Nita Ramlutchman is a distinguished leader at Safety SA, with a strong professional background and extensive industry experience. She brings over 20 years of expertise in strategy development and implementation, market analysis, key account management and technical solution development.

She began her career in the mining sector, where she played a key role in managing and optimising production and maintenance systems, with a strong focus on problem-solving and operational efficiency. From 2014 to 2023, she worked in the waste management industry, leading turnaround strategies, market analysis, driving business development and crafting innovative solutions.

Ramlutchman currently serves in a C-suite role at a professional services company, overseeing business, product and market development. One of her notable achievements is successfully turning around underperforming business units projected to achieve only 60–65% of their targets, enabling them to meet their year-end targets. Her academic qualifications include a BSc in Chemical Engineering (UKZN), a Master’s in Business Leadership (cum laude, Unisa), a Diploma in Environmental, Social and Governance (with distinction, Corporate Governance Institute), a Project Management Certificate (Unisa) and a Certificate in Innovation Ecosystems (Massachusetts Institute of Technology).

A brief reflection or advice for current students and fellow alumni

She chose Unisa because it offered the ideal combination of distance learning and face-to-face classes, and its programmes met her needs. She greatly valued her time at the university, particularly attending classes and studying through the Graduate School of Business Leadership (SBL).

Her most cherished memories centre on the teamwork involved in assignments and projects during her MBL, which she completed in 2012. Connections with those teammates have endured to this day. Studying at Unisa also shaped her understanding of leadership, teaching her that it extends beyond strategy to include courage, discipline and the ability to transform people and organisations. As her career progressed across engineering, mining, sustainability, waste management, business development and executive leadership, these lessons have remained with her.

Ramlutchman encourages students to view their studies not as an end goal, but as a stepping stone. She advises them to stay curious, think commercially, build resilience and recognise the value of solving real-world problems.

To alumni, she emphasises the importance of leading with purpose, continuing to learn and using their influence to create opportunities for others.

Ramlutchman also shares that Unisa provided her with a strong foundation to lead with confidence, and she remains proud to be part of its leadership legacy.

Involvement with and contributions to the SBL

Her involvement with and contribution to Unisa’s SBL are rooted in a strong appreciation for the impact it had on her own leadership journey. Completing her Master’s in Business Leadership enhanced her strategic thinking, commercial acumen and ability to lead transformation in complex environments. Since then, she has remained actively connected to the SBL community by engaging with industry insights, seeking opportunities to give guest lectures at Unisa and attending networking events.

She emphasises that being an alumna goes beyond personal achievement; it carries a responsibility to help bridge the gap between academia and industry, inspire current students, and contribute to SBL's continued relevance and impact in developing leaders who shape organisations, industries and society. 

* By Talana Lebelo: Alumni Relations Specialist, Unisa SBL