Gestalt: an organised whole that is perceived to be more than the sum of its parts.
One of the projects that I’m helping out with at the moment is the new Women in Leadership Programme at the Graduate School of Business here in Cape Town. It’s a premium 10day session for developing seriously powerful women. The kind of women who will change the world in some way.
But given that I’ve never been supportive of “women’s networks”, because I think that in the same way that the too-hot-to-touch Black Journalists issue is divisive; groups that are delineated by that that we can’t change like race, age or gender (okay, maybe without major surgery) rather than by passion, profession or play, only serves to separate.
But heaven knows I’m wrong about a lot of things, and this may be one of them. (I think my early opinion may have been swayed by the horror of going to an all-girls convent school – which only served to make me more wary and confused by intricate female politics. Teenage girls are one of the most formidable forces of nature and should never be underestimated!).
Watched Isabel Allende’s simply wonderful TED talk, and decided to revisit my prejudice. I started paying attention to where women lead best, and unsurprisingly collaboration, communities and networking are strongholds where women flourish. It’s also where the terrifying “tall poppy syndrome” is rife though. It’s the force that subtly slams those who rise too fast, and killing the pioneering ones is the most efficient method to maintain mediocrity. And slowed success.
But that’s a subject all on its own & not one for now: for now I’d love to share & celebrate the
extraordinary value (doing good AND doing good business) created by two powerful African women leaders using the collaborative model.
First (an icon of the environmental realm and Nobel Laureate) Dr Wangari Maathai whose recent feat of enabling the planting of a BILLION trees through the UN and her Green Belt Movement floored me, this hasn’t been cheered or emulated enough. She is utterly phenomenal and worth getting a dose of brave inspiration from.
And happily for us in SA, wonder.woman Sizani Ngubane (pictured right at the Women’s Global Green Action Network in Mexico) who founded the Rural Women’s Movement in Kwazulu Natal, mobilised over 500 women’s groups to promote sustainable development, economic empowerment and participation in policy.making. The movement has approximately 50 000 members and growing strong.
Thank heavens for these forces for nature, powerful women who believe against current models of tried and tested, safe routes and naysayers that the improbable can indeed be achieved with clear vision and mass collaboration. Rock on!
Similar Posts:
- The First Article Of Its Kind
Popularity: 5% [?]
March 2nd, 2009 at 1:05 pm
Sizani Ngubane, Founder and director of the Rural Women’s Movement who appears in your web site as a great activist for women’s rights was arrested February 13th, 2009 by the South African Police and charged with Fraud and released on 5000 rand bail.
Police and insurance investigators are looking into six claims of theft she filed with the police over the last two years.
Ngubane has not been employed since 2004, when she was fired from the Association of Rural Women (AFRA) for dishonesty, apparently taking funds designated to buy food for the poor. She has repeatedly reported burglaries and thefts of computers and video equipment to the police, often naming as suspects people she has had disagreements with. These are currently under investigation, as the last similar complaint has led to her arrest.
Ngubane has received numerous awards for her alleged activities, along with over 200,000 dollars in grants. She lives very well and has three homes, three vehicles, and three companies registered in her name.
See “Activist faces fraud charges” Natal Witness February 25, 2009.
March 19th, 2009 at 1:28 am
Is there a way to locate someone locally to try this?
April 5th, 2010 at 11:13 pm
It would be very interesting to learn from this man why sizani ngubane has not been convicted for the crimes he writes about if he is not the one who framed her?
April 9th, 2010 at 10:14 pm
When is Sizani’s trial date for perjury and fraud? I understand it is in the district court now.
The Witness reported the goods reported stolen were found in her garage. Did Baratta steal the goods and then plant them in Sizani’s garage?
Was Sizani fired from AFRA as claimed?
April 10th, 2010 at 7:44 am
We know Sizani Ngubani, she claims to be a leader , but the Rural Woman’s Movement she says she is the founder and director of is run by her family members. Sizani is an oppressor of the people. A criminal who has a record and conviction of theft . She was convicted in Dundee for that . The people of Sweetwater’s know her too well. Sizani has been oppressing our people and especially our women for years, making promises of money, letting them stand and pose for photos she said will help get money from the ignorant whites overseas. But when the money comes Sizani uses it on her five houses and three cars. She is the new South African gangster who can buy police and do what she wants, she is no leader and no community saviour. We all know Sizani Ngubani that little woman who pretends to be someone. Mncube Nathi.
