As a medical student, Judy Dlamini was bitten by police dogs and arrested. As a doctor, she was robbed at gunpoint. As a businesswoman, she acquired an MBA in her 40s and a doctorate in her 50s. Her life has been quite eventful so far, and whilst growing a successful business portfolio, she has just authored a book on equality.
We meet Judy Dlamini at her well-appointed office in Illovo, an extension of the Sandton Central Business District, home to some of South Africa’s biggest law firms.
Her office building, Sifiso Nxasana House, holds its own on one of the main streets, towering in its Tuscan-style architecture. The imposing exterior leads to softer and more feminine hues inside, replete with pastels, neutral walls and soft carpets. It’s designed to be a home away from home, and as she would later tell FORBES WOMAN AFRICA: “Who says our work spaces should be white and masculine?”
When we arrive, Dlamini’s photoshoot for this issue is underway. She is tall and elegant with an unassuming smile that immediately sets you at ease. Her large eyes hold you captive as she poses gracefully. In the backdrop, over the fireplace, is a black and white photo of her family when she was young – “All the people I love,” she says of it.
We are in a room with high ceilings, but she fills it with energy and a presence that exudes confidence and power. She is wearing a pair of sparkling Charles Greig earrings, and effortlessly pulls off a lime green Oscar de la Renta dress that rests just above her knee, looking much, much younger than her 58 years.
It has been a life that has seen hardship, failure and profound success.
Known for keeping a low-profile, Dlamini is a medical doctor who has scaled heights in the world of business. From the moment you start talking to her, it is clear, as she attests to, that she is “honest to a fault” and “does not compromise” on what she believes in.
This story is from the April-May 2017 edition of Forbes Woman Africa.
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This story is from the April-May 2017 edition of Forbes Woman Africa.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
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