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Gerry Rantseli giving a speech at the NamZim Newspapers Empowering and Mentoring Women in Leadership Conference

Ruth Butaumocho  Gender Editor

She made headlines in South Africa and beyond when she became a television presenter for Mnet and several local television stations more than 20 years ago.Blessed not only with good looks, but also with a captivating smile and awesome voice, Gerry Rantseli’s pull factors, made her one of the few but powerful female television presenters to ever grace South Africa broadcasting landscape.

Cast alongside equally powerful television doyens that included Khanyi Dhlomo-the editor of True Love magazine, Felicia Mabuza-Suttle, who is known to many as South Africa’s Oprah and Nkhensani Khosi, Gerry proved that she had much more to offer than just her delectable looks.

Today, she is still standing, not only as a yesteryear television presenter who rocked the silver screen, but as a multi-talented entrepreneur and a philanthropist with heart of gold.

“I believe in social wellness, and I want to ensure that society recovers from social pain.

“That will be achieved, once I play my part and become part of global efforts to bring a smile to people’s faces in whatever way I can,” revealed Gerry who was in Harare recently.

At 45, Gerry is among a rare breed of women who can and do it all.

She is an accomplished presenter, MC and a businesswoman-she is the chief executive officer of South African Cinnamon Communications and founder of accessories company, Gerri Signature Collection.

Apart from her long stint in television, she is best known for co-hosting the first season of the reality television competition Big Brother South Africa, in 2001.

Gerry was recently in Harare where she was part of regional speakers that graced the highly subscribed one-day NamZim Newspapers Empowering and Mentoring Women in Leadership Conference held in the city beginning of this month.

Getting an opportunity to speak at the conference attended by astute and successful businesswomen from the region among them Namibian young entrepreneur, Twapela Kadhikwa, TelOne chief executive Ms Chipo Mtasa, Mrs Ednah Mukurazhizha and Zambian lawyer Tafuna-Mumba Phiri, Tanzanian Nancy Sumari Malawian lawyer Ms Seodi, Gerry demystified perceptions that careers for television presenters do not go beyond the studio’s walls and magazine covers.

In an interview alongside the event which was officially opened by the First Lady, Dr Grace Mugabe, Gerry affirmed that women remain crucial players in the economic matrix of nations across the globe, hence the importance of social wellness.

“Women are by nature entrepreneurs, and have remained resolute to their entrepreneurial aspirations against all the odds.

“It is because of women’s determination to succeed that micro-lending has become big business, since 65 percent of borrowers are women,” she said.

She however said despite women’s determination to push the boundaries and claim space in the economic sphere, the existing economic structures in different countries in Africa were stifling growth and flexibility of entrepreneurial-ship among women.

“Looking at the efforts that women have been making in the economic sphere, by now gender empowerment should no longer be a point of conjecture.

But here we are, seating in this room, discussing and sharing notes on how best we can move forward,” she said.

Gerry urged women to disregard societal attitudes and instead push for recognition through hard work.

“Glass ceilings should be broken and not spoken about,”

In the midst of all the challenges that stall the growth and development, Gerry said it was important to still plan and execute.

“Women should not be caught up in the challenges and lose focus, but they should plan and be able to implement their projects, even with limited resources.”

Sharing her own narrative, Gerry said she decided to venture into business after realising that she did not merely want to leave a legacy of being a presenter, but wanted to bolster strong footprints of entrepreneurial-ship and charity work.

Clear about her intentions, she used her status and capital to venture into business, while dedicating some of her time to volunteerism.

She acknowledged that television was a powerful springboard, which enabled her to spread her wings in business by open doors of opportunities.

It was while she was volunteering for a number of organisations that she realised that she could do a lot in charity work.

“I used my public profile as a celebrity to get involved in as many social projects as possible,” she revealed.

Gerry has to date assisted as an Aids Ambassador for the President’s Office and frequently helps organisations like Reach for a Dream and the Orlando Children’s Home.

“Society needs to recover from social pain, so philanthropic work becomes part of the big picture,” she said.

Her involvement in philanthropic also helped to push her brand, the Gerry E Signature collection of jewelry, the television production Soul Productions and Soul Magazine, including the brand endorsements from different companies and which further pushed her ratings in business

These included brand endorsement for Lux and Avon,

Rantseli, who got married to Canadian born Kerry Eldson in 2007 also, offers grooming and presentation skills workshops; wellness workshops and events management through her company.

Despite her busy schedule which keeps her on the toes, Gerry has managed to maintain her looks and body.That has come at a price, where she religiously monitors her diet, dumping all processed foods. She has literally become a puritan

“I watch what I eat. I have had to throw away a lot of things from my diet, chiefly among them salt, sugar, fizzy drinks, fruit juices and alcohol.

“If you want to age much faster than everybody else, go for alcohol,” said Gerry who also spends most of her time meditating on the word of God.

“There is nothing that is more powerful and fulfilling than living in God’s presence and according to his ways!”

Looking into the future, Gerry says she has started working on projects that focuses on youth and women empowerment.