Zandisile Glendoline Goeieman is a visual storyteller in every sense of the word. Hailing from Kimberley in the Northern Cape, she has stepped into a space where creativity, leadership, and personal growth intersect. She is using every skill she has gained to carve out a meaningful place for herself in South Africa’s creative economy.
After completing her Governance studies at the University of Johannesburg, Zandisile found herself at a crossroads: searching for a job in her field while nurturing her passion for art on the side.
“I had a strong, ambitious feeling that I was meant for greater creative things,” she says.
That drive led her to the YES and LeadHERship programme by Pizza Hut and the Youth Employment Service — a move that would change everything.
“The programme looked like the right place for me to begin my journey,” she reflects. “It was a space for young creatives like me — and I knew I had to be part of it.”
Zandile quickly embraced learning new skills in videography and photography — despite not having a formal background in either. A moment that stands out for her is a photography training session where she initially felt overwhelmed and out of her depth.
“Everyone else had some background, and I did not. I felt anxious, but I chose to push through,” she recalls. “I practised, I studied the terms, and I promised myself that when I do this, I will be at my best.”
That mindset of growth and grit paid off. Zandisile is now putting those creative skills to powerful use, not only in her employment but also through her art business. She sells her work at exhibitions, including Comic-Con Africa, and brings public spaces to life with her vibrant mural art.
“It brings me so much joy to use the skills I have learned. I never want to do work that makes me feel miserable. Being creative makes me happy.”
Her journey through LeadHERship also led her to intern with Investec and collaborate with well-known brands. Zandisile is not slowing down. Her short-term goal is to keep growing through short courses that refine her craft. Her long-term vision is to one day open her own art gallery and never stop learning.
Leadership, for Zandisile, is about more than titles. It is about collaboration and upliftment.
“I want to work with other female creatives, mentor some, and build projects together. We grow when we grow together.”
Her advice to other young women dreaming of a creative career is fierce and fearless: “If what you want to do scares you enough to make you anxious, then go into that room and face it. You are brave — and you know it. Be you. Be bold. Be LeadHERship.”
She sums up the programme that helped ignite her journey as “a game changer, a dream changer, and a life changer. It is what every young woman needs.”