BLACK SOCIAL HISTORY : AFRO-SOUTH AFRICAN " LIEUTENANT COMMANDER ZIMASA MABELA " BECAME THE FIRST AFRICAN WOMAN TO TAKE COMMAND OF A NAVY VESSEL : GOES INTO THE " HALL OF BLACK HEROES "

                                                      BLACK       SOCIAL   HISTORY                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              

South African becomes first woman in all of Africa to command a navy vessel


Lieutenant Commander Zimasa Mabela became the first African woman to take command of a navy vessel this week, taking the helm of the SAS Umhloti. “She will be taking over from Commander Brian Shor, who is currently the officer in commanding Sas Umhloti,” Lieutenant Obed Medupe told Eyewitness News, adding, “We are looking up at more women taking over commanding vessels.” Mabela got her start in the navy in 1999, when she joined as a telecommunications radio official. She told The South African that she hopes to be judged only on her ability to command, and not her gender.