OWLAG
Leadership
Highlights
In February 2021 the Executive Director, Ms Gugu Ndebele launched and hosted Sipping Tea with Thishomkhulu (STWT) talks. For the first talk, Thishomkhulu, Ms Ndebele “sipped tea” with Advokate Kholeka Gcaleka. Thishomkhulu used Adv Gcaleka’s story as an example of what education can do to better one’s life. Following that impactful talk, Thishomkhulu “sipped tea” with Mr Lorato Tshenkeng, Unathi Nkayi and Dr Lulu Gwagwa. It is without doubt that the talks were moving.
Thishomkhulu afforded her audience, the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls (OWLAG) community and her audience beyond the OWLAG Community a chance to get to know the people behind the titles Advocate, Communications Specialist, Media Personality, Philanthropist, Entrepreneur, Leader, Parent, etc. Thishomkhulu’s audience were keen to know more about leadership, resilience and how best to empower oneself.

Hosted By:
Our Executive Director, Ms Gugu Ndebele, will be hosting THE KINGMAKER, Mr Rams Mabote, on Wednesday, 18 May 2022, on her Feature, Sipping Tea with Thishomkhulu.
Mr Mabote is an established and accomplished media person. He was the host of Media & Society on SABC News (Channel 404) and several digital platforms on YouTube and Facebook. He brings a combined Media and Public Relations experience of 28 years. Mr Mabote is also Chief Volunteer Officer of Future Kings, an initiative of the Rams Mabote Foundation which focuses on mentoring teenage boys into responsible manhood.
To join the session, register here in advance:
Invited Guest Panel
Hosted By:
Our Executive Director, Ms Gugu Ndebele, will be hosting THE KINGMAKER, Mr Rams Mabote, on Wednesday, 18 May 2022, on her Feature, Sipping Tea with Thishomkhulu.
Mr Mabote is an established and accomplished media person. He was the host of Media & Society on SABC News (Channel 404) and several digital platforms on YouTube and Facebook. He brings a combined Media and Public Relations experience of 28 years. Mr Mabote is also Chief Volunteer Officer of Future Kings, an initiative of the Rams Mabote Foundation which focuses on mentoring teenage boys into responsible manhood.
To join the session, register here in advance:
Invited Guest Panel

Hosted By:
On Thursday, 17 February 2022, Thishomkhulu, Ms Gugu Ndebele, was in discussion with Adv Kholeka Gcaleka, Dr Lulu Gwagwa and Mr Lorato Tshenkeng at the Academy. The panel discussion was hosted through Ms Ndebele’s Feature, Sipping Tea with Thishomkhulu (STWT). At its core, STWT aims to create a dialogue on leadership through conversations that matter with various leaders in our society.
For the panel discussion, Thishomkhulu focused on two questions; do we have the leaders we deserve or do we deserve the leaders we have. Casually looking at the subject, it reads the same thing; however, the two questions are different if you think about it deeply. Thishomkhulu also wanted to know how we got where we are currently with regards to the type of leaders we have in our society.
Here are a few key takeaways from the panellist;
- We have become comfortable with the leadership we have.
- We are no longer keeping the leaders we elected accountable.
- Leaders are a reflection of society because they are produced by society.
- We have lost the essence of togetherness and ubuntu.
Invited Guest Panel
Hosted By:
On Thursday, 17 February 2022, Thishomkhulu, Ms Gugu Ndebele, was in discussion with Adv Kholeka Gcaleka, Dr Lulu Gwagwa and Mr Lorato Tshenkeng at the Academy. The panel discussion was hosted through Ms Ndebele’s Feature, Sipping Tea with Thishomkhulu (STWT). At its core, STWT aims to create a dialogue on leadership through conversations that matter with various leaders in our society.
For the panel discussion, Thishomkhulu focused on two questions; do we have the leaders we deserve or do we deserve the leaders we have. Casually looking at the subject, it reads the same thing; however, the two questions are different if you think about it deeply. Thishomkhulu also wanted to know how we got where we are currently with regards to the type of leaders we have in our society.
Here are a few key takeaways from the panellist;
- We have become comfortable with the leadership we have.
- We are no longer keeping the leaders we elected accountable.
- Leaders are a reflection of society because they are produced by society.
- We have lost the essence of togetherness and ubuntu.