Herbert Rachuene The new dispensation in South Africa opened up opportunities for women, who are lateral thinkers and believe in their own strength. Ms Matlakala Bopape, Regional Director North-East Region of the University of South Africa (Unisa), is one of them. At the time of being named a finalist in the South African Council for Businesswomen’s (SACBW) Businesswomen of the Year awards, Bopape was attending a musical workshop in the United States of America. The nomination was not a first for this dynamic woman. Last year she was a finalist in the Polokwane Chamber of Business’ Business in the Woman of the Year category. "It feels good to be recognised. Recognition was the last thing on my mind as a community animal, because I do so much work for the community. If you have an entrepreneurial spirit you become fearless, you always take risks because you know you are going to win. It is the entrepreneurial spirit that spurs me on, because an entrepreneur sees an opportunity in everything," Bopape said. To fortify her own businesses ventures Bopape runs a beadwork project empowering rural women in Moletjie, Ga-Mashashane, Mahwelereng, Atok and Jane Furse. This group specialises in beadwork, where they make shoes from the beads, necklaces and other forms of cultural wear. "I saw their plight and I thought I should bring them together to do something that they love and which might better their lives and that was beadwork. I want to see these women being empowered so that they can be able to fend for themselves. We are in the process of developing a company for them and it will be based in Polokwane," Bopape said. Besides her other commitments, Bopape owns Ashante Salon and Face 2 Face, an International Beauty and Make-up design school. Asked about what inspires her to have so many businesses, Bopape responded that she is inspired by the love for the community."When I started the hair business, I wanted to give our own people anything classy that they may need," she said. She hails the Es’kia Mphahlele project as one of Unisa’s greatest projects that inspire her a lot. "Remember Mphahlele was an alumina of Unisa and he comes from Limpopo. It was very worth to be able to honour that kind of spirit, he had a difficult life but it is inspiring to see what he has achieved. "I want to make the North-Eastern region more vibrant academically, because there is a lot of academic discourse. I want to ensure that the education system improves," said Bopape. As the Director of the Polokwane Choral Society Bopape is committed to drawing out musical excellence from her singers as well as exposing them to musical cultures of the world. Her limitless patience, careful attention to vocal technique, and rich repertoire of folk and contemporary South African choral music makes her a formidable teacher. She also insists that South Africans must take their own music to the world stage. "What I realised is that most of the South Africans think they can sing other people’s music better than they do. They want to do other things that belong to other people. I want to ensure that South African people preserve their culture and are proud of their own music. "I am a success in the essence that I have created a hunger in overseas for South African Music and its culture."
