During a panel discussion at the recent 2025 HR Indaba titled Transform or Avoid? Dealing with Toxic Workplace Cultures, Khabonina Ramoupi, group CPO at AECI, Reabetswe Motshegare, HR director at Scatec Sub-Saharan Africa and Boniwe Dunster, HR and industrial relations executive at Lanseria International Airport, reflected on what toxic cultures look like, how to spot the early warning signs and what role HR must play in addressing them.

Mismatched leadership is a hidden cost in the fiercely competitive world of rapid business expansion, where success is often measured by simple metrics like revenue growth, market share and operational efficiency, attendees at the 2025 HR Indaba heard.