When Shift Happens

What does it really take to handle life when things don’t go to plan? In this episode of When Shift Happens, host Saray Khumalo sits down with South African adventurer and speaker Sibusiso Vilane to explore what happens beyond the big moments, when the pressure builds, expectations shift, and the outcome is uncertain. From his early life in rural South Africa to summiting Mount Everest, Sibusiso’s...

What does it take to move from survival mode to building a life with purpose? In this episode of When Shift Happens, Saray Khumalo speaks to Frank “Dr Mags” Magwegwe, researcher, behavioural scientist and financial wellness expert, about the shift from survival to leadership. As a young man arriving in Johannesburg, Frank found himself homeless and forced into a daily fight for survival. With no s...

No one gets to the top alone. In this episode of When Shift Happens, Saray Khumalo sits down with Dr Helena Dolny and Totsie Memela-Khambula to explore the role of support, mentorship, and community in shaping strong leadership. From moments of crisis to career-defining decisions, they reflect on the people who stepped in, stood alongside them, and helped them navigate the hardest climbs. It’s a c...

Failure teaches you more than success ever will. In this episode of When Shift Happens, Saray Khumalo speaks with Louis Carstens, psychologist, mountaineer and executive, about the lessons that come from being turned back and choosing to go again. From multiple attempts on Lhotse, the world’s fourth-highest mountain in the Himalayas, to navigating major career shifts, Louis reflects on resilience,...

Success at the top can look certain from the outside. But the reality of leadership often involves moments that force you to rethink what success really means. In this episode of When Shift Happens, Saray Khumalo speaks with Zureida Ebrahim, Group Chief Operating Officer at Old Mutual, about the shifts that reshaped how she thinks about ambition, responsibility and leadership. It’s a thoughtful co...

Some leaders speak loudly about success. Others speak quietly about responsibility. Zakhele Mkhize belongs firmly in the second group. Widely respected in South African business circles, he is not someone who usually seeks the spotlight. In fact, this conversation with Saray Khumalo is the first podcast he has ever recorded. Zakhele is a Chartered Accountant, entrepreneur and founder of Entsika Co...

What does real leadership look like when your identity, purpose and certainty are shaken? In this episode of When Shift Happens, Saray Khumalo speaks with Khensani Nobanda, Group Chief Marketing Officer at Nedbank, about the deeply personal shifts that reshaped how she leads, lives and defines success. Behind one of Africa’s most respected executives is a story of profound loss, difficult decision...

Before she could ask others how they navigated change, Saray Khumalo had to live it herself. In this opening episode of When Shift Happens, Saray shares her personal story in her own words and reflects on the moments that shaped her leadership, her resilience and her purpose. This is the foundation of the podcast and why it exists. From next week, Saray sits down with leaders, professionals and ch...

Three times, Mount Everest turned Saray Khumalo back. Avalanche. Earthquake. Injury. On her fourth attempt, she reached the summit and became the first Black African woman to do so. When Shift Happens is a new podcast about navigating change, resilience and rising under pressure. Hosted by Saray Khumalo, the series explores what to do when life shifts unexpectedly and how leaders respond when the...