Womenpreneur Top 10 Finalists 2022

Cream of the crop: Access Bank’s 2022 Womenpreneur Pitch-A-Ton South Africa finalists named

On 1 August 2022, Access Bank’s 2022 Womenpreneur Pitch-A-Ton South Africa was launched as a women-in-business support initiative that enabled progressive, motivated women of our country to pitch their business and stand a chance to win financial grants, as well as an educational prize to the value of R50 000.

The top ten finalists each receive a R50 000 voucher to use at the educational facility of their choice. The top three life-changing business funding prizes to enable winners to grow their businesses comprise:

• 1st prize – R100 000
• 2nd prize – R75 000
• 3rd prize – R50 000

Around 3 000 participants from across South Africa responded to the call to participate in Womenpreneur Pitch-A-Ton South Africa 2022. The top 30 were announced at a breakfast event on 29 September, and on 6 October, the judges gathered to narrow it down to the top 10 contestants.

The panel of judges comprised Leanne Manas, Fifi Peters, Matsi Modise, Sugendhree Reddy and Gugu Madlala, all of whom noted the difficulty in choosing from such an innovative selection of South African businesswomen.

The cream of a phenomenal crop, the top ten finalists are as follows, in no particular order:

Dimakatso Lekekela: Zuri Nutrition

Zuri Nutrition is a company that formulates locally manufactured dietary supplements for the African Diaspora dealing with issues like hyper-pigmentation, problem skin, eczema and alopecia. The company is already receiving significant interest from international clients.

Anneke Joubert: Bouter Happies

Bouter Happies provides food that is healthy, quick, nutritious and delicious. All products are free from sugar, salt, preservatives and colourants, and vitamin-dense vegetables are used in all products, from quick noodles to even lollipops! The company has grown from a baby and toddler range to an adult range and now produce gluten, egg-free and dairy free products.

Thabisile Hlongwane: Isibusiso Holding, T/A iConcrete

Road curbs are made for the safety of motorists and pedestrians. iConcrete manufactures road curves, cover slabs and building blocks. iConcrete’s aim is to be a one-stop shop in all concrete products and, in the next five years, plans to add paving blocks and lintels to the company’s offering.

Thandi Mkhonza : Prospero SA

Prospero SA manufactures precast slabs and poles to develop structures at low cost for homes, back rooms, church halls, offices, storage rooms and even man caves. Prospero manufacture its own lab-tested materials that are lab tested and uses very little electricity, making it an ideal product for our environment.

Itumeleng Mohoang: Thabomeleng Training Institute (TTI)

Managing Director of a multi-award winning training facility TTI, Itumeleng founded the company 2015 to counter fly-by-night “educational” facilities. TTI is a skills development centre fully accredited by Construction SETA. Focus is scarce technical skills, with an aim to empower women in construction.

Ninky Shuenyane: Village Water Filters SA

Only 64% of South Africans have access to clean running water for daily use, and clean and safe water. The South African Human Rights Commission states that “Chapter 2 of the Constitution of South Africa provides that: “Everyone has the right to have access to sufficient food and water.” Ninky’s solution, the bucket water filter, cleans water to make it safe, desperately needed in rural South Africa. Devices are approved by SABS and the World Health Organisation.

Carlien Wolmarans: Just Law

Founder of Just Law: Just Law is an innovative and web based legal consultancy that delivers specialised, fixed rate and fully remote legal services across South Africa. It also offers free legal services across our platform and its motto is, “Everyone deserves access to justice”.

Portia Gumede: Koti Traditional Wedding Specialists

We are the one stop shop for all traditional wedding gifts; Koti is a uniquely African concept with a team that is 90% female. Year-on-year growth in the company’s three-year existence has been remarkable, as bridal couples look to honour their traditions in the ceremonies.

Mary Maphosa: Kidunia Organics

Mary Maphosa, founder and owner of Kidunia Organics, focuses on saving our planet while producing sustainable fashion. To reduce exceptionally harmful plastics in rivers, oceans and landfills, Kidunia Aqua Fashion recycles plastic waste and abandoned fishing nets to make sustainable, ethically produced fashion.

Malepane Lentsoane: Khetho Healthcare

As a speech language pathologist and audiologist by profession, Malepane noted a huge resource gap in the market. Of the 3000 registered audiologists in SA, only about 200 can speak more than one language other than English which means many patients don’t get help in a language they understand. Now, Khetho Healthcare trains young women, post matriculants and unemployed graduates to conduct hearing screenings on Khetho Healthcare’s behalf and refer those in need to them. This has given these women a source of income, sense of purpose and a skill that cannot be taken from them.

The Access Bank SA team looks forward to meeting all these dynamic finalists and choosing the top three at the Womenpreneur Gala Event, to be held at the prestigious Summer Place, 69 Melville Rd, Hyde Park, Sandton on Thursday, 17 November at 18h00.