Shireen Onia didn’t set out to build a career in hospitality, but hospitality, as she puts it, had other ideas. Today, as a business and personal development coach, keynote speaker, and FEDHASA Cape Board Member, Shireen brings a perspective that stretches well beyond the traditional boundaries of the industry. Her work sits at the intersection of leadership, customer experience, and human potential, and her belief that hospitality’s greatest asset has always been its people runs through everything she does. This Women’s Month, she speaks candidly about resilience and what it really takes to lead with authenticity.

1. What first drew you to hospitality and tourism, and what’s kept you in it all these years?

Hospitality chose me! I originally wanted to be an accountant. While working in retail, someone recognised my positive attitude and the superior customer experience I created and encouraged me to pursue hospitality management. That single moment changed the course of my career.

What has kept me here is the incredible impact this industry has. Hospitality isn’t confined to hotels or restaurants anymore. Every industry wants to create memorable customer experiences, and they’re looking to hospitality for the skills and leadership to make that happen. Today, as an entrepreneur with businesses that support the tourism and hospitality sector, I’m still driven by the same passion. I serve on industry boards because I believe I have a responsibility to give back and because I know I still have something to contribute, especially when it comes to championing exceptional customer experiences and investing in the people who make them possible.

2. Women are still underrepresented in senior roles across the industry. What do you think businesses should be doing to change that?

Businesses need to create intentional pathways for women to lead, through mentorship, sponsorship, leadership development, and equitable opportunity. It also means challenging outdated assumptions about who looks like a leader. Women don’t need to be “ready enough” before they’re given a seat at the table. Often, they simply need someone to believe in their potential, just as someone once believed in mine.

When women lead, businesses become stronger, cultures become healthier, communities are built, and the industry becomes more representative of the people it serves. Women are already empowered – they simply need to step forward into that power with confidence, education, self-motivation, agility, and focus.

3. Looking back on your career, what’s the achievement you’re proudest of, not just for the result, but for the difference it made?

Without question, it’s rebuilding myself after adversity.

I lost my job twice after returning from maternity leave, and was brave enough to fight both cases. I made the difficult decision to close two businesses. At the time, these were among the lowest points of my life, both personally and professionally. But looking back, they are also what has driven much of my success today.

Adversity has a way of revealing what you’re really made of. Instead of allowing those circumstances to define me, I rebuilt and went on to build businesses with purpose, create opportunities for others, and continue serving the city, the country, and the industries I love.

That lived experience has changed me as a leader. It has taught me empathy and resilience. Today, when I mentor and coach entrepreneurs and individuals through difficult seasons, I speak from experience. Success isn’t about never falling. It’s about having the courage to get back up, and helping others believe they can do the same.

4. What advice would you give a young woman just starting out who wants to end up in a leadership role one day?

Whether you’re the youngest person in the room or starting over later in life, don’t let a number define what you’re capable of. Leadership is earned through your attitude, work ethic, willingness to learn, and the way you treat people. People will remember how you made them feel far more than what you said or did.

Say “yes” to opportunities that stretch you and build your competence before you chase the title. Find mentors who will challenge you, not just cheer you on.

Most importantly, be yourself. Authenticity is your greatest advantage. Leadership is about having the courage to lead in a way that’s true to who you are.

5. What makes you feel positive about the next generation of women coming into tourism and hospitality?

What gives me hope is that the next generation of women understands that you can’t pour from an empty cup.

They are far more aware of the importance of mental health and holistic wellbeing, especially in an industry that is fast-paced and often relentless. They recognise that success doesn’t have to come at the expense of themselves.

As a neurocoach and speaker on holistic wellbeing and mental health fitness, I’m a strong advocate for asking for help and prioritising every aspect of wellbeing. For too long, we’ve celebrated burnout as a badge of honour, and that has to change. When people feel supported and take care of themselves, they show up with more empathy and energy for those around them. The future of hospitality is about creating workplaces where people are seen, heard, and able to contribute meaningfully and thrive. I believe this generation has the courage to set that the new standard – and that’s an exciting prospect.

On 22 July 2026, FEDHASA, in partnership with Big Ambitions, hosted a free compliance webinar – Foreign Nationals on Your Team: What Every Hospitality Employer Needs to Know – bringing together immigration attorney Julia Willand of IMCOSA and labour consultant Brett Susan of Integrated Labour Solutions, moderated by FEDHASA Cape Chair Lee-Anne Singer.

This toolkit covers everything discussed in that session, along with practical resources to help you take action.

WATCH THE RECORDING

The full 60-minute webinar is available to watch on YouTube.

Julia and Brett speak to the legal landscape, your obligations as an employer, the documents you need on file, the ZEP and LSP situation, pending waiver applications, how to handle irregular or fraudulent documents, the correct labour law process when employment can no longer continue, and how to respond to unauthorised groups demanding access to your premises.

WHAT’S IN THIS TOOLKIT

The following resources are available to download and use in your business:

FAQ Sheet

The most frequently asked questions from the webinar, and from the daily work of our expert speakers, answered in plain language.

We are grateful to both Julia and Brett for their generous contribution of time and expertise in making this resource possible.

