10 South African Entrepreneurs Who Are Female Powerhouses
10 South African Entrepreneurs Who Are Female Powerhouses. The South African entrepreneurship landscape has managed to transform for the better over the past years. This has allowed female entrepreneurs to make incredible strides with their businesses and now they have grown to exert significant influence over their respective industries. These entrepreneurs are not only making an impact in their businesses but they are also showing young aspiring female entrepreneurs that owning and running a successful business is possible as a female in South Africa. Below are some of the South African entrepreneurs who are female powerhouses.
Zeenat Ghoor
Zeenat Ghoor is the founder and Director at Aspire Engineers. Aspire Consulting Engineers provides structural and civil engineering services and Project Management to the public and private sector. This proudly South African company has provided collaborative solutions in the Residential, Commercial and Industrial space.
Dineo Lioma
Dineo Lioma is the Founder and CEO of Deep Medical Therapeutics. Deep Medical Therapeutics is a medical technology company that builds and implements artificial intelligent (AI) solutions that optimize healthcare in Africa.
Siwela Sweetness Masoga
Siwela Masoga is a biotechnologist, winemaker and owner (CEO) of Siwela Wines Pty Ltd. Siwela Wines Pty Ltd is a proudly South African, female black owned wine company. The company is passionate about what it does and strives to produce unique and accessible wines with consistent quality. Siwela is the founder’s first name and an indigenous name which means crossing over in IsiZulu.
Nneile Nkholise
Nneile Nkholise is the co-founder of iMed Tech, a biotech company specializing in custom-made medical solutions using CAD and CAM techniques. In 2018, she co-founded 3DIMO, a venture backed company that automates livestock data analytics to monitor livestock health. In 2016, she was recognized as Africa’s top female innovator by the World Economic Forum. She was awarded the South African Youth of the Year by the Office of the Presidency in 2017. In 2018, she was awarded Forbes Africa’s 30 under 30, recognized in the 100 top young Africans by the Africa Youth Council, and awarded Industrialist of the Year in Southern Africa at the All Africa Business Leaders Awards.
Hayley Eagle
Hayley Eagle is the Managing Director at Jamsco Automotive Assemblies. Jamsco was formed by Hayley Eagle in 2012 when she was selected to join the AIP programme where she partnered with an international 1st Tier supplier, Sodecia. Over the time that Jamsco have been resident at the AIP and with the support of her 1st tier partner she has learned how to manage an automotive supply business.
Connie Ferguson
Connie Ferguson is a South African based Motswana actress, filmmaker, producer and businesswoman. Connie and her late husband, Shona, launched the television company Ferguson Films in 2010. Their first production, Rockville, was commissioned by M-Net three years later. Other productions include iGazi, The Gift, The Throne, The Queen and The Imposter.
Dr. Judy Dlamini
Judy Dlamini is a South African businesswoman and author who is the Chancellor of the University of the Witwatersrand and the founding chairman of Mbekani Group. Mbekani Group is a a company which houses operational and investment companies, including the luxury multi-brand chain of stores, Luminance and Jimmy Choo.
Phuti Mahanyele-Dabengwa
Phuthi Mahanyele-Dabengwa is a South African business executive currently working as the chief executive officer of Naspers South Africa. She previously held the positions of co-founder and chief executive officer at Sigma Capital and CEO at the Shanduka Group.
Arlene Mulder
After seven years as an investment banker, Arlene left the finance world to start WeThinkCode_ and pursue her dream of democratising and revolutionising education in order to deliver top tech talent. She is the co-founder and managing director of Dire Wolf, a bespoke insurance advisory firm focusing on niche insurance products for corporates and high-net-worth individuals. Arlene is also the co-founder of BiB, Africa’s digital audio library that preserves local literary heritage and shares African stories with the world.
Sarah Collins
Founded by Sarah Collins in 2008, the Wonderbag was developed as a solution to the South African energy shortage forcing blackouts across the country – with the aim of allowing families to continue cooking daily meals even with the absence of power.
