The women of the TTI Group are making
major waves. Here are their stories…
Omphemetse Sefolo – Group finance and HR Lead–Numbers with a heartbeat!
Behind every successful bursary or skills development initiative is someone making sure the numbers add up and the people are taken care of. For TTI Group, that person is Omphemetse. As Finance and HR Lead, she sits at the intersection of two disciplines that most organisations treat as separate silos, and it’s precisely that dual mandate that makes her impact difficult to overstate. She oversees fund disbursement and budget allocation across a business operating within one of South Africa’s most tightly regulated environments–SETA, QCTO, B-BBEE, and NQF–where a single misstep can mean the difference between a learner completing their qualification and a programme stalling before it starts. A registered member of the Chartered Institute for Business Accountants (CIBA), she brings a level of technical rigour to this work that ensures every rand allocated is a rand that serves its intended purpose.
But reducing Omphemetse to spreadsheets and compliance frameworks would miss the point entirely. What sets her apart is the conviction that sits underneath the technical skill: a genuine, unwavering belief that skills development is one of the most powerful tools South Africa has for transforming young lives. She approaches budget allocation not as an administrative exercise but as an act of stewardship–every disbursement decision is, in her view, a decision about whether a young person gets the training, the certification, and ultimately the opportunity that changes their trajectory. That perspective shapes how she leads HR at TTI Group too, where she treats people development with the same seriousness she brings to financial oversight, understanding that an organisation serious about youth empowerment must first invest in the people delivering that mission internally.
It’s this combination–sharp financial acumen paired with an unmistakable heart for service–that makes her a standout voice in the skills development space. She’s equally comfortable in the granular detail of a budget reconciliation as she is translating compliance language into a compelling case for investment in youth. For Omphemetse, the true measure of success isn’t just a balanced budget or a clean audit trail; it’s the number of young South Africans who walk away from a TTI Group programme equipped, qualified, and ready to build a future. That’s the kind of financial leadership that doesn’t just manage money–it changes lives.
Olwethu Makopeni–Group Business Development Associate and Digital Marketing–“Skills change lives, but opportunity changes generations.”
At TTI Group, I wear multiple hats, each centred around one purpose: connecting people to opportunities that empower them through education and skills development.
As a Business Development Associate, I help build strategic partnerships with corporates, government entities, and educational institutions to expand access to skills development initiatives, learnerships, bursaries, and workforce development programmes. My role is to identify opportunities that create lasting impact while supporting organisations in achieving their transformation and talent development goals.
In addition, I lead TTI Media, where I oversee the company’s brand and communications strategy, ensuring that the stories of impact we create reach the communities, stakeholders, and partners who need to see them. Through strategic storytelling and digital engagement, I help position TTI Group as a trusted leader in education and skills development.
For me, shaping skills development is about more than programmes and qualifications–it’s about restoring hope, opening doors, and creating pathways to meaningful employment and entrepreneurship. Every partnership we build and every initiative we deliver contributes to developing a workforce that is prepared for the future.
As a young professional, I am passionate about using innovation, collaboration, and communication to bridge the gap between opportunity and potential. I believe that when we invest in people, we don’t just change individual lives, we strengthen families, communities, industries, and, ultimately, our nation.
Malesia Phaziwe–Administrator Lead and Sales Assistant–When a woman crosses over, the nation wins!
At TTI Group, our purpose is captured in one powerful phrase: Helping Thandi Cross Over. To me, Thandi represents every South African woman striving for a better future through opportunity, education, and skills development.
As part of the Project Management Unit at TTI Group, I am privileged to contribute to government-funded skills development programmes that help bridge the skills gap and create pathways to employment. Knowing that the work we do can change lives and empower women like Thandi gives my role real purpose.
This Women’s Month, the slogan resonates with me on a personal level. I am a woman in corporate, but I am also a wife and a mother. Every day, I balance these roles with commitment and purpose, proving that women have the strength to lead, nurture, and make a meaningful impact wherever they are.
As I help others cross over into new opportunities, I continue my own journey of growth, resilience, and service. Because when one woman crosses over, she inspires many more to believe that they can too.
“Helping Thandi Cross Over isn’t just what we do, it’s the purpose I carry with me every day.”