IMCOSA slides presented during the webinar

We’ve included the slides that Julia presented during the webinar for a quick overview:

A NOTE ON INDIVIDUAL CASES

Immigration and labour law is complex, and almost every situation requires individual assessment. The resources in this toolkit are intended as general guidance — they are not a substitute for professional advice.

If you have a specific situation that requires expert input, our webinar speakers are happy to help.

For immigration queries, contact Julia Willand at IMCOSA:
info@imcosa.co.za

For labour law queries, contact Brett Susan at Integrated Labour Solutions:
bretts@ils-sa.com

In a recent meeting of the Portfolio Committee on Tourism, Parliament called for urgent corrective measures to clear outstanding applications, end inconsistent enforcement, and halt the unfair impoundment and fining of operators who had already applied and were awaiting approval.

The committee further highlighted that hundreds of applications remain outstanding and warned that delays have placed severe financial strain on operators and threatened jobs across the tourism value chain.

For years, operators faced penalties and even vehicle impoundments despite complying with regulations while waiting for licences to be processed – a situation that disrupted businesses nationwide and undermined confidence in the sector.

FEDHASA National Chairperson Brett Tungay said: “The tour operator industry in South Africa can now breathe a sigh of relief as Parliament steps in to intervene in a decade-long struggle marked by licensing delays, unfair impoundments and inconsistent enforcement of regulations.

“This is a major step toward restoring fairness, certainty and dignity to operators who have been trying to comply with the law while simply attempting to keep their businesses alive. Tourism is an ecosystem. When tour operators suffer, accommodation establishments, restaurants, attractions, guides and local communities all suffer with them.”

FEDHASA noted that tour operators form a critical link in the tourism economy, directly supporting accommodation, restaurants, activity providers and transport services. Tourism is a significant contributor to employment and economic growth in South Africa, and regulatory certainty is essential for investment and recovery.

Parliament has also called for improved governance at the National Public Transport Regulator, increased processing capacity, and alignment across provinces to prevent further inconsistent enforcement.

Tungay added: “This outcome demonstrates what can be achieved when government and industry work together constructively. We now look forward to the implementation phase – clearing the backlog, restoring operational certainty, and allowing the tourism sector to focus on what it does best: welcoming visitors and creating jobs.”

FEDHASA believes this intervention marks an important turning point for rebuilding confidence in South Africa as a tourism destination and enabling the sector to grow, invest and employ more South Africans.

One of the important discussions centred on the evolution of the regional identity, with the Board supporting a transition from FEDHASA East Coast to FEDHASA KwaZulu-Natal & Eastern Cape. This development reflects the growing footprint and influence of the organisation across both provinces, ensuring stronger regional representation and greater alignment with national FEDHASA objectives.

The Board also engaged in meaningful discussions around organisational restructuring, including strengthening administrative capacity through a more structured office and staffing framework. This initiative is aimed at enhancing operational efficiency, improving member services, and supporting the growing portfolio of industry initiatives.

Strategic regional focus formed a key pillar of the meeting. The Board highlighted the need to deepen engagement across critical tourism corridors including the South Coast, North Coast and the Drakensberg, recognising these areas as essential drivers of tourism growth and hospitality investment.

A strong emphasis was also placed on expanding stakeholder collaboration, particularly with the private sector, tourism bodies and key industry partners. The Board reaffirmed that meaningful partnerships and active member participation remain essential in strengthening the collective voice of hospitality.

In addition, discussions focused on growing membership participation and industry buy-in, ensuring that FEDHASA continues to serve as a powerful advocacy platform representing the interests of hotels, restaurants, tourism operators and allied hospitality businesses.

Jaya Naidoo, General Manager of FEDHASA KwaZulu-Natal & Eastern Cape, reflected that the Board meeting reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to strategic growth, stronger regional representation and deeper engagement with industry stakeholders.

The meeting concluded with renewed momentum and a shared vision to position FEDHASA as the leading voice of hospitality across KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape, championing sustainable tourism development and meaningful industry collaboration.

In a major win for tourism and hospitality on KwaZulu-Natal’s South Coast, the National Department of Public Works has taken control of 15 prime seafront properties in Ray Nkonyeni Local Municipality and delegated their management to KZN Public Works for the next 20 years – securing long-awaited business certainty for operators.

This milestone follows more than a year of active engagement led by FEDHASA after the association was alerted in early 2024 that numerous coastal hospitality businesses were being restricted to month-to-month leases by the local municipality. This untenable arrangement resulted in some businesses closing and many others struggling to trade sustainably.

“The industry simply cannot function on month-to-month leases,” comments FEDHASA National Chairperson Brett Tungay. “Without long-term security, operators are unable to obtain liquor licences, secure finance, invest in infrastructure or offer proper employment contracts. Compliance was near impossible.”

FEDHASA initially engaged CoGTA to intervene, requesting that leases be extended to practical timeframes or that the properties be transparently released to tender. However, little progress was made.

