Honours for top business women

Johannesburg - Winners of the eighth annual Santam Women of the Future Awards, in association with Fairlady and Truelove, have been announced.

At the Venue Green Park in Morningside guests included businesswomen and media personalities Miss South Africa Ndavi Nokeri, Johanna Makgalemele, Uyanda Mbuli, Sonia Booth, Jena Dover, Catherine Constantinides, Miss Earth SA Ziphozethu Sithebe, Anthea Gardner and Zuraida Jardine.

The winners were selected from a shortlist of nine finalists by judges Professor Thuli Madonsela, chair in social justice at Stellenbosch University; Phuthi Mahanyele-Dabengwa, CEO of Naspers SA; Dawn Nathan-Jones, entrepreneur and CEO of Over the Rainbow; Enid Lizamore, head of human resources at Santam; Suzy Brokensha, Fairlady editor-in-chief and Makhosazana Zwane-Siguqa, Truelove editorin-chief.

Monalisa Zwambila of The Riverbed Agency was named the Santam Woman of the Future, which is awarded to an entrepreneur whose business is over 1 000 days old. The agency is a womanowned advertising agency that provides integrated communications services to global clients. Zwambila says being recognised for her efforts is rewarding.

“Winning the title also acknowledges my team at Riverbed, and something they can be proud of too,” she says.

Janna Kretzmar of EarthChild Project was named the Santam Social Entrepreneur, awarded to an entrepreneur making a real difference in her commu- nity. The project offers complementary education to under-resourced schools in Khayelitsha and Lavender Hill in Cape Town, with a focus on the environment, health and life skills.

“To have my work recognised means so much to me and my team who so diligently support me,” Kretzmar says.

Amahle Ntshinga of Luntu was named the Santam Rising Star, awarded to an entrepreneur who is still within her first 1 000 days of business. Luntu is an online store that sources products from suppliers from marginalised groups. It is doing business in 24 countries across six continents. For Ntshinga, winning the award is validation that her hard work has been worth it.

“In some months sales get really low, and I would ask myself whether I should keep going. But I will not give up, especially while knowing that we are able to help more businesses to grow,” she says.

The Santam Readers’ Choice Award, voted for by the public, went to Zanele Ngcobo of BNK Solar, which provides solar solutions and assists clients with energy management systems and efficiency solutions. Ngcobo won a Golden Circle Mentorship programme from Over the Rainbow worth R9 000.

Brokensha said: “The winners make me proud because of their excellent businesses, and enormous energy they put in making our country work. ”

Zwane-Siguqa said: “All the finalists are exemplary leaders. I am grateful to the judges who gave us their time and wisdom, as well as all our sponsors.”