SME South Africa reflects on the achievements of South African women entrepreneurs and corporate leaders in 2020. We look at those who took on a new C-suite position at major companies, launched new business ventures or helped to drive innovations.
1. Ntombezinhle Jiyane (DJ Zinhle)
Disk jockey and music producer, Jiyane, was awarded the 2020 Forbes Woman Africa Entertainer Award earlier this year.
Jiyane has a lucrative interior design and luxury watch business. This year the South African women entrepreneur announced a number of new business ventures. The first is a collaboration with Nungu Diamonds on a new jewellery collection. The range includes a 9K white gold African diamond pendant with a chain worth R 6 000. She also released custom-made masks with Jireh Wellness in June.
In October, Jiyane was announced as the first local artist to obtain equity in the international brand, Boulevard Nectar Rosè, a sparkling wine beverage where she took over as chief executive.
Adding on to an already lucrative year, in November, Jiyane released her new sunglasses collection called EraVision, which is part of her already established brand, Era By DJ Zinhle.
SEE ALSO: Being a Female Entrepreneur in South Africa
2. Siba Mtongana
The South African celebrity chef and TV personality was named one of the 7 Food Goddesses in the World by Tatler Malaysia. The list includes other cooking icons such as Nigella Lawson, Mexico’s Pati Jinich, India’s Amrita Raichand and Rachael Ray from the US.
Mtongana, who is the host and food editor of Siba’s Table on the Food Network, also recently wrote on her Instagram page that she has received recognition from Harvard University for her efforts as a South African women entrepreneur.
She wrote: “I’m now a case study at Harvard Business School, the most prestigious business school in the world!
“They have been doing a case study on my food career, being an entrepreneur, a woman and a pioneer in the culinary world locally and globally, against all odds.”
Mtongana, who hails from the Eastern Cape, called the experience “surreal”.
“It was so surreal hearing top minds analysing my brand and business from their own eyes…. and still feels like a dream to be part of academic literature at Harvard.”
See also: A Look At What Some Of SA’s Top Entrepreneurs Studied At University
3. Palesa Mokubung
Palesa Mokubung founded the clothing brand Mantsho in 2004 and is known for creating bold and edgy designs. Mokubung’s designs have been seen on runways in Senegal, Greece, New York, India and Nigeria.
This year, Mokubung partnered with a leading local decor company, Airloom, to create fashion floor art, including rugs and cushions.
Mokubung also collaborated with the insurance company 1st for Women and Miss Universe 2019, Zozibini Tunzi, to design a T-shirt featuring bold Mantsho prints, emblazoned with the word “FEARLESS”. The aim of the campaign is to encourage women to live fearlessly. At least 20% of all proceeds will go to the 1st for Women Foundation to fight against the abuse of women and children.
Mantsho means “Black is Beautiful” in Mokubung’s native language, Sesotho.
4. Celeste Margo Le Roux
South African women entrepreneur, Le Roux, is the co-founder of React24 and React Training College and the latest winner of the prestigious title of Standard Bank’s Top Woman Entrepreneur for 2020.
Earlier this year Le Roux was also announced the winner of the 2020 Woman Mentor of the Year at the inaugural Empowerment and Recognition of Women in Construction Awards 2020.
Le Roux built React24 from her kitchen table in her home, with her husband, two artisans and one vehicle.
According to Bizcommunity, React24 renders bespoke reactive site services to the residential, industrial, commercial and retail markets.
The React Training College launched on 22 September this year providing training for artisans in the plumbing trade. It is a 100% black woman-owned and managed business.
5. Apiwe Nxusani-Mawela
Nxusani-Mawela launched Tolokazi Craft Beer in October in Port Elizabeth under her brand, Brewsters Craft which she launched in 2015. Tolokazi is Nxusani-Mawela’s clan name.
The Herald reports that Nxusani-Mawela makes use of African-inspired ingredients such as sorghum, rooibos and other local delicacies.
Nxusani-Mawela has also played an instrumental role in assisting three friends to launch their own craft beer brand, FourtyFour Premium Lager, which launched this year, according to Business Insider.
Earlier this year Nxusani-Mawela’s company Brewsters Craft was announced as one of six winners of an entrepreneurship competition by the TV channel VIA. Competition prizes included marketing airtime on VIA as well as publicity in Media24 newspapers and magazines.
Nxusani-Mawela holds a BSc Honours in microbiology from the University of Pretoria, and a master brewer qualification from the Institute of Brewing and Distilling. She was the first person in South Africa to complete the NQF6 National Diploma in clear fermented beverages.
SEE ALSO: Where to Access Funding For South African Women Entrepreneurs in South Africa [UPDATED]
6. Triple Eight
This socially conscious marketing, PR and digital agency was announced agency of the year at the Global Purpose Awards 2020 in the United Kingdom.
