In SA, a country defined by both its challenges and its promise, the future isn’t handed down — it’s constructed piece by piece, vision by vision, often in the face of daunting odds. And increasingly, it’s women who are leading the work of building.
This year Santam, in association with Fairlady and TrueLove, once again honours SA’s most dynamic female entrepreneurs through the 2025 Women of the Future Awards.
Now in its 11th year, the awards are not only a celebration of entrepreneurial success but also a recognition of the vision, grit and community spirit that define the women who are shaping the country’s future. Their stories are reminders that progress is not only measured in profits but also in lives touched, barriers broken and opportunities created.
The judging panel — comprising Professor Thuli Madonsela, Santam’s Norah Sehunoe, entrepreneur Dawn Nathan-Jones, 2015 Woman of Future winner Boitumelo Ntsoane, and editors Suzy Brokensha and Mbali Soga — was so inspired by this year’s calibre of entries that, for the first time, they named four finalists in the flagship Woman of the Future category. Other categories include Social Entrepreneur and Rising Star.
The 10 finalists across all three categories are:
Woman of the Future
This category is for entrepreneurs whose businesses are more than 1,000 days old and are well on their way to establishing an extensive enterprise.
Brenda Khumalo of Lobengula Advertising
Khumalo’s creative agency is a bold, women-led space that centres African stories and voices that are too often ignored in mainstream advertising. In 2025, she expanded the business with LA Films and LA Truth, taking storytelling and strategy to new heights.
Liz Letsoalo of Masodi Beauty
From a kitchen start-up to a bold, global vision, Masodi Beauty was created to address confidence-impacting concerns like hair loss and hyperpigmentation, combining nature’s best ingredients with cutting-edge active ingredients. Today, Masodi Beauty is available in six African countries and is growing.
Shannon Dougall of Skin functional
Dougall launched a results-driven skincare brand after solving her own skin challenges through cosmetic science. Skin functional now leads with data-backed formulas, transparency and a strong focus on customer education — what Dougall calls “skintelligence” — with plans to expand globally.
Thando Maseko of Inayo Mining
Mining engineer Maseko founded Inayo to bring real transformation to the sector. With 758 employees and a commitment to local empowerment, her company is redefining what inclusive, community-focused mining looks like in SA.
Social Entrepreneur
These foundations have surpassed the 1,000-day mark and are creating lasting social change.
Caroline Peters of the Callas Foundation
As a survivor of gender-based violence herself, Peters has built a feminist organisation that supports survivors navigating the justice system. She also mentors boys in gender equity and builds food security through a network of community kitchens. The Callas Foundation’s court-support programme is one of the few women-led, trauma-informed initiatives of its kind.
Namritha Sivsanker of Hope SA Foundation
From schoolbags, food insecurity and gender-based violence to disaster relief, healthcare access and unemployment, Hope SA tackles SA’s most urgent needs head-on. Hope SA has served a million meals as of December 2024.
Sharon Rapetswa of Triple Shine Foundation
Rapetswa’s foundation is the first and only organisation in SA that produces and distributes eco-friendly hygiene products through a social enterprise model. Triple Shine creates income opportunities by training women and youth to sell and distribute the products, thereby creating microbusinesses in areas with limited economic opportunities.
Rising Star
This category is for entrepreneurs under 35 with businesses that are older than six months.
Chantel Spinazze of Bluum
After years of having her hormonal and gut health issues dismissed, Spinazze founded Bluum to offer science-backed, plant-based support for women facing challenges like PMS, perimenopause and burnout. Now stocked by more than 50 retailers, Bluum is building a powerful community and aiming to lead the women’s health space across Africa and beyond.
Cheyenne Fernánda Miller of Ferna Tech
Fernánda Miller founded Ferna Tech to build a women-led, culturally rooted venture studio that backs bold ideas and gets underestimated founders funded, fast. What began as a design service has grown into a global innovation firm that offers product development, venture advisory and founder acceleration.
Xolile Mabuza of Tendalo Trading
After surviving a stroke at 21, Mabuza began creating bags from discarded rubber, turning trauma into triumph. Now a national brand that recycles hundreds of tubes a month, Tendalo is building a factory and a future of sustainable, youth-led design. They’re creating a space where creativity can thrive and young people can gain skills.
The prizes, valued at more than R1m, include R275,000 in cash for the three winners from Santam; extensive advertising exposure in Fairlady and TrueLove (both print and digital); a one-on-one mentorship session with the winner’s choice of judge; and a host of other business-boosting opportunities.
The winners will be announced at a glittering awards luncheon on Friday October 3 2025. Whatever the outcome, these 10 women have already achieved something extraordinary: they demonstrate that when South African women rise, their impact extends far beyond personal success — reshaping industries, uplifting communities and helping to define the country’s collective future.
This article was sponsored by Media 24.
