Rugby gets a strong woman's touch
SA rugby's first female executive member, Ilhaam Groenewald, sees herself as a "change agent". The chief director of sport at Stellenbosch University and the erstwhile director of sport administration at the University of the Western Cape, Groenewald is not intimidated by her new job. She also has a master's degree in sports management.She said: "I should not be looked at as a female but as a person that can make a contribution. As a woman you need to embody that responsibility."I believe SA Rugby still has a great story to tell. From 1992 to now we have walked a long road. There is a lot more to be done and transformation is key to this."Her appointment comes in the slipstream of World Rugby's recent appointment of Wendy Luhabe to its executive committee as an independent director.Said Groenewald: "Given SA Rugby's Strategic Transformation Plan, it was inevitable that they were going to appoint a woman to try to diversify the leadership."Did I expect that person would be me? Definitely not." ..
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