaal is also a committee member of the Salem Baby

Care Centre and is involved with fundraising projects for the centre, such as an annual high tea and a charity ball.

Northern / Highveld region: Boitumelo Mokoma

Glamorous Boitumelo is sales executive at Audi Centre Sandton and is studying for a BCom degree in supply chain management, which

she hopes will open career opportunities in future. She is a founding member of the Fairy Godmother Foundation, which delivers much-

needed female hygiene products to girls in townships in the North West Province, where Boitumelo grew up. She would also like to

become involved with the upliftment of women in prisons. “I would like to see programmes developed that would help women to emerge

from incarceration as individuals who have really changed their ways,” she says. Boitumelo describes herself as an optimist and says

she is good at fi nding solutions to problems and copes well when the going gets tough. She also loves a challenge.

Western Cape region: Rashida Harris

Rashida is a warranty clerk at AMH’s Tokai Multifranchise dealership

i n in Cape Town, and has a passion for tutoring and helping children.

She is a netball coach and plans to start tutoring learners part-

time. “I have already started buying the necessary books, a laptop

and a printer to gear myself up for tutoring,” she says. She believes

that women still need to work harder to prove themselves in the

workplace. “As a woman I continually must prove my worth and I

always go the extra mile to ensure that my customers are satisfi ed

and that there are no comebacks,” she says.

Being respected by her male counterparts and receiving

acknowledgement for doing a good job are also important to

Rashida.

The regional finalists

While there can only be one winner of the MISA Woman of the Year, the

regional fi nalists play an equally important role.

Finally, hearty congratulations to all the winners!

Phumzile ensures MISA crown stays in KZN

T

he MISA ladies in KwaZulu-Natal seem to have special qualities, as the MISA Woman

of the Year trophy is making its way back to KwaZulu-Natal – for the fourth time!

Phumzile Sabela, admin clerk at Bidvest McCarthy Hino Mobeni, is the worthy winner

of the prestigious 2017 MISA Woman of the Year title.

The 2017 winner hails from Umlazi and is actively involved in various community projects. She

impressed the judges with her enthusiasm, drive and compassion. She describes herself as

a young woman from a very disadvantaged background.

“Growing up, I had the basics,” she says. “By that I mean I had school shoes. When I went to

church, I wore those same shoes. I wanted to change my situation.” Her mother earned R300

per month, yet still managed to ensure her children received schooling. “I am so grateful to

my mother,” says Phumzile. “Today, I am in control of my life. I don’t go to bed with an empty

stomach and I am trying to uplift myself.”

In her quest for upliftment, Phumzile has not forgotten her community and is involved with

an organisation called Icebonathando, a group of young people intent on making a positive

change. Earlier this year, with the help of her manager, Dave White, she also arranged a high

tea for a group of ‘gogos’ in her community. “The grannies were traumatised because of crime and I wanted to treat them,” she says.

She even arranged for a social worker to counsel the ladies.

“Phumzile has all the qualities we were looking for in a potential Woman of the Year winner,” says Ester de Beer, one of the MISA judges.

“She is humble, caring and is the proverbial ray of sunshine in the lives of others.” “She has so much potential and we have no doubt

that she will make full use of the opportunities that her year as MISA Woman of the Year will present,” adds fellow judge, Nalini Ballaram.

Tough competition and worthy winners in MISA Woman of the Year competition

i n

MISA NEWS

by Terry Owen

40 WORDS IN ACTION http://www.abrbuzz.co.za