April 10th, 2010 at 8:08 am
Sizani Ngubani, was one of the masterminds of the December 2009 Land Grab attempt in the town of Estcourt, KZN South Africa. She was even featured in the local print media. It seems that she does this type of thing every so often in an attempt to elevate her profile in a given area; then under that pretext will muster state authorities hat deal with such things, have photos taken of herself and the people involved and claim that it is a matter her alleged front organisation the “RURAL WOMAN’S MOVEMENT” was dealing with. In this way Sizani Ngubane hopes to gets funding from overseas donors. This is a well-known tactic her close associates have told investigators Ngubani uses. She unfortunately for Africa is a fraud. In respect of her pending fraud matter in Pietermaritzburg , according to the documents I have obtained in terms of the Access to information Act, Sizani Ngubani has a previous conviction for theft some years ago. The resent pending fraud trial has its roots in an insurance clime Ngubane made. When the insurance investigator visited her home with police they found some of the items she claimed stolen in the garage of her home situated in a plush up market area of Hilton. Adding insult to injury when they arrested her she was body searched for weapons and safety. Unfortunately for her they found a camera on her person that matched the serial number make and model of one she alleged was stolen in a burglary. This is the Sizani Ngubani that claims to be an upstanding pillar of society. In Africa we know differently. Derek.
April 11th, 2010 at 2:35 pm
PMB Court records indicate that Sizani Ngubane and the Rural Women’s Movement is seeking an emergency gag order to prevent Rick and Elisabeth Baratta from revealing details of Ngubane’s activities. Filed in July 2009 the matter has still not been heard.
Sizani Ngubane has also filed a civil defamation suit against Rick Baratta asking for 5 000 000,00 rand. This matter is also pending.
RWM has a new web site that has comprehensicve information as to its history and programs. There seems to be some errors or misinformation regarding Ngubane and the RWM, but further research is needed to establish accurate data.
January 24th, 2011 at 6:26 pm
Attractive section of content. I just stumbled upon your web site and in accession capital to assert that I get in fact enjoyed account your blog posts. Anyway I’ll be subscribing to your feeds and even I achievement you access consistently quickly.
April 12th, 2011 at 9:14 pm
Well it has been wellover a year and Sizini Ngubani has not answered to the responses I posted with the court. Last I heard she is now on her third attorney. Her house in Hilton has been abandoned and word is she has moved to Durban.Rumour has it that she is looking for a job since her donors apparently are hesitant to support her schemes…don’t really blame them. Meanwhile she has failed to pay court fees awarded for an aborted attempt toprevent affidavits from being entered. Twenty-three affidavits were submitted from people claiming she lied to them.
October 8th, 2011 at 8:42 am
Well after three years of court appearances and legal fees the matter of the Baratta’s versus Sizani Ngubane has been settled. On September 2, 2011 Ngubane appeared in court without an attorney and asked for another postponement. The judge set the trial for September 27th and stated that this would be the last postponement. Ngubane was directed to answer my rebuttal by September 7th and pay all my attorney costs for the day, including attorney preparation ( a matter of 56 000 Rand.) She failed to respond as ordered and at the hearing her third attorney offered to drop the suits and pay half of my attorney costs, but we refused the offer. The judge ordered the case dismissed and Sizani Ngubane has been ordered to pay all attorney costs incurred since she initiated the suit. Since we already had a judgment against her for the last court appearance, the process of recovering the attorney costs has been put in motion. Her three houses and personal property have a lean on them and in the fullness of time the sheriff will serve her with the papers and start the process of selling the assets to recover the money she owes.
She went through three lawyers and apparently has failed to pay them as one of them also has a lean on her property. She has abandoned her house in Hilton and is living in Durban now. She is also still facing criminal charges in district court for attempting to defraud her insurance company.
Her last post stating that I framed her is rather droll inasmuch as she filed the burglary and the police and insurance investigator found the “stolen” property hidden in her garage. Among the property she claimed was stolen was a video camera (serial number matched)she stole from a donor group that she had defrauded.
Looks like her star is declining.
