(Stella Khumalo)
Stella Khumalo, newly
appointed Chief Executive Officer of uShaka Marine World, is taking the helm of
one of Durban’s most important tourism assets at a critical point in its
history – its 10 year anniversary which is a celebration of what it has
achieved so far and a launching point for accomplishing even more.
“Being CEO of
uShaka Marine World means ensuring that this ship remains buoyant, continues to
sail smoothly and reaches new waters that it has not reached before. I want to
ensure that uShaka Marine World grows in stature and further entrenches its
position as one of the leading edu-tainment and tourist destinations in
eThekwini, KwaZulu-Natal and South Africa,” she says.
On the all-important
practical side, Khumalo is determined that she will see to it that uShaka
continues to achieve a clean audit report whilst also ensuring that the
performance of the park is enhanced so that it can achieve sustainable growth.
“During my stint as
CEO, I aim to make a difference. I will approach this new responsibility with
the same commitment; professionalism and passion I have always applied to doing
my job,” she adds.
Her career path has
been distinguished one that has embraced three key areas that will undoubtedly
impact positively on uShaka Marine World – education, tourism and good
corporate governance within the public sector.
After matriculating
from St. Francis College, Mariannhill, in 1980, Mrs Khumalo began her tertiary
education, staring with a Bachelor of Science from the University of Zululand,
followed by a Higher Education Diploma from the University of South Africa in
1989 and then a Bachelor of Education from the University of Zululand in 1994.
She added a
Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) from the then University of Natal, specialising
in Strategic Management in 2004 and is currently completing a Doctorate in
Business Administration (PhD) at the University of KwaZulu-Natal.
A firm believer
that a sound education is the panacea for breaking the cycle of poverty,
Khumalo started out as a high school teacher specialising in science subjects.
She worked her way up to be deputy principal of the Luthayi High School in
Mpumalanga and then Head of Department (Science) at Phezulu High School in
Mpumalanga. She went on to become a subject advisor in biology and general
science for the Zululand region.
After a ten year
stint at the coalface, she moved into skills development, ultimately working as
Director in KwaZulu-Natal’s Department of Education. She was then appointed as
Chief Director for Tourism Development in Department of Arts, Culture and
Tourism and went on to become HOD before being appointed CEO of the ground-breaking
KZN Liquor Authority in 2012.
She says she is not
going to be prescriptive at uShaka Marine World: “I do not believe in new
leadership coming into an organisation with pre-conceived ideas. However,
addressing the issue of seasonality, targeting a variety of LSMs,
diversification of offerings, encouraging repeat visits and always giving
visitors a ‘beyond our expectations’ experience are all important for me.”
Mrs Khumalo remains
passionate about improving the culture of learning and teaching in South Africa
and dedicates her spare time to a NPO she founded called the Stella Educational
Foundation. The Foundation was created to empower, support and mentor youth,
particularly grade 11 and 12 learners.
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