Sharoda Rapeti, Managing Director: Technology for the SABC (South African Broadcasting Corporation), was named the Overall Winner of the African ICT Achievers Awards at a gala event on 12 October 2002. She was also named Top Black Woman in ICT at the event. Her achievements highlight the driving force that women bring to the ICT industry in Africa.
The African ICT Achievers Awards programme, now in its fourth year, is run by Forge Ahead BMI-T in partnership with the Department of Communication and co-partner SITA. Nominations are submitted to an independent panel of experts, from which finalists and the ultimate winner are selected.
Rapeti, who holds an MBA (cum laude) from the University of Wales as well as a Masters Diploma in Electronic Engineering, is one of the SABC's seven group executives. She has established herself as an expert in the field of digital broadcasting since 1990 and was co-opted to serve on the government's Digital Broadcasting Advisory Body. She has also taken part in a range of forums involving telecommunications and broadcasting policy and is a strong proponent of empowering black people and women.
This has been achieved through skills training, BEE purchasing policies and donations of computers to deserving SMEs. Rapeti launched the SABC Women in Technology programme and established an intensive training programme for engineering students. Her efforts will result in the SABC offering an ICT bursary at the end of this year. "I always believed that I could make a difference," says Rapeti, and she certainly has, further evidence of which are her previous awards, including those for her outstanding contribution to engineering.
Rapeti has clinched a number of firsts - first female to be appointed as manager for regional broadcast facilities at SABC KwaZulu Natal and first woman to be appointed by vice-president of the Engineering Council of South Africa. Rapeti was also appointed by the Minister of Public Works as deputy chairperson of the Council for the Built Environment.
This dynamo is also involved in Technology for Women in Business, advising and encouraging schoolgirls and technophobic women, including rural women, on how they can take advantage of ICT to improve their lives.
A stickler for high standards of work output - "I want employees to be proud of their work", Rapeti is a team player. "I would rather have everyone share in the success of a project than be singled out for success. I believe in learning and teaching and that by doing this we are travelling upwards on a spiral of learning excellence," she says.
Oracle was the lead-sponsor for this year's event, with Choice Technologies and 3Com as co-sponsors. Item sponsors included AST, arivia.kom, Sun Microsystems and SAB. Kaya FM and ITWeb were on board as media partners.
