Women In Retail & E-Commerce | Women Leaders Across The Board

Charting A New Frontier In The Digital Economy

South Africa’s e-commerce sector is booming, reshaping how business is done and unlocking unprecedented opportunities for women entrepreneurs. From beauty and tech to sustainability and solar solutions, women are at the forefront - building scalable businesses, crafting niche markets, and promoting inclusive innovation.

Fuelled by rapid digital adoption, the sector has grown from R90-billion pre-pandemic to nearly R200-billion in 2023, with projections estimating it will surpass R400-billion this year. The rise of online shopping, mobile commerce, and digital platforms has allowed businesses -particularly small and women-led ventures - to transcend geographical limitations and connect directly with consumers nationwide.

This growth has levelled the retail playing field. Female entrepreneurs no longer require extensive infrastructure to reach markets; they need digital savvy, compelling products, and strategic storytelling. Flexible working structures also make online retail appealing for women, balancing entrepreneurship with family and caregiving roles.

Women are leading in digital entrepreneurship but remain underrepresented in formal business sectors.

Around 63% of e-commerce businesses in South Africa are founded by women. This is unsurprising, as women entrepreneurs adopted digital tools faster: 45% of women vs 35.2% of men integrated digital solutions into their businesses during Covid19. However, female-led businesses comprise only 22% of all registered enterprises, and only 21% of formal SMEs are run by women.

Visionary women are already shaping this new frontier. These women are not just navigating e-commerce - they are defining it.

Carol Bouwer

Carol Bouwer has transformed her career in television into a thriving business portfolio rooted in African luxury, female empowerment and sustainability. Best known for her early work in South African broadcasting - including her iconic tenure on Generations and as host of Motswako – Ms Bouwer’s focus shifted to entrepreneurship, where she has made equally powerful strides.

Her retail expansion is a celebration of African craftsmanship, offering a curated range of homeware, handbags and lifestyle accessories under her own brand. These items are not only elegant - they are imbued with the ethos of supporting artisans and women-owned supply chains.

Her online retail platforms have made luxury more accessible to discerning clients around the globe, blending heritage aesthetics with modern design. As e-commerce grew, so did her reach, with Ms Bouwer strategically leveraging social platforms and digital stores to showcase her products internationally.

Her work is deeply values-driven. She launched the Mbokodo Awards to celebrate women in the arts and has served as a UNODC Goodwill Ambassador, focusing on human rights and justice for women and children.

Rapelang Rabana

Rapelang Rabana is redefining the online learning landscape with Rekindle Learning, a mobile-first platform designed to personalise and democratise access to education. As a serial tech entrepreneur with a computer science background, Ms Rabana has long recognised the untapped potential of technology to solve Africa’s most persistent learning challenges.

Rekindle Learning provides bite-sized, adaptive learning modules across corporate, academic and youth-focused sectors. By using e-commerce-like features such as user analytics and real-time tracking, Ms Rabana’s platform delivers measurable, user-friendly educational outcomes. It also addresses the digital divide by prioritising mobile compatibility - a key consideration across the continent.

Her entrepreneurial journey began with Yeigo, one of South Africa’s first VoIP mobile startups, which was acquired by a Swiss firm. This early success marked Ms Rabana as a tech pioneer and ignited her mission to build scalable digital tools with meaningful social impact.

A World Economic Forum Young Global Leader and a Forbes Africa 30 under 30 alumna, Ms Rabana’s leadership continues to influence public policy, business strategy and tech innovation. She is often called upon to speak about the future of work and the critical role of education in Africa’s development.

Nthabiseng Mosia

Nthabiseng Mosia is illuminating lives through Easy Solar, a pioneering energy company she co-founded to provide affordable, clean electricity to underserved communities across West Africa. As CFO, she has played a critical role in transforming the company into a scalable e-commerce driven solution for energy access.

Born in Ghana and raised in South Africa, Ms Nthabiseng combines technical knowledge with business acumen. After studying at the University of Cape Town and earning a Master’s in Public Policy at Harvard Kennedy School, she turned her research on energy access into real-world innovation.

Easy Solar’s pay-as-you-go solar systems are distributed through online channels, agent networks and partnerships with mobile money platforms. Customers can browse, select, and pay for solar kits digitally - making energy access as seamless as buying goods online. This e-commerce strategy enables the company to reach even the most remote customers while reducing traditional infrastructure costs.

Since its launch, Easy Solar has brought electricity to over 700 000 people across Sierra Leone and Liberia. Under Ms Nthabiseng’s leadership, the company has also secured millions in investment funding and won multiple awards, including the SEED Low Carbon Award.

South African women are reshaping industries through e-commerce and innovation. These trailblazers prove that with vision, purpose and digital strategy, women can lead the next chapter of economic transformation.

Sources: Business Tech, Rekindle Learning, Easy Solar, Forbes, Women’s Report, News24, UNDOC, Xneelo, Business Live, IFC, BizCommunity