The call was made during the 2026 Women in Housing Symposium, hosted at the University of Mpumalanga (UMP) Mbombela Campus from 18 to 21 August 2026. Held in partnership with University Housing Officers–International Southern African Chapter (ACUHO-I SAC), the symposium was themed From Empowerment to Impact: Women Transforming Housing Systems; She Grows, She Glows: Leading Change, Shaping Futures.
The four-day symposium brought together women from across the housing sector to share knowledge, strengthen professional networks and explore how women’s leadership can contribute to supportive and inclusive student housing environments.
ACUHO-I SAC President Ms Jay Pillay of Rhodes University said the symposium was particularly significant as the Association celebrates its 20th anniversary.
“Student housing is far more than the provision of accommodation. It is a space where students discover community, develop leadership, build resilience, and find a sense of belonging.
“These transformative experiences are made possible by dedicated housing professionals, many of them women, whose compassion, expertise, and vision have helped shape residence life across the region. Their leadership shows that creating a home away from home requires more than facilities; it requires people who lead with purpose, empathy, and excellence,” she said.
Ms Pillay said the Association’s two-decade legacy had been built through professional development, collaboration, research and strengthening institutional practice across Southern Africa.
UMP Vice-Chancellor and Principal Professor Thenjiwe Meyiwa emphasised the need for women to move beyond empowerment towards meaningful impact by taking up leadership positions and helping to transform the systems in which they operate.
The symposium brought together women from across the housing sector to share knowledge and strengthen professional networks.
She encouraged women not only to demand a seat at the table, but also to have the courage to redesign the table so that diverse voices are heard and represented.
“Empowerment must translate into impact. It must create opportunities for women to lead, influence and transform systems. Leadership is about creating spaces where people feel that they belong, where they are supported and where they can grow,” she said.
Professor Meyiwa also encouraged delegates to embrace continuous learning, have difficult conversations, learn from failure, prioritise self-care and support others.
“Student housing extends beyond providing accommodation. Residences are spaces where students develop their identities, confidence and resilience, making the work of housing professionals central to the broader student experience,” she said.
Businesswoman and Executive Chairperson of Buscor (Pty) Ltd Dr Norah Fakude highlighted the role of student residences in fostering personal growth, identity, confidence, resilience and belonging.
She challenged conventional views of leadership, saying it was not defined by titles or authority, but by the ability to listen, serve, create safe spaces and bring about meaningful change.
“True leadership is characterised by listening, inclusive policy-making and creating safe spaces for students to dream,” she said.
Delegates also explored the role of mentorship in shaping the next era of student housing.
Dr Fakude called on women to question existing systems and use their voices and experiences to reshape structures that may not have adequately considered women’s perspectives.
“There is a generational responsibility to maintain the doors opened by previous movements,” she said, referring to the progress achieved by earlier generations of women, including those who participated in the historic 1956 Women’s March.
UMP Director of Student Housing Dr Nomvula Twaise said the symposium celebrated women’s vision, resilience and leadership in creating inclusive communities and advancing innovation in student housing.
“What stood out most was how quickly professional dialogue turned into genuine solidarity, mentorship offered freely, encouragement shared generously, and stories that reminded us we are never alone in this work,” she said.
Dr Twaise said the network demonstrated that women’s work in student housing extended beyond individual institutions to building a community in which women could support one another and lead with courage and compassion.
Delegates also explored challenges limiting equitable leadership opportunities and the role of mentorship in shaping the next era of student housing.
Through dialogue, mentorship and collaboration, the symposium encouraged women to move from empowerment to meaningful impact, creating lasting opportunities and stronger communities for future generations.
Story by Cleopatra Makhaga. Pictures by JB Creative Cinema. Copyright © UMP.