October 18th, 2011 at 4:18 am
Ah, do not believe anything these men say. I have worked with Sizani and know that she is a strong, opinionated feminist who is fighting for the rights of rural women – but in the process she has turned off both black and white men in her country through her blunt and outspoken ways. Isn’t that the way when women fight for their rights – the men try to take them down? Rick is a liar as far as I know. Sizani may have made mistakes in how she used some of her funds but I have known her for several years, have worked with her doing volunteer tours into South Africa to work with the women she represents. She does not have 3 houses and 3 cars. She spends all her money on RWM – she is one of the most unselfish women I haver ever met.I usually would not reply to something of this nature on a blog or whatever this is – but I am really tired of the smear campaign this man has initiated. Very hard for a black women in SA to defend herself against this kind of thing. Due to the changes she is trying to make in her country, for the good of the disadvantaged women, she has a very large target on her back. Very sad that they can (try) to ruin her reputation. Guess that is always the cost of
feminism and change. So – don’t believe everything you read here.
December 6th, 2011 at 11:24 pm
He framed me. Been in and out of the police station presenting thick documents full of lies. The case agaisnt me has been kicked out of court more than six times. I am considering suing the state for unlawful arrest which listened to his lies and came and arrest me. His stupid friend who is a police prepared 200 pages but not one sentence where he tells how I broke into my own cottage stole my own goods and hide it under the blankets and call the police and make arangements for the insurance assessor to investigate the damage. Even the insurance assessor was one of his friends he changed his name in the court papers.
Rick Baratta has been in and out of Hilton Police asking why I have not been convicted until one of the senior police told him to F—-OFF from his office. He has been sending his wife to drop off documents (got copies of these dovuments) for his friend to use in court against me but that has nt worked because a reasonable person can see through all of this which is part of the reasons why the case against me has been kicked out of the court six times. Even his friends who are senior prosecutors have not been able to prove that I broke into my own house. So this liar is just wasting its time. And am now in a process of suing the state.
Richard Anthony Ricardo Baratta is now busy selling quilting machinery donated to poor black women by the International Rotary in preparation to skip the country to relocate to Sacramento in the States. He is running away because he knows that we could prove that he amonngst other things he stole R500,000 donated to the orphaned children.
December 9th, 2011 at 10:00 pm
If i had committed these crimes why have i not been convicted – Rick Baratta must be very sad because he didnt suceed in his well planned smear campaign including breaking into my house and planting stolen goods into my garage and changing the lock. Like he did in 2007 one of his witnesses’ male relative has been arrested for breaking into my house and staying there with advice from Rick Baratta who bluffed him by telling him that I have abandon my house. A criminal from Gauteng was brought to KZN by this horrible man to break into my house. And his arrest has led lead to being track down by Gauteng for serious crimes he committed in Gauteng including skiping the bail. These are the kind of people Rick Baratta, the self-confessed house breaker, has been operating with in his smear campaign against me. Its coming to an end and the case against me had been dropped because other senior prosecutors could see through all of this. And now Rick Baratta is busy selling donated quilting machinery belonging to the poor rural women and pocketing the money to pay for his relocation back to the States-Sacramento. He is running away because he and his wife can see that “INHLANZI ISISHELWE AMANZI AWASEKHO AMAHLATHI OKUCASHA IQINISO SELIVELILE”.
December 9th, 2011 at 10:05 pm
Richard Anthony Baratta did your friend Salswedel tell u that the goods he confiscated from my house need to be released by his police station? What did he think he was doing by listening to your lies. Didnt he know that the truth will prevail? The goods he took from my garage didnt even match the goods on my list of stolen goods but because you misled him – he is not faced with a problem of having to go to court and explain why he arrested me. How are u going to assist him, now that u are planning to skip the country and disappear with all the grants u stole in the name of assisting the poor rural communities?
December 19th, 2011 at 7:19 am
I would not be surprised if these people say they are not aware of the comments above. Rick Baratta has impersonated a lot of people including Ben Ndlovu and international people like Jane Bright whom he impersonated as an independant investigative jourmalist who had been “tasked by RWM donors with the responsibility to investigate me and the RWM” were shocked to receive the links to these comments sent to her by our American friends which Baratta said were made by them. Bright was concerned about her identity which had been stolen by Baratta who cut and paste her photo and made horrible comments about me and RWM in her name without her consent. She was so devastated.
April 22nd, 2012 at 9:06 am
This must be a very lucky day for me. Generally, I had to browse the web for a long while to obtain the specific information for my little research work. But today, I just typed some words relating to the subject of my work, pushed Enter on the keyboard…and…LOL! Your website appeared on the first page. And after that, I am proud to mention that it merely took me a couple of hours to finish my project work; at other times it usually took me a whole long day to do so. Really thanks, buddy! I treasure your work extremely.