Finalists announced for the 21st annual Standard Bank Top Women Awards

The finalists represent a diverse array of individuals and organisations across sectors who are breaking barriers, fostering innovation, and championing sustainable transformation. Their remarkable contributions are reshaping industries and creating pathways for future generations of women leaders.

The winners were revealed at a glittering gala ceremony on 4 December 2024 at The Sandton Convention Centre, bringing together South Africa’s most influential leaders, change-makers, and visionaries under the theme ‘Women of Steel, Forged By Growth’, hosted by renowned South African Broadcaster, Carol Tshabalala.

Attendees could look forward to engaging with top CEOs, directors, and entrepreneurs, as well as hearing from remarkable Keynote speakers such as Sim Tshabalala, chief executive officer at the Standard Bank Group, and Dr Naledi Pandor, recently appointed chair of the Nelson Mandela Foundation and former Hon. Minister of International Relations and Cooperation of South Africa.

Topco Media extends gratitude and thanks to their longstanding platinum partner of 11 years, Standard Bank, and category partners Kia South Africa, RS South Africa, BMW South Africa, and Mpumalanga Department of Culture, Sport & Recreation, for their unwavering commitment to gender empowerment.

Join us in celebrating these exceptional champions of gender empowerment as we continue to build a brighter, more inclusive future for all.

Below are the finalists in each category for the 2024 Standard Bank Top Women Awards:

Organisational awards:

Top Women Owned Business SMME 2024 sponsored by Standard Bank

• KwaNgwane Consulting (Pty) Ltd
  
• Bono Property Group
  
• Reapsew (Pty) Ltd
  
• Nchupetsang Incorporated Attorneys
  
• Quality Crates
  
• Mashobane Advisory
  
• Davhadumela Trading (Pty) Ltd
  
• Fetola Mmoho (Pty) Ltd
  
• Niya Consulting
  
• Kriel Occupational Health Centre
  
• Sarhap Hair Line
  
• Grace The Brand
  
• Avenir Holdings (Pty) Ltd
  
• WAXIT
  
• Zingezethu Construction
  
• Nicqui Galaktiou Inc
  
• Webb Attorneys
  
• Tsogomath
  
• Faith and Fear (Pty) Ltd
  
• Koa Academy
  
• SAPVIA
  
• Greysun Media
  
• WMN Attorneys
  
• 4IRI
  
• Twin Venture (Pty) Ltd

Top Women Business in ICT & Ecommