For more than 50 years, the Veuve Clicquot Bold Woman Award has recognised women whose businesses have challenged convention and created lasting value. This year’s South African finalists continue that legacy, representing six entrepreneurs whose companies are strengthening industries, creating employment and demonstrating the growing contribution of women-led enterprises to the country’s economy.
Now in its fifth year in South Africa, the awards have named six finalists for the 2026 edition across the Bold Woman Award for established entrepreneurs and the Bold Future Award for emerging business leaders. The finalists represent manufacturing, beauty, transport, agricultural technology, education technology and sustainability.
The winners will be announced on 15 July and will join the global Bold by Veuve Clicquot network, which has celebrated women in business for more than five decades.
Established entrepreneurs driving growth and inclusion
Lindiwe Nkuna-Kgopa of Lindiwe Sanitary Pads has built one of South Africa’s most significant women-owned manufacturing businesses. Founded in 2018, the company operates Africa’s first large-scale sanitary pad manufacturing facility owned and run entirely by women from its 4,000-square-metre factory in Centurion, producing 800 South African Bureau of Standards compliant sanitary pads every minute. Through white-label manufacturing, distributor partnerships and strategic collaborations, the business is helping women across Africa launch their own brands and build sustainable incomes. It also supplies South Africa’s National Sanitary Dignity Programme and has already provided free sanitary products to more than 100,000 schoolgirls in 2026. Reflecting on one of the company’s most difficult periods, Nkuna-Kgopa said, “I sat in my car outside the factory I had built from nothing and made a choice. Not to survive, but to thrive.”
Sonto Pooe, founder and CEO of Nativechild, has transformed a childhood experience into one of South Africa’s recognised natural beauty brands. What started with a single castor oil product mixed in her kitchen has grown into a plant-based vegan hair and body care company stocked by major retailers including Clicks, Checkers, Pick n Pay, Shoprite and Dis-Chem, while also expanding into several African countries and the United States. Leaving a stable corporate career to pursue entrepreneurship, Pooe built the brand around celebrating natural and afro-textured hair at a time when chemical relaxers dominated the market. Today, Nativechild is among the first Black-owned beauty brands to establish a large-scale e-commerce presence in South Africa. As she explains, “This is proof that African brands built with purpose, quality and authenticity can stand confidently on the same shelves as global giants.”
Xolile Mabuza, founder and CEO of Tendalo Trading, has built a sustainability business that transforms discarded rubber tubes into premium handcrafted bags and accessories. Established in 2019, the company diverts around 1.2 million rubber tubes from landfills every month while combining environmental responsibility with high-quality craftsmanship. Mabuza’s determination helped her overcome major production setbacks, including securing emergency funding within 24 hours before fulfilling a large retailer order. Her innovative approach has attracted international recognition, including discussions with Prince William on the future of sustainable luxury fashion. Looking back on her personal journey, she said, “Starting this business was me finally raising my hand.”
Emerging businesses shaping the future
Maambele Khosa, founder and CEO of SheCab, is addressing both transport safety and economic empowerment through a women-led e-hailing and charter service. Founded in 2021, the business connects female passengers with professional female drivers across the Western Cape and beyond. Every role within the company, from leadership and operations to driving and accounting, is held by women. Built initially through WhatsApp bookings without external investment, SheCab has grown into a platform that creates employment while providing safer transport options. Khosa believes the company’s impact extends beyond transport. “That’s when I realised SheCab is not just a transport service. It’s a space where women see each other and choose to lift each other up.”
Pretty Kubyane, co-founder and Tech Lead of eFama App, is using technology to modernise agricultural supply chains across Africa. Since 2023, the digital marketplace has connected thousands of farmers with buyers across South Africa, helping producers make informed decisions using market data, artificial intelligence and digital tools. Despite early scepticism from investors because she did not have a formal engineering degree, Kubyane strengthened her technical expertise through more than 40 global certifications and now leads technology development with support from companies including Google and Meta. Her entrepreneurial journey also included balancing the demands of raising a sick child, financial pressure and difficult business decisions. “True boldness,” she said, “is knowing that your worth is non-negotiable.”
Tshaamano Mabuba, founder and Chief Technology Officer of Buddy Learning, has built an education technology company focused on making quality learning more accessible. Starting the business at just 22 years old with only R50 and a free Instagram page, Mabuba has helped more than 10,000 families while creating income opportunities for tutors across Southern Africa. The company’s flagship platform, BuddyAI, is Africa’s first multilingual artificial intelligence tutor integrated into WhatsApp, providing curriculum-aligned lessons, quizzes, voice-note support and multilingual learning for students in low-data environments. Inspired by her own experience of funding medical treatment through tutoring while studying, Mabuba has created a platform designed to remove barriers to education. “Boldness feels quiet when nobody is watching,” she said. “It feels like sending the proposal, making the call, paying the tutor, showing up for learners, and believing in the vision even on days when there is no applause.”
The 2026 finalists reflect the growing influence of women entrepreneurs in South Africa. From manufacturing essential products and advancing sustainable production to transforming transport, agriculture and education through technology, their businesses are creating jobs, expanding access to essential services and opening new opportunities for communities. Through the Bold Woman Award and Bold Future Award, Veuve Clicquot continues to recognise entrepreneurs whose businesses are delivering meaningful economic and social impact while inspiring the next generation of women leaders.
Source- GLAMOUR South Africa