Following the formation of the KwaZulu-Natal Government of Provincial Unity (GPU) mid-2024, FEDHASA escalated the matter to the KZN MEC for Public Works, Martin Meyer. This prompted an in-person meeting in Durban with MEC Meyer and National Minister of Public Works, Dean Macpherson – who immediately recognised the risks to local tourism, jobs and investment.

On 10 November, Minister Macpherson’s department formally assumed custodianship of the 15 properties and delegated their management to KZN Public Works under a 20-year mandate. The move is expected to enable sustainable investment, unlock job creation and revitalise tourism along the South Coast.

Minister Macpherson, a strong advocate for tourism-led growth, emphasised the importance of providing long-term certainty for private-sector operators to invest with confidence and create sustainable jobs.

Many affected businesses attended the announcement and expressed deep appreciation to FEDHASA for championing the issue. Public Works officials also extended special thanks to FEDHASA’s KZN Deputy Chair, Mandy Massey, whose on-the-ground involvement, research and multiple site visits were instrumental in achieving this outcome.

“This is FEDHASA walking the talk,” said Brett Tungay.  “We are committed to creating an operating environment where hospitality businesses can not only survive – but thrive.” FEDHASA looks forward to seeing these 15 properties rehabilitated and re-activated, helping to unlock investment, boost visitor numbers and accelerate South Coast tourism growth.

1] StatsSA Tourist Accommodation reports for August 2024

Download addresses –

Tourist accommodation – Key findings – https://www.statssa.gov.za/?page_id=1856&PPN=P6410&SCH=73728

Tourist accommodation – Full publication – https://www.statssa.gov.za/publications/P6410/P6410August2024.pdf

Key findings: P6410 – Tourist Accommodation August 2024

Measured in nominal terms (current prices), total income for the tourist accommodation industry increased by 2,9% in August 2024 compared with August 2023.

Income from accommodation increased by 5,6% year-on-year in August 2024, the result of a 0,9% increase in the number of stay unit nights sold and a 4,7% increase in the average income per stay unit night sold.

In August 2024, all accommodation types recorded positive year-on-year growth rates in income from accommodation. The main contributors to the 5,6% increase were:

• Other accommodation (8,4% and contributing 3,2 percentage points); and
• hotels (3,6% and contributing 2,0 percentage points).

Income from accommodation increased by 8,0% in the three months ended August 2024 compared with the three months ended August 2023. The main contributors to this increase were:

• other accommodation (14,5% and contributing 5,4 percentage points); and
• hotels (2,6% and contributing 1,5 percentage points).

Seasonally adjusted income from accommodation decreased by 0,3% month-on-month in August 2024 following a decrease of 3,0% month-on-month in July 2024.

2] StatsSA Food & Beverage reports for August 2024

Download addresses –

Food & Beverage: Key findings – https://www.statssa.gov.za/?page_id=1856&PPN=P6420&SCH=73730

Food & Beverage: Full publication – https://www.statssa.gov.za/publications/P6420/P6420August2024.pdf

Key findings: P6420 – Food and Beverage August 2024

Year-on-year percentage change in food and beverages income at constant 2019 prices by type of income
Measured in real terms (constant 2019 prices), total income generated by the food and beverages industry increased by 2,2% in August 2024 compared with August 2023. The largest positive annual growth rate was recorded for bar sales (9,2%). The only negative annual growth rate was recorded for ‘other’ income (-13,4%).

Year-on-year percentage change in food and beverages income at constant 2019 prices by type of enterprise

 In August 2024, the main contributors to the 2,2% year-on-year increase were catering services (8,8% and contributing 1,1 percentage points) and takeaway and fast-food outlets (2,8% and contributing 1,1 percentage points).

Food and beverages income at constant 2019 prices for the latest three months by type of enterprise
Total income decreased by 1,5% in the three months ended August 2024 compared with the three months ended August 2023. The main negative contributor to this decrease was restaurants and coffee shops (-4,8% and contributing ‑2,3 percentage points). The positive contributor was catering services (8,4% and contributing 1,0 percentage point).

 Seasonally adjusted income for the food and beverages industry increased by 3,3% in August 2024 compared with July 2024. This followed month-on-month changes of -4,0% in July 2024 and 1,9% in June 2024.

Covering key areas such as health and safety regulations, licensing, and statutory obligations, the checklist offers practical support to help you manage your responsibilities with confidence.

You can download this checklist to help ensure your business operates smoothly and remains fully compliant with the law. While we’ve aimed to provide a comprehensive resource, we strongly recommend seeking professional legal advice for any specific matters.

Access the checklist here

Following an initial two months of classroom training, the interns officially began their on-site practical placements on 1st November 2023. The training programme was structured to provide continuous development, with learners attending two days of training in the middle of each month. Insignis supported both learners and host properties through monthly site visits and regular check-ins.

The pilot concluded on 30th August 2024 with remarkable results, achieving an impressive 80% absorption rate into the hospitality industry, underscoring the programme’s success in bridging the gap between education and employment.

FEDHASA Cape expressed pride in being part of this transformative initiative and looks forward to many future collaborations aimed at developing youth skills in the hospitality industry.

Watch the feedback from the learners and see the journey in action:

The deadline for applications is 16 February 2024, so don’t miss out!

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