According to a press release, the awards recognise campaigns that use creative ideas successfully to further positive causes.
The awards are open to agencies, brands, public sector bodies, charities and NGOs throughout Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
This year, Triple Eight achieved a milestone of 50 long-term purpose campaigns which reached over 44 million people directly through high-impact face-to-face programmes.
With eight years experience in hygiene and handwashing behaviour-change interventions, Triple Eight’s work has, this year, been more critical than ever.
Triple Eight has offices in South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Botswana, Malawi and Mozambique.
7. Amy Jephta
‘Barakat’ is a South African film and the first Muslim movie in Afrikaans to win Best Narrative at the 23rd Reel Sisters of the Diaspora Festival in America this year. ‘Barakat’ will be released in May 2021 in South Africa; it celebrates the life and culture of the residents of the Cape Flats.
The woman behind the movie is Jephta, a South African playwright, screenwriter and theatre director who is also the director of the film. She is the co-founder of the production company Nagvlug Films. According to her, the movie challenges preconceived narratives of the Flats and Coloured communities of the Mother City.
Her other work include ‘Kristalvlakte’, ‘Ellen: The Ellen Pakkies Story’, ‘Other People’s Lives’, ‘Sonskyn Beperk’, and ‘While You Weren’t Looking’.
8. Zukiswa Wanner
Zukiswa Wanner is a renowned novelist, non-fiction writer and journalist, and this year’s recipient of the Goethe Medal 2020 award alongside Ian McEwan and Elvira Espejo Ayca. Wanner is the first African woman to win the award.
The Federal Republic of Germany’s official honour is conferred by the Goethe-Institut every year to individuals who have made an outstanding contribution to international cultural exchange, according to IOL.
Wanner’s work includes her debut novel, ‘The Madams’ (2006), which was shortlisted for a South African Literary Award.
It was followed by ‘Behind Every Successful Man’ (2008) and ‘Men of the South’ (2010) which was shortlisted for the Commonwealth Best Book Africa and the Herman Charles Bosman Award. London Cape Town Joburg (2014), her last novel won a South African Literary Award.
Wanner has facilitated writing workshops in Kenya, Uganda, South Africa, Ghana, Nigeria, Germany, US, UK and Denmark.
She is also a columnist for Mail & Guardian and a 2018 Johannesburg Institute of Advanced Studies (JIAS) Fellow.
9. Rushda Moosajee
Businesswoman, personal trainer and online coach, Moosajee, launched her second mobile app, RushTushFit, in March this year.
The personal training app is available for Apple or Android users. It allows users to set fitness goals and personalise their training programmes.
Known for her nutrition and weight-loss programmes for moms, Moosajee’s first app, RushTushLife, allows users to purchase her pharmaceutical range which includes RushTush Hydrolized Collagen, RushTush Whey, a Metabolic Spray, and a Gluc Support Pill.
Moosajee’s brand RushTush also sells beauty products such as lipsticks, detox teas and lounge-wear clothing.
10. Yolenda Jawe
Jawe is a South African YouTuber, digital creator and influencer who is known for her channel, Yolz Channel. This year she launched her own skin-care range of face masks called Yolz Beauty which she self-funded. The Yolz Beauty launched with three bamboo sheet masks.
The Yolz Beauty’s product range has since expanded to include a bath and a body collection which features bath bombs and bath soaks.
Jawe previously collaborated on a hair accessories line for natural hair.
11. Milisa Mabinza
Mabinza is the founder of Khula Lula, one of South Africa’s first solely black-woman-owned private equity funds for black-women-owned tech start-ups.
In January this year, they opened applications to black women in the startup landscape to apply for R 200 000 pre-seed capital. This included fashion and beauty start-ups.
Portia Dhlamini of Native Nylon was chosen as the first recipient, according to Sowetan Live. She was one of 37 applicants to apply. The Native Nylon’s e-commerce store launched in November 2020.
Mabinza is a University of Johannesburg alumni, who graduated with a BCom honours in investment management.
See also: Funding For Rural Women In Agriculture
12. Mmamontsheng Dulcy Rakumakoe
Dr Rakumakoe, founder of Quadcare Occupational Health, won this year’s Santam Woman of the Future award.
The award is given to a South African female entrepreneur who has survived the first 1 000 days of business and is on her way to creating a formidable business empire.
According to Now in South Africa, Quadcare Occupational Health is a network of medical centres in low to middle-income communities in Gauteng.
Rakumakoe said that this award will help to bring to fruition her plans to open 25 more practices over the next three years. They aim to provide healthcare to more than 20,000 people a month.
