Corporate Social Review Magazine 1st Quarter 2013 | Page 43

In conversation

with Charlotte Mampane
by Paul S Rowlston

MABOGO DINKU A THEBANA
This is an idiomatic Tswana expression that means
‘we join hands to work together’. This is the attitude
that defines CEO of the National lottery Board,
Charlotte Mampane and we sat down with her to
find out why.
Her parents were teachers. Fresh out of university
she cut her teeth grappling with health-care issues
in the Northern Province. Motivated by challenges
that need to be solved, she loves trouble shooting,
loves to find problems, sit down, talk about them
and find their solutions. But then,
most importantly, she likes to
make sure those solutions are
implemented. ‘Don’t tell me things
are difficult’ she says. ‘Don’t tell
me a problem cannot be solved.
We will find the solutions and solve
the problems’. After all, isn’t that’s
what we have always done. Isn’t
that what history has taught us.
Inspired by people who act, who
deliver, who overcome. Charlotte
Mampane is no nonsense. She tells it like it is. She
walks the walk. She is not just another talker, but
when she does talk it pays to listen.

Our yes, it is. And I do try to champion that belief
system. But we need more champions. It’s not
enough for me to do what I do and you to do what
you do, we need to go out there and make more
champions. We need to get out there and remind
people about uBuntu, not as something to just talk
about, but something to actually be done. Ubuntu
is about economic, social and political actions. We
need to be champions of action, not just talk.
So why is the NLB the right place for you to do
that?
If I look at the money that the NLB has allocated
since 2000 – it’s something in the order of
R18
billion – that is quite astonishing.
They started with nothing and
now here we are with a whole
infrastructure and R18 billion
worth of good work done in our
country. If you look at the numbers
and think about what has been
achieved so far you can’t help but
be impressed. But I also think that
what’s happening right now is very
exciting. We have a clear focus
and a clear agenda, we have a
Chairman with a clear vision of how we have to
get out there and distribute these funds in a way
that can have the maximum possible impact. And,
for me, the most critical thing that we have to do
right now at the NLB is look back at all the money
we have distributed and carefully assess just what
impact that money really had. We have to get
feedback from the communities about the quality
of what we have delivered not just be impressed
by the quantity. We’ve laid the foundations, now we
must preach the gospel of modernisation and up
the pace of delivery. We must do more with less …
and do it faster.

“Don’t tell me
things are
difficult. Don’t tell
me a problem
cannot be
solved.”

Given your background, you could have elected
to work anywhere you wanted, in any number of
industries; probably for significantly more money.
Why did you choose to work here at the MLB?
It’s all about making a difference. Of course, many
people say the same thing. Working in a sector
like this is all about commitment. It’s a commitment
to making a difference in the lives of ordinary
South Africans. This is most important. This is the
first choice. And then there is the opportunity to
be involved in real development. I have a real
passion for development. Yes, given my previous
experience and involvement with the media I
probably could have done many other things.
But I felt it was important to get involved on the
other side, get to grips with the issues that a ?)????????????????????I???????e??????????????)????????????????????????U????????????????????)???????????]????$??????????????????????????)????????????? ???????????????????)??????????????????????????????????)????????M??????????????????????????????????)???????????????????????????????????????)????????????????????????????????M????)???????$?????????????????????)%?????????????????????????????????????)???U????????????????????????????????)????????????????????????????????????????)???????????????????????????()=????????????????91??????M?????????????)???????????????????????????????????)????????!??????M???????????????????U,????)?????????????????????????????)%?e???????????????????????]??????e????????)????????????????e?????????????????????e??????)?????????????????? ???????????????????????)????????????????????????????????????????)??????????????????????????????Q???e?)?????e??????????????????????????????????)?????????????????]????????????????????)???????????????????????????????????????)9????????????????????????????????????????)??????????????????????????????????????)???????????????????????????????Q????????)??????????e?????????????????????????????)????????e??????????????????????)e??e?????????????????????????????????????)????????????????????????????????1?????()A?????????A???????I??)
=IA=IQ?M=
%0?IY%\)5??????????????????((??(??????????????4((0