Lindiwe Rakharebe

Lindiwe Rakharebe has been the chief executive officer of the Durban International Convention Centre (Durban ICC) since 1 April 2015. Her passion and dedication in growing the KwaZulu-Natal economy as well as her strong background in corporate management has helped to continue to propel the forward momentum of the organisation. She lives by the motto: “I am driven to achieve excellence in every way in my duty and delegation.”

Lindiwe’s roots are in KwaZulu-Natal. She was born and raised in Chesterville. She holds a bachelor’s degree in management leadership from the University of the Free State as well as a diploma in management development and a number of professional development programmes.

Prior to assuming the position as CEO at the Durban ICC, she served as the regional executive for Absa KwaZulu-Natal where she oversaw the strategic leadership of the organisation and facilitated the growth of the Absa/Barclays Africa Group’s footprint in the province. She has served in a management capacity for all four of South Africa’s major banking institutions.

A MASSIVE CONTRIBUTION
The Durban ICC makes a massive contribution to both the local and national economies and significantly complements the job creation efforts in KwaZulu-Natal. The Durban ICC’s contribution to government taxes is projected at R397.7 million for the last fiscal.

The primary impact for the City of Durban stems from the wealth generated through delegate expenditures while attending events secured by the Durban ICC and its strategic partners.

The Centre contributed a remarkable R6,3 billion to South Africa’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in the 2023/24 fiscal year. Additionally, the Centre contributed R4.7 billion to the Gross Geographic Product (GGP) of KwaZulu-Natal and R3.5 billion to eThekwini’s GGP in the same period.

The activities of the Durban ICC are estimated to have created and/or sustained 11 387 annualised jobs in the South African economy during the 2023/24 financial year, comprising 6 818 direct jobs and 4 569 indirect jobs. In the KwaZulu-Natal economy, the Durban ICC’s operations created and/ or sustained approximately 8 382 annualised jobs, including 5,210 direct jobs and 3,172 indirect jobs in the 2023/24 financial year.

“Our continued success is a result of a concerted effort between our staff, our strategic partners in the City and Province and the loyal support of our clients. This coupled with diligent management and sound financial controls at all levels of the organisation help to contribute to the overall success of the Durban ICC,” explained Lindiwe.


A WINNING STREAK
Durban ICC has again clinched the baton and has been voted Africa’s Leading Meetings & Conference Centre 2024. The Durban ICC also received this illustrious industry accolade last year when it was chosen the continent’s Leading Meetings & Conference Centre 2023.

The iconic meetings, incentives, conferences and events (MICE) venue, which was opened by former President Nelson Mandela in 1997 has been crowned Africa’s Leading Meetings & Conference Centre for at least 20 years in its 27 years of existence.

Between 2010 to 2018, the Durban ICC was crowned Africa’s Leading Meetings & Conference Centre for nine years in a row before being placed after Kenyatta International Convention Centre in Nairobi, Kenya, which took first prize. Now the Durban ICC is again on a winning streak, taking top position for the second year in a row, a testament to its unwavering commitment to excellence.

The Durban ICC’s dedication to providing world-class services and facilities for meetings and conferences has made it a repeat recipient of this prestigious title. Lindiwe expressed her gratitude, saying, “We are immensely proud and humbled to be named ‘Africa’s Leading Meetings and Conference Centre’ in the 2024 World Travel Awards. This achievement reflects the tireless dedication of our team and our unwavering commitment to providing a world-class platform for meetings and events.”

INSTILLING CONFIDENCE
Lindiwe is well aware of the challenges of a being a woman leader in the male dominated world of business. Lindiwe said: “As a woman, you are gifted; you are a natural life-giver and whatever you give life to, will increase and grow. So whatever challenges you face as a woman, you know how to manoeuvre, whether it’s leading a company or propelling a cause. A woman influences everything she touches.”

Empowering others to achieve their highest performance by instilling confidence in all of her team is an important part of Lindiwe’s daily activities. “I have an ability to get the best out of people, enabling them to perform at their optimum. My leadership style is characterised by love, respect and open communication, and I place a premium on the importance of work-life balance. I also impress upon my team that despite all the obstacles that we might face, the delegates come first. I also ensure that the execution of our employment policies and practices are aimed at developing a multi-cultural and diverse workforce that is non-racist, non-sexist, and non-discriminatory.”

“The most important thing in remaining Africa’s Leading Convention Centre is that we exceed our clients’ expectations and provide an exceptional experience for each and every event we host.”

The Centre has been focusing on the development of their high-tech virtual event solutions. Having invested in the latest, innovative meeting technology, the Durban ICC is re-inventing itself as the continent’s leading high-tech convention centre. “Without moving away from our existing market positioning, we are adding this competitive edge and aiming to also be recognised as ‘Africa’s Smartest Convention Centre’,” explained Lindiwe.

Playing a positive role in society and investing in community development programmes remains an integral part of the Durban ICC. “The culture of giving back is part of our DNA as a Centre, whether it’s by partnering with non-profit organisations to help those less fortunate or volunteering our time and resources for a worthy cause,” concluded Lindiwe.