By Hilda Basson-Namundjebo
The Paradox
As we commemorate International Women’s Day, the theme provides us with an opportunity to reflect on the paradox of women’s leadership in Namibia.
We were reminded recently by Mark Carney that “If you’re not at the table, you’re on the menu.” Namibia has placed women firmly at the political table, yet in the economic sphere too many remain on the menu.
Namibia is celebrated globally for its political representation of women. With nearly half of parliamentary seats held by women, we rank among the highest in Africa and the world.
Yet when we turn to the economic sphere – corporate boardrooms, executive offices, and financial services – the story is very different. Here, women’s leadership remains fragile, often short‑lived, and too often defined by crisis.
For decades, we have spoken about the glass ceiling – the invisible barrier women must shatter to reach leadership. But there is another, less discussed phenomenon: the glass cliff. It describes how women are more likely to be appointed to leadership roles during times of crisis, when the risk of failure is highest.
The Glass Cliff Defined
The term was coined in 2005 by Michelle Ryan and Alexander Haslam at the University of Exeter. Their research showed that women were disproportionately appointed to senior roles when companies were underperforming.
The appointment looked like progress, but it placed women on precarious ground. If things went wrong, the failure was blamed on them, reinforcing stereotypes rather than exposing a broken system.
The glass ceiling is about barriers to entry. The glass cliff is about the precarious ground women stand on once they break through.
Political Success
Namibia’s political representation is rightly a source of pride. Women occupy around 44% of parliamentary seats, placing us firmly in the global top tier. This achievement is symbolic of progress and demonstrates a national commitment to gender equality in governance.
Yet symbolism in politics has not translated into substance in economics. The paradox is clear: women have broken through the glass ceiling in politics, but in business we remain positioned on the glass cliff – visible, yet vulnerable.
Economic Gaps
A few years ago, Namibia celebrated a number of women at the helm of banks – a moment that seemed to signal a new era of corporate leadership. Today, that number has been halved. Lizette Smit continues to stand out as CFO at FirstRand Namibia, while Ester Kali and Martha Murorua have held steady as CEOs at Letshego and Nedbank respectively, but the broader trend shows regression rather than progress.
In the SOE sector, women are visible as CEOs in regulatory bodies such as the NCAA, yet in commercial state enterprises CEOs remain overwhelmingly male. This raises difficult questions: are women not seen or recognised as skillful individuals, or do we crack under the weight of the glass ceiling and the glass cliff? The evidence suggests the issue is not competence but context — women are often appointed in unstable or transitional moments, without succession planning or systemic support, leaving them exposed on the cliff edge, where their leadership is more easily undermined.
Personal Reflection
I too have lived the glass cliff. My tenure as President of football was defined by leading under pressure. Running an institution fraught with corruption, underperformance, and limited funding was no walk in the park. By contrast, Baronice Hans at Bank Windhoek stepped into a stable organisation, well suited to her leadership. Her success shows that when women step into stability, they thrive. The cliff is not about competence at all, but about context.
Regional and Global Parallels
South Africa has given us world‑class examples of women thriving in corporate leadership. Mary Vilakazi at FirstRand and Mpumi Madisa at Bidvest are celebrated internationally for their excellence. They show what happens when women are given the platform and support to lead in stable contexts. By contrast, the UK’s Theresa May is a textbook case of the glass cliff – appointed right in the middle of Brexit turmoil, her leadership was defined by crisis and ended in resignation. Together, these examples remind us that women’s leadership can shine brilliantly, but it can also be undermined when the context is stacked against them.
The Deeper Problem – Succession Planning
Namibia’s economic leadership gap is not only about who gets appointed. It’s about succession planning. Too often, organisations fail to prepare pipelines for women leaders. Vacancies arise, women are appointed in crisis, and without support their tenure is short. That’s the glass cliff in action – women asked to lead on unstable ground, with little scaffolding to hold them up. Without deliberate succession planning, representation remains symbolic, not sustainable.
Solutions – Platforms and Training
One way forward is to create real platforms for young leaders. Many Namibians aspire to serve on boards but simply don’t have the resources or opportunities. Extensive training could change that – giving them the basics of governance, compliance, and financial literacy, and showing them how the C suite actually works.
But training alone isn’t enough. Too often, women are left standing on the glass cliff without the scaffolding to succeed. Mentorship, sponsorship, and deliberate pipelines are what make leadership sustainable. Without them, representation remains symbolic. With them, it becomes substance.
Give to Gain
Namibia ranks politically high, but economically low. Women are visible in parliament, yet still scarce in boardrooms. The solution lies in platforms, training, and succession planning. As Mark Carney reminded us, “If you’re not at the table, you’re on the menu.” Right now, too many women are still on the menu in the economic sphere.
“Give to Gain” reminds us that when women give resilience, society must give care, mentorship, and opportunity in return. Only then will leadership be more than survival – it will be transformation.