13. Darlene Menzies
South African women entrepreneur, Menzies, is the CEO of Finfind, an online funding platform, who was awarded the Special African Business Leadership Commendation Award.
According to Bizcommunity, the award is in recognition of her outstanding achievements in Africa’s business landscape, and contributions to Africa’s economic development and post-Covid recovery.
During the nationwide lockdown, Menzies intensified Finfind’s efforts to assist business owners by building COVID-19 relief information and debt relief solutions into Finfind’s online portal.
Menzies also took the lead in conducting a national COVID-19 impact survey, supported by the government and big business. The impact survey aims to provide crucial information to stakeholders, to inform the recovery solutions needed for this vital sector during, and post COVID-19.
SEE ALSO: 4 Powerful Women in Tech Share What it Takes to Make it in the Industry
14. Kim Timm
The South African Professional Services Awards (SAPSA) awarded the title of Woman Professional of the Year for 2019/2020 to Kim Timm (Pr Eng), Executive – Structures, Buildings and Places at infrastructure delivery company AECOM.
According to Leading Architecture and Design, Timm has a BSc Eng (Civ) from the University of Cape Town and an M.Sc Eng (Civ) from the University of Stellenbosch.
Describing herself as an all-rounder, she has worked on both heavy and light industrial, retail, commercial and residential projects.
Other accolades awarded to Timm include Mentor of the Year by CESA. She recently co-authored two papers at an international conference in Nantes, France.
15. Sinazo Sibisi
Wyzetalk recently announced Sibisi as Managing Director of Africa, Canada and Australia.
The Wyzetalk website states: “Her role is to oversee Wyzetalk’s current business in South Africa as well as spearhead the expansion of its footprint across Africa and other new markets.
“With over 30 years of senior-level executive experience, Sibisi has worked in a number of top-tier organisations in both the private and public sectors, as well as serving on numerous boards.”
Sibisi’s previous roles include being the former Group Executive: Infrastructure Delivery at the Development Bank of South Africa. She is also the founder of the organisation, SI Global.
Wyzetalk was founded in South Africa in 2012 and currently headquartered in the Netherlands.
16. Mohale Mashigo
Earlier this year the French Institute SA announced Mashigo as the recipient of the international author residency in Nancy, France.
Mashigo is an award-winning singer and songwriter, and also part of the writing team behind the comic book hero, Kwezi, by Loyiso Mkize.
The author’s other works include ‘Scared Tumi’, ‘Beyond the River’, ‘Intruders’ and ‘Where Is Lulu?’.
This year Mashigo also received the inaugural Philida Literary Award.
17. Sewagodimo Matlapeng
Matlapeng is one of the Top 50 Women in STEM, as selected by the Inspiring Fifty network. InspiringFifty is a non-profit that aims to increase diversity in tech by making female role models in tech more visible.
Matlapeng is the co-lead for developer circles from Facebook and organises women in computer science hackathons in Cape Town. She has founded groups, Indoni Space and Women@DevC.
Indoni Space is a mentor-mentee group for Black women developers in South Africa. The group consists of 40 women from Cape Town, Johannesburg, Pretoria and Durban. Women@DevC is an inclusivity group for women developers who are tech community leaders in 15 SSA countries.
18. Sho Madjozi
Maya Christinah Xichavo Wegerif aka Sho Madjozi collaborated with big brands this year including beauty brand Nivea on their Perfect & Radiant campaign.
She also worked with the social media platform, TikTok – on a new dance challenge and song during the COVID-19 pandemic.
We also saw Sho Madjozi partnering with FEAT.sock co. to release a collection of colourful and trendy facemasks. The masks feature stylish prints by Olivie Keck.
Sho Madjozi, who’s known for her international hit ‘John Cena’, has also received numerous award nominations this year including the International Act category at the 2020 BET Awards. She won Best Female Southern Africa Award from the 2020 edition of the African Muzik Magazine Awards (AFRIMMA).
19. Bonang Matheba
Matheba’s series ‘A Very Bonang Year’ aired on SABC in August this year. It had over 1,86 million viewers tune into the two-part series.
The South African women entrepreneur, TV presenter and radio personality always finds a way to keep her audience captivated. Fans can now engage with her on the app, “Bonang Matheba’s World”, available on MTN.
“Bonang Matheba’s World” promises to offer an exclusive mix of video, music playlists, curated images and additional Matheba lifestyle-specific content. It also features additional behind-the-scenes footage, events and photoshoots.
Matheba also recently launched a new range of sparkling wines available in a can – the BNG Nectar Rosé and BNG Nectar Blanc. This follows the launch of popular Brut and Brut Rosé MCCs last year and the Prestige Reserve earlier this year.
