Bolt’s leading ladies creating change and opportunity
As we close off women’s month a selection of Women at Bolt were interviewed to hear how they’re taking over what was previously considered a male-dominated sector and how they’re shattering the glass ceiling, proving that the future is female.
Nthabiseng Mokoena, PR Manager for Africa
A communications maverick that leads with a velvet glove but can strike like a hammer. You’ll now hear from Nthabiseng, who heads all PR-related activities across the African region.
What inspired you to consider a career in tech?
I craved a bold career move and wanted to ply my trade in a completely different environment. I was seeking a challenge, and with the pandemic rife at the time of joining Bolt, I was fortunate to join an industry that promised some sense of normalcy beyond the pandemic.
Two years later, I think the industry has lived up to expectations and continues to evolve, innovate, and provide solutions for those who rely on it most.
What challenges and barriers to entry have you experienced as a woman in STEM?
It’s trying to navigate the mental battle of getting over gender stereotypes, imposter syndrome, and the misrepresentation associated with working in the tech industry. All one has to do is show up and put their best foot forward. With consistency and effort comes growth opportunities and the ability to own your space within any industry, not just STEM.
Working in a diverse and multicultural team at Bolt has allowed me to grow my soft skills and gain a deeper understanding of the varying macro-economic and socio-political landscapes — building intended resilience into our communication within the region.
How does South Africa compare to other regions in terms of women in strategic roles and women in technology?
As a continent, we’re seeing more women taking up strategic roles — it’s encouraging to see tech companies seeing the value and abilities women possess. Compared to South Africa, I’d say our African counterparts are far more progressive in giving women strategic leadership opportunities, but we aren’t far off. We just need to do more regarding diversity, equity, and inclusivity.
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Samantha Bester, People Operations Lead, Bolt South Africa
Understanding that a cohesive culture leads to people’s productivity, Samantha uses her years of experience in talent development and performance management to create access to a world of opportunities for other young, talented women in STEM.
What inspired you to consider a career in tech?
This industry is super-exciting and fast-paced and is constantly evolving. My position involves considering current processes and finding ways to improve, simplify, and automate them. Where possible, these changes need to align with an ever-evolving tech industry where continuous improvement and advancement are the norms.
What challenges and barriers to entry have you experienced as a woman in STEM?
Traditionally, People Operations teams have always been female-led. But it’s exciting to see how technology companies like Bolt are placing more women in strategic management roles and understanding its value in creating an inclusive culture that celebrates talent and personal attribution.
How does South Africa compare to other regions in terms of women in strategic roles and women in technology?
While progress in South Africa may be slow, it’s gaining momentum through continued awareness of female talent in all industries. As the People Operations Lead for Africa and working with other empowered, like-minded colleagues in Europe, it’s inspiring to see talented women given the opportunity to show the world what we’ve always had — a strategic and positive influence.
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Cyndi Levendale, Country Manager, Bolt Business, Bolt South Africa
Why just own a space when you can actively lead it? Driven, passionate, and unapologetically fierce, owning the Bolt Business vertical in South Africa.
What inspired you to consider a career in tech?
I’m passionate about solving problems, and I believe tech is the smartest and most sustainable way to solve problems.
What challenges and barriers to entry have you experienced as a woman in STEM?
The assumption that a male could do it better — because skill, passion, and knowledge have no gender.
Success is all about consistency and commitment — two skills anyone can have. Entering this industry, I’ve always been challenged. And I love a challenge. It’s an opportunity not just to break a boundary but to exceed even my own expectations. What’s more exciting, though, is that I can help other women start their careers in STEM.
With Bolt having many female leaders in strategic roles, we have women to look up to within the company. We can inspire each other and continue to encourage and empower other women.
How does South Africa compare to other regions in terms of women in strategic roles and women in technology?
I believe we’re on par with other regions, based on my personal experience and encounters. But it’s exciting to enter a time when public recognition is given to strong, independent female leads — inspiring a new generation to achieve the same.
I believe the journey isn’t so much about becoming anything. I think it’s about unlearning everything that isn’t really you or what you’ve been conditioned to think so you can be who you were meant to be in the first place. I’d encourage all women to think this way and go for what they want to achieve, regardless of society’s opinion.
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Tafadzwa Samushonga, Country Manager, Bolt Food South Africa
Results-driven, passionate, and of-course a foodie, Tafadzwa leads the local Bolt Food team as she expertly navigates the competitive landscape, while growing her vertical across the market. With a resume that reads like an inductee’s memoir into the hall-of-fame, Tafadzwa is not just smashing the glass ceiling but setting new standards at the pace in which it can be done!
What inspired you to consider a career in tech?
Tech is increasingly ubiquitous. Whether you’re in financial services or on-demand delivery, technology has become a key part of the toolbox you have to use to solve problems and make a positive impact. In a context where tech gets a bad rep for taking away jobs, at Bolt Food, we are actually leveraging tech to support our restaurant partners to grow their businesses and enable our delivery partners to earn an income, while of course providing convenience to our customers. I was really excited about sitting at the centre of such a solution to very real problems we face here in South Africa.
What challenges and barriers to entry have you experienced as a female in STEM?
Women are underrepresented in several industries; this is not a tech-specific phenomenon. The biggest challenge is to know our own worth and continually deliver the exceptional outcomes we are capable of. In terms of resolving barriers to entry, I think we need to start by understanding that diversity is not just a moral imperative, but it’s also good for business. Then we need to hold each other accountable to address conscious and unconscious biases that get in the way of accelerating the pace of our journey towards diversity and inclusion. At Bolt, we are on a journey of evolution. As the number of women leaders is gradually increasing, a community of women is forming and I think its voice will be increasingly important in this journey.
I don’t have a food delivery background so as a start, the Bolt philosophy of recruiting for aptitude rather than experience provided access to a career opportunity where I might otherwise have been overlooked. There is also a strong learning culture internally that’s amplified by the types of people we attract – my first impression of a typical honey badger was ‘high smarts, low ego’ – and that provides a great environment for personal and professional development. It’s also a lot of fun – we don’t take ourselves too seriously so alongside the career growth, it’s just a nice place to work.
How does South Africa compare to other regions in terms of women in strategic roles/ and women in technology?
South Africa has definitely stepped into a bold space where courageous conversations are being had about the importance of diversity in tech as both a commercial and moral imperative. While there is still a long road ahead of us, it is heartening to know that the journey has begun.
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Zethu Dhlodhlo, Operations Manager, Bolt South Africa
Young, talented and with passion towards women empowerment, Zethu currently leads Bolt South Africa’s women-only ride option, while actively focusing on increasing women supply across ride-hailing, encouraging local females to take up the opportunity to further expand on their earning potential.
What inspired you to consider a career in tech?
We live in an ever-changing world and that means we need to keep up with it. The fourth industrial revolution is here and is driven by technology so I wanted to be a part of that revolution, and actively build on it.
What challenges and barriers to entry have you experienced as a female in STEM?
Making sure your voice is heard. It still baffles me that we’re only allowing a select few individuals to get involved in innovations that will have an impact on my life, especially as a young, independent woman. We need more diversity and perspective.
We also need men to be advocates and be intentional about getting women involved in the industry. The main barrier of entry is education and how one can pivot to participate in this industry. We need a platform where we can connect with those that teach and those that are interested in being taught about the industry.
How does South Africa compare to other regions in terms of women in strategic roles/ and women in technology?
We still have a long way to go but the important thing is that we are becoming more and more intentional about it.