IWF member profile

Sizakele Mzimela

Sizakele Mzimela

Chief Executive: Transnet Freight Rail

Siza is a seasoned business Executive with 29 years’ experience gained in various senior roles across diverse industries. She has worked in the financial services, oil & gas and aviation sectors. With her experience gained primarily in aviation, Siza has established herself as an astute and commercial Executive with business turnaround, multi-geographic and regulated industry experience. She has more than 20 years’ experience in senior leadership roles and currently serves as Non-Executive Director of Bryte Insurance and Africa Reinsurance Corporation. She previously served as Non-Executive Director for Woolworths Holdings, Ansys Limited and SA Tourism and as Chairperson of Cargo Carriers Limited. Her most notable positions includes being the Group Chief Executive Officer at South African Airways (SAA) and Chief Executive Officer of SA Express Airways. In 2018, Siza re-joined SA Express after being appointed by the Minister of the Department of Public Enterprises as Head of the Ministerial Intervention Task Team. Shortly thereafter she was appointed as the Interim Chief Executive Officer tasked with driving the execution of the Turnaround Plan. Siza is currently the Chief Executive of Transnet Freight Rail, the largest division of Transnet.

Transnet Freight Rail has 31 013 employees, who are spread throughout the country.