WOMEN IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR
Berlinah Madonsela captains SAS Saldanha
A
s the first
new position came on
female officer
the back of her being
commanding
appointed as the first
the South African
female OC of the Naval
Navy’s training unit
Staff College in Muizen-
SAS Saldanha, Captain
berg in May 2018, a posi-
Berlinah Madonsela is
tion which prepared her
firmly focused on leaving
for what was to come.
a legacy of promoting
In her new role, Captain
Captain Berlinah Madonsela gives her salute as the new Officer Commanding of SAS Saldanha.
have a positive impact on
taking ownership,” she
her team.
says.
and encouraging learn-
Madonsela will focus
ing and discipline in the
more on training, the
women hope, espe-
Hard work
military.
core business of SAS
cially young women, and
Born in Langeloop in
Saldanha.
believes that hard work
Mpumalanga, Captain
pays off. There are no
Madonsela says she
shortcuts, she says.
was blessed to have
Captain Madonsela was appointed as Of-
“I am a firm believer in
She also aims to give
ficer Commanding (OC)
process improvement.
of SAS Saldanha in
The house is already
October 2021. Based in
built. My responsibility is
I believe God wouldn’t
woman who always
Saldanha Bay on the
to maintain and improve
give me something I
encouraged her to work
West Coast, it is the SA
it,” she says.
wouldn’t be able to carry.
hard and be the best
Navy’s biggest training unit. Her ascension to her
26
“It’s a big challenge, but
Her focus is on making
“We as women have to
a difference in the learn-
be confident and believe
ing environment and
in ourselves, and start
been raised by a strong
that she could be. As the oldest of four girls, growing up with a
Public Sector Manager • February 2022