City Lodge’s Lindiwe Sangweni-Siddo: From Exile to Excellence
LINDIWE SANGWENI-SIDDO’S JOURNEY FROM EXILE TO EXCELLENCE IN THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY IS A TESTAMENT TO HER DEDICATION AND RESILIENCE.
City Lodge Hotels is a proud member of the 30% Club, a global group of companies with at least 30% female representation in leadership roles. Their dedication to gender diversity is clear, with women holding:
- 45% of Board positions
- 66% of C-Suite roles
- 39% of senior management roles
- 64% of middle management roles
- 62% of junior management roles
- 61% of the overall workforce
During Women’s Month, City Lodge Hotels is celebrating influential women within the organization. This series, “More Than Employees,” begins with Chief Operating Officer (COO) Lindiwe Sangweni-Siddo, who shares her inspiring journey and achievements.
Lindiwe Sangweni-Siddo: Influence of Upbringing on Career
Lindiwe attributes her passion for hospitality to her parents’ experiences during Apartheid. “My parents’ life in exile made me interested in hospitality,” she recalls. Born in Eswatini, Lindiwe’s early life involved extensive travel to countries like Holland, Zambia, Kenya, Sweden, Switzerland, and the USA due to her parents’ activism.
In Zambia, during the liberation struggle, her parents were deeply involved with the African National Congress (ANC). Their home served as a safe haven for ANC leaders, including President Oliver Tambo. During the 1976 youth uprisings, their home also sheltered young people fleeing Apartheid. These experiences, detailed in her book, fostered Lindiwe’s love for hospitality.
Her mother, a Home Economics teacher, had legendary culinary skills. “I helped my mother in the kitchen from a very young age,” Lindiwe says. By age five, she had already developed a love for cooking.
“Our home was always full of guests, which exposed me to the hospitality industry,” Lindiwe explains. Frequent stays in hotels during family travels further influenced her career choice.
Lindiwe Sangweni-Siddo: Career Milestones and Leadership
Lindiwe’s hospitality journey began at Ecole Les in Switzerland and Penn State University in the USA. She graduated in 1993 with a BSc in Hotel, Restaurant, and Institutional Management. Her career started at the Grand Hyatt Washington DC, followed by the Park Hyatt Rosebank in Johannesburg, where she served as Rooms Director on the Executive Committee.
She later became Chief Director of Tourism Support at the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism and then General Manager of the InterContinental Sandton Towers Hotel. One of her significant achievements was establishing the first Holiday Inn in Soweto, now the Soweto Hotel and Conference Centre. As CEO of Birchwood Hotel and OR Tambo Conference Centre, she solidified her reputation as a leader in the industry.
Lindiwe also served on the Board of South African Tourism and chaired the Tourism Transformation Council of South Africa (TTCSA) from 2019 to 2022. Recently, she joined the Academic Board of the Swiss Hotel School in Johannesburg.
Joining City Lodge Hotels in 2015 as Divisional Director: Operations and an EXCO member, Lindiwe was appointed COO in 2018. Her leadership and strategic vision helped the company navigate challenging times, including the Covid-19 pandemic.
Her recent accomplishment is the publication of her debut book, “The Syndicate of 22 Natives,” a memoir about her father’s life as an academic and activist. This book highlights her multifaceted talents and dedication to preserving her family’s legacy.
Resilience and Innovation in Hospitality
Lindiwe credits her work ethic to her upbringing. “Hard work pays off,” her father always said. This principle guided her through many challenges, including the Covid-19 pandemic, which she describes as “the ultimate training in survival.”
The pandemic underscored the importance of business continuity planning and resilience. “The processes you set up in good years will carry you through tough years,” she notes.
Management’s deep understanding of all aspects of hotel operations, from cleaning to cooking, helped guide the team during the pandemic. Innovations like online check-in, full food and beverage service, and the elimination of single-use plastics are now standard at City Lodge Hotels.
Reflecting on her mother’s hospitality, Lindiwe emphasizes the importance of making guests feel special. “As Maya Angelou said, ‘People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.'”
For Lindiwe, innovation is key to success. She advises aspiring hospitality professionals to keep up with trends in environmental, social, and governance (ESG), digital marketing, and sustainability.
“It’s essential to stay updated with new facets impacting the hospitality industry,” she says. She encourages the younger generation to understand industry trends and specialize in areas that drive business success.
