It is shocking that in 2018 we can still refer to a "first" for a black woman in a country where they make up 41% of the population. Yet, Basani Maluleke is another black woman pioneer, who became the first black woman CEO in the banking sector when she was appointed the CEO of African Bank in April 2018.

Her appointment is also important, because African Bank is still reeling from its 2014 troubles and Maluleke will be the woman charged with restoring it to its former glory.

So who better then to give us some life lessons in slayage in celebration of Women’s Month.

10 life lessons from Ms. CEO herself, Basani Maluleke:

1. There is no substitute for hard work and passion. Consistently produce good work.
2. As a woman, learn how to diffuse a situation and when to stand your ground.
3. There are no quick routes – keep investing, especially in your intellectual capital.
4. Reading fiction is critical to help you better understand people.
5. Be engaged – know what is happening around you and surround yourself with different people.
6. Be patient – settle into the journey and unpack your bags, because there is a long road ahead of you.
7. Remember life is unpredictable - if you don’t face failure or adversity from time to time, then your dreams are not big enough, or you are not trying hard enough to realise them.
8. One can never underestimate the value of support from family and friends and strong mentors – they are your best cheerleaders.
9. We can all do anything we set our minds to. The key is to surround ourselves with the right people and to be resilient.
10. Take pride and place effort in mentoring and uplifting other women.

South African women can certainly learn a lot from a woman who is a pioneer and living the #blackgirlmagic dream. Happy Women’s month!