AT last! Long dominated by whites and by men, a black woman is finally soaring to the top of the airline industry.
Sizakele Mzimela (49), also known as Siza, has been CEO of Fly Blue Crane since September 2015. Even though she’s had so little time in the hotseat, she has already succeeded in one of her goals for the airline. From 13 May, Fly Blue Crane will go international, flying its first international flight from Cape Town to Windhoek.
Mzimela has previously been vocal about her desire to expand the airline’s reach outside of South Mzansi to places like Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe and the DRC. The airline currently flies to Cape Town, Bloemfontein, Kimberly and Johannesburg.
Having started out in the airline business in 1997, Mzimela is now flying high in the career of her choice.
African women are starting to get a look in to the airline industry in other countries too. Last year, Air Zimbabwe and Ethiopian Airlines made major strides towards the inclusion of women with the launch of their all-women flight crews.
