“Dr Naume Sonhera, Head of the Department of Computer Sciences at VUT, encourages young women to claim their place in technology and leadership.”
25 August 2026 | Story by: Ntebogeleng Digasu | Picture: Multimedia Team
3 minutes read time.
For Dr Naume Sonhera, Head of the Department of Computer Sciences at the Vaal University of Technology (VUT), encouraging more women to pursue careers in technology is about more than improving representation. It is about ensuring that women have a voice in shaping the systems and innovations that increasingly define everyday life.
Her position in a field still largely dominated by men makes her leadership particularly significant. It also gives young women studying or considering computer science a visible example of what they can achieve.
“Women must recognise that they belong in spaces where innovation, technology and leadership are shaping the future. We need to encourage young women to believe in their abilities and understand that they have the potential to make a meaningful contribution,” said Dr Sonhera.
Her message is especially relevant during Women’s Month, when South Africa celebrates the progress made by women while confronting the obstacles that continue to limit their advancement.
For many young women, entering science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields can still feel daunting. Some may struggle with self-doubt, limited access to opportunities or the perception that technology remains a space reserved mainly for men. Dr Sonhera believes that seeing women lead in these environments can begin to change that picture.
“Representation matters because when young women see other women leading in technology, they can begin to see themselves in those positions. We must continue breaking down the barriers that prevent women from participating fully and confidently in the technology sector,” she said.
As digital transformation reshapes education, business and society, the people developing technological solutions must reflect the diversity of the communities those solutions are intended to serve. Women should therefore not simply be included in the sector. They should have meaningful opportunities to influence its direction.
Dr Sonhera’s leadership sends a clear message to VUT students: there is a place for them in computer science, and they should not wait for permission to claim it. However, confidence alone is not enough. Universities, schools, communities and employers must create environments in which women are supported, mentored and given fair opportunities to grow.
Women’s Month provides a moment to recognise women who have opened doors, but its meaning should reach beyond celebration. It should also prompt institutions to examine which barriers remain and what they are doing to remove them.
Through her leadership, Dr Sonhera embodies the future she wants young women to imagine: one in which they are not standing on the margins of technological change, but are helping to lead it.