There’s a new wave of black women who are transforming the small and medium-sized enterprise space in South Africa. These women entrepreneurs are using their talents to create solutions that make better lives and are eager to push boundaries in their respective industries. Their stories show the incredible potential of Black women to drive innovation and growth in the SMME space. This article highlights five inspiring black women in business in South Africa.
An interesting statistic from Impact SA shows that South Africa is a testament to this dynamic change. The entrepreneurship rate for women on the continent has increased to 25,9%, with 1 in 4 women running their own business.
Here are 5 businesswomen who are making waves in the SMME space.
Nneile Nkholise
Nneile Nkholise is an entrepreneur with a typical background. Though she is a mechanical engineering graduate, the young South African woman finally converted to biotechnology and the design of innovative solutions for animal care.
The World Economic Forum named her the top female innovator in Africa in 2016, and in 2018, she also made it onto Forbes Africa’s 30 under 30 list among other awards. As the Founder and Director of iMED Tech, a company that produced medical prostheses and bio-implants, she was able to provide innovative medical solutions to improve the lives of people who have lost precious body parts due to accidents, cancer, and diseases.
However, in 2018, she founded 3DIMO to improve the traceability of livestock based on her prior experience in cattle breeding. Highly adaptable, throughout her 10-year career, Nkholise shifted from mechanical engineering to biotechnology and then animal husbandry.
Palesa Mokubung
Palesa Mokubung is the first design house to collaborate with global giant H&M. The Mantsho x H&M collection was sold in H&M’s flagship and online stores worldwide. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in fashion design and is known for creating her unique prints and textiles, and was named “the African trend dictator” by True Love Magazine in 2019.
Again, she was honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award at Free State Fashion Week and received a GQ best-dressed award as well as the Haig Club Clubman Disruptor Award In 2014, The Mantsho brand was showcased at South African Fashion Week and all over the world multiple times, including at the BRICS show in 2018.
Apiwe Nxusani-Mawela
Apiwe Nxusani-Mawela is a South African brewmaster. Nxusani-Mawela is the first person from South Africa to earn a National Diploma in clear fermented beverages. She is also the first black woman in South Africa to found a microbrewery.
She launched her award-winning brand of premium beers and cider, Tolokazi, in 2020. In 2021, Tolokazi Beer scooped silver and bronze awards for its Mango and Sorghum Pilsner Beers, respectively, in the prestigious African Beer Cup Award, an award that recognises the best beers on the African continent. In 2022, Tolokazi won a platinum award at the Craft Beer Marketing Awards.
Apiwe is passionate about Africa and showcasing the distinct brews of the African continent to the world. She has found ways to incorporate indigenous ingredients and techniques in her brewing style throughout her career and aims to preserve the culture of traditional African beer-making to nurture the next generation of brewers.
Milisa Mabinza
Milisa is a tech ecosystem entrepreneur who has built her career leveraging her expertise in start-up enablement and entrepreneurial development support to expand inclusive access to digital markets and fundraising for the growth of South African SMMEs. Milisa has dedicated her efforts to supporting start-ups and SMMEs in South Africa. She currently serves as the Director for the UK-South African Tech Hub at the British High Commission.
Through working with start-up enablers, tech ecosystem stakeholders, the South African government, and start-ups, Milisa has accumulated experience in digital policy advocacy, venture building, digital enablement, programme design, start-up venture design, fundraising, investment management, impact investing, social innovation, entrepreneurial support, development programme management, impact building, startup ideation, startup incubation, and advisory. She is a tech leader consistently advocating for digital inclusion and progressive sustainable impact in South Africa’s tech ecosystem.
Dineo Lioma
Dineo Lioma has established herself as a formidable force in the world of biotech and healthcare innovation. As an engineer, a biotech innovator, and a serial entrepreneur, she is the co-founder of three successful companies: Deep Medical Therapeutics, Incitech, and CapeBio Technologies. However, her journey to becoming a leader in health technology was not one she had initially envisioned. Instead, it was a journey marked by passion, perseverance, and a desire to make a meaningful impact on the lives of others.
These five black businesswomen are shining examples of leadership and innovation in South Africa’s SMME space. Each of them has faced challenges but has used their experiences to create successful businesses that empower others. They are not only building their brands but also making a difference in their communities.
As South Africa continues to grow economically, it is important to recognise and support the contributions of women like Nneile, Palesa, Apiwei, Milisa, Dineo and other women. Their stories inspire future generations of entrepreneurs to follow their dreams and create a better future for all.
