Introducing SMag’s 5th Women of the Year edition

Presenting the cover stars for SMag’s fifth annual Women of the Year issue: Celeste Ntuli, Nqobile Khumalo and Kitso Kgori.

Ntuli, who plays Essie in The Polygamist, and won Headliner of the Year at the Savanna Comics’ Choice Comedy Awards in May, is our Woman of the Year in Comedy. She’s also getting ready for the fourth edition of Celeste & Da Big Dudes at the weekend.

Khumalo, our Woman of the Year in Television, isn’t showing any signs of slowing down, with an impressive résumé that includes roles in Scandal!, Red Ink, Uncovered, Fatal Seduction, High Infidelity, Isibaya, High Rollers and Meet Melusi. In her latest role, she takes the lead as Mbali, a principled public prosecutor at the heart of Netflix’s Umthetho, premiering on August 14.

Kgori, our Woman of the Year in Fashion & Beauty, is a style chameleon, fusing modelling, photography, architecture and music.

The trio is joined by four other equally boundary-setting women. Pontsho Maruping (science), Relebohile Moletsane (education), Leila Fourie (business) and Sandy Bukula (health) are ushering in a shift in leadership, innovation, and progress.

Here are some highlights from the edition:

Ntuli on that sex scene that broke the internet in The Polygamist: Everyone, after watching The Polygamist, was shocked at the doggy-style scene. I was disappointed. Why would they take me out of the game like that?

Ntuli on her feminist views not always landing well: People assume that I hate men. I love them according to how they need to be loved. I don’t love them according to how the patriarchy asks for them to be loved. Maybe I should change the way I speak. I’m learning that sometimes I don’t come across as I intend.

Khumalo on the sacrifices she has made as an actor: Every actor has a period of waiting and breaks in between projects, and no one is above the system, but that’s how it works, so you’ve got find a balance; be smart financially and maximise the time with your family and your friends when you’re not working. I’m 34, no children, no marriage. Sacrifices, I have paid for.

Kgori on the career legacy she wants to leave: A fusion of music, photography and fashion. My dream thing, because I studied architecture, would be to build an installation. In that installation, there would be photographs that I have taken, and I would be playing music.

Bukula, CEO of Operation Hunger, on tackling malnutrition in SA: The face of hunger has changed over time because our environment has changed … We’re not just seeing people who are hungry because they aren’t eating enough. They may be eating enough in terms of quantity, but they’re not eating nourishing food. It’s undernourishment, even if they’re consuming enough in terms of volume.

Fourie on what’s next after stepping down as Joburg Stock Exchange CEO in March: I plan to use my time giving back to society, focusing on youth unemployment and nature conservation. I will continue to serve on the UN’s Global Compact and YES boards, and have recently been appointed to serve on the board of the WWF. I will accept a few commercial board roles, but I plan to sail around the world and continue climbing, hiking, and spending time in nature and with my loved ones.

Maruping, managing director at the SA Radio Astronomy Observatory, on overcoming barriers: Women often feel they have to be certain they can do something before they’ll put themselves forward. We can be our own harshest critics. In science, we say, ‘Try and try again’. Even if you fail, that failure is a result. It tells you something. You need to do the best that you can. Be willing to challenge yourself, to try and to fail, and then get up again.

Prof Moletsane on enriching the lives of young women through education: I want children from rural areas to have access to opportunities I never had. I want them to have ideas and to imagine a different life. My work aims to help girls imagine a better or alternative life. The fact that you are born in a rural area doesn’t mean you can’t become what you want to become.

• The August issue of SMag is out on Friday, August 7. Found exclusively in the Sowetan when you purchase the newspaper, on the day, in limited stores in Joburg and Pretoria.