In the second part of our Women’s Day celebration of the female energy that gives the Atterbury team that special edge, we hear from tenant coordinator Martie Marais, treasury manager Hannake Jordaan and accountant Sabina Khambula.

Our grandmothers and great-grandmothers would be thrilled to see how many opportunities we have today.  What aspect of female empowerment means the most to you personally, and are you most grateful is in place for you in 2019?

MM: For me, it is the fact that women of our generation and younger are being encouraged to obtain a qualification.

HJ:  I feel very privileged to have the opportunity to be a manager within Atterbury, and to be trusted with the responsibilities going hand-in-hand with that, which would not have been an option at all for the previous generations.

SK: The fact that I got to choose my own career path without being told a woman’s place is in the kitchen. The sisterhood in the office is one of the things I’m most grateful for.

 

A mother is not supposed to have a favourite, but many moms do… so which Atterbury mall is your favourite and why?

HJ: I love the Old East Precinct, specifically The Club ­area. I suppose it is because the heart is where the home is.

MM: One of my favourites is the Lynnwood Bridge development. I love the combination of our Atterbury theatre, restaurants, shops and offices.

SK: The new King Price offices. I can’t wait to see the slides in the offices to bring out my inner child.

 

What do you believe is the most important element women bring to the workplace?

SK:  I believe women bring femininity, which softens how we do business.

MM: Call it the womanly touch… and by that I mean the element of fun, the acts of endearment, the sympathetic touch; all of which women bring along with their professionalism.

HJ: Mmmm, besides the ability to multitask and bring intelligent conversation to the workplace, probably determination and willpower. It is never easy to be a mother, run the household and be in a demanding career all at the same time.

 

If you could change one thing for women in the workplace, what would it be?

MM: Before we even get to the workplace, there are still so many places in the world where girls and women are being prevented from being educated. I would want to see a world where all girls and women are encouraged to educate themselves, across all sectors.

SK: Nothing. I believe we women are finally waking up to the idea that we can accomplish more if we support each other, rather than trying to sabotage each other.

HJ: Even though I do not see this as a problem at Atterbury, I feel that workplaces in general should be more flexible to enable women to balance their home and work life more effectively.

 

This Woman’s Day, if you could give a special gift to a woman outside of your immediate family who’s been meaningful in your life, who would it be, and what gift would you choose?

SK: I don’t have a specific person in mind, but I have a group of sisters (as I refer to them) whom I would love to give the gift of appreciation, because through them I learnt that I can be a strong and confident woman.

MM: My matric maths teacher, Miss Burger, inspired me to study and I would have loved the opportunity to bring her to Atterbury for a day, to see how her inspiration has translated into my life.

 

Can you name an iconic woman whom you’d love to meet – and tell us why?

HJ: I would say Maria Sharapova. Besides being an incredible sportswoman who won all four grand slams, she is one of those people who never give up. I’ve seen her in matches where she is very far behind, but keeps on fighting until the last point; sometimes the fight pays off and sometimes it doesn’t. And if it doesn’t she is always very humble and gives credit to how good the other player was on that day. It takes incredible strength to never give up and continue to fight until the very end – always.

SK: Bokang Montjane. She made me believe that if I can envision it, then I can achieve it.

MM: I can name a few and I have met them all – the iconic women are all around me. They are my colleagues, friends, school teachers, neighbours, and more. In sickness, pain and even just in everyday mundane life they lift their chin and smile.

 

And finally, what is your personal technique for staying calm when things get hectic?

SK:  I usually go home and play with my son and nephew; with their childlike innocence they always remind me that even when things go wrong, it’s not the end of the world.

MM: Keep calm, and do nothing… sometimes it is best to step away from a problem for a while to get perspective, focus and then the solution often presents itself.

HJ: I run, literally, and luckily not away! To me running is my “me” time, it is stress-relieving and keeps me sane.