Mabatho Sedikela grew up in a large family in Limpopo: she was the older sister who had the privilege of having to be a model citizen for the rest of her siblings. She notes that this experience instilled strong leadership abilities in her as a child. That, coupled with having been raised in a family filled with strong older women who were very opinionated and stood their ground, made her a strong-willed young woman who learned to stand up for herself and speak her mind from an early age. “I used to think my father was so brave by choosing to marry such a bold, outspoken and strong woman,” she says of her mother. This inspired and motivated Sedikela to be herself and embrace herself.

Sedikela completed her BCom Accounting degree at the University of Cape Town, she completed her honour’s at University of KwaZulu-Natal before joining Deloitte to serve her articles. She went on to complete her master’s in South African and International tax at the University of Johannesburg. When she qualified as a CA she realised that there were less than a hundred black women, in the white-dominated accounting field, that inspired Sedikela to become more involved in the Association for the Advancement of Black Accountants in SA. Sedikela entered the field bringing her assertive nature that she had developed as a young girl and she was deliberate about gearing her efforts towards having conversations about transformation in the industry. “Someone told them black girls aren’t assertive, that they look down when you talk to them and that they will never talk back.

So I walked in with the task of challenging these perceptions, especially as one of the few black women in the room at the time.

Sedikela joined the AGSA in 2011, inspired by the organisations transformation agenda and contribution to public sector. She became a corporate executive in 2016 overseeing the Gauteng and North West Provinces as well as a National business unit.

Sedikela is adamant that women need to know and celebrate their worth; that they must get together with other women to empower each other. “In my career, I have relied heavily on other successful women who have advised me, encouraged me and paved the way for me to get where I am today,” she says. “I would encourage everyone to find their network of other powerful women.” Sedikela attributes her success to her loving and supportive family.

Sedikela is vocal about the fact that women should not be afraid to want more for themselves; that women should be ambitious; and that they must stand up for themselves and challenge many of the stereotypes about women. Including balancing being a mother as she is the proud mother of a baby boy and a successful career woman. “When a man stands up for himself he is said to have leadership qualities but when a woman stands up for herself, she is aggressive and wants to be like a man. This doesn’t have to be our reality,” she adds.