Mega-mom shines her own star

Durban - Charlotte Mokoena, 56, may be recognised as the mom of South Africa’s mega celeb Bonang Matheba, but she’s a formidable force in her own right.

The executive vice-president of human resources and stakeholder relations at Sasol, Mokoena was conferred with a Master in Commerce (Leadership Studies) degree cum laude at yesterday’s virtual graduation ceremony at the University of KwaZulu-Natal.

Speaking to the Independent on Saturday directly after the ceremony, Mokoena said she felt excited and emotional.

“I never thought it would be this exciting or emotional. The degree has just been conferred and seeing my name was so exciting and rewarding. I dedicated myself to this work and I enjoyed it,” she said.

Her Masters study, “Managing Organisational Culture Change in a South African Multi-National Company”, sought to understand the factors that influence organisational culture change, identify effective approaches to communicating change, investigate the existence of subcultures, and understand how to align company culture across an organisation.

Mokoena said her research learning could be practically applied to her position, adding that interacting with colleagues across the world provided many enriching conversations, while her literature research was also very interesting.

“I’m passionate about people and culture as elements critical in creating and delivering value in organisations. The Masters programme allowed me to choose a study area and topic directly related to my role, responsibilities and work and my organisation’s priorities. I was learning as I was doing and doing as I was learning,” she said, adding that the subject matter was often an intangible element, yet could make or break a company or an individual.

Having decided in 2017 to go back to study after 20 years, Mokoena said she had to be disciplined about making time for study and research.

“It was hard work. I had to put aside some leisure time and I set deadlines to keep the momentum going. What I enjoy most about studying is you get to understand what’s going on around the world as I interacted with colleagues in many different countries,” she said.

Having grown up in Soweto, Mokoena’s first formal qualification was in nursing. She also went on to gain a Bachelor degree in Social Sciences and an Honours degree in Human Resources Development, as well as a postgraduate diploma from UK-based Leicester University, and completed several business executive programmes.

With regard to her three children, Mokoena said she had always taught them to “find your A level, find the star in yourself. Go for your own goals and I am here to hold the guard rails for you.

“When one of my children chooses to do something, I’ve always learned about what they were doing.

“I tell them it’s about hard work and perseverance, always bring your A game,” she said, adding that the family would gather on Saturday (today) and share a celebratory lunch over Zoom with Bonang, who is in New York.

For those considering going back to study after a long gap, Mokoena advised: “I hadn’t done anything academic for over 20 years. You can do anything you like, you have to put your mind to it and prioritise it. You can do it.”

The Independent on Saturday