Nene: Women business leaders did not use quotas

Johannesburg - Women who have taken the lead in South Africa's corporate world are "immensely inspiring", because they have not relied on quotas to affirm themselves, former minister of finance and current resident adviser at Thebe Investment Corporation Nhlanhla Nene said on Sunday.  

President Jacob Zuma fired Nene in December last year, replacing him with Des van Rooyen, who was replaced by Pravin Gordhan shortly afterwards as the impact of Nenegate hit the SA economy and the rand.

"In a free, non-racist, non-sexist democratic and prosperous SA, we have seen women rising to take their rightful place in politics, in business, in church structures, at the work place and in society in general," Nene said in a statement.
 
"I have been immensely inspired by women who have taken the lead in the corporate world. They have not relied on quotas to affirm themselves, but have risen to the top by virtue of their capabilities and expertise."