Inner-City Imbokodo

Friends of the Inner-city Forum would like to Recognise and Salute the CEO of the Johannesburg Development Agency Lael Bethlehem during this years womens month .

For us in the Inner-City Lael represents the Generation of the 1956 Marchers ,she continues to march,touch and change lives of many women in our community ,Through Lael Bethlehem The phrase 'Strike a woman, strike a rock' has come to represent women's courage and strength.

Who Is Lael Bethlehem ?
Lael Bethlehem is the chief executive of the Johannesburg Development Agency. She has worked for the City since 2002, when she was appointed the head of economic development.

Before her move to the City, Bethlehem was a chief director of forestry in the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry for four years. She moved to the ministry after working as a researcher in the labour movement at the National Economic Labour and Development Institute (Naledi).
Here, Bethlehem helped the Plantation and Allied Workers’ Union to develop its forestry policy and undertook research in the areas of trade and industry.

She is currently a member of the International Institute for Environment and Development and the Trade and Industry Policy Secretariat.

Bethlehem completed a masters degree in arts at the University of the Witwatersrand in 1994.

The Business Women's Association of South Africa (BWA) nominated Bethlehem as a Finalist in the corporate category for Business Woman of the Year (2009).


Lael Bethlehem is a Inner-City Imbokodo ,"Wathint' abafazi, wathint' imbokodo uzokufa!" (when you strike the women, you strike a rock, you will be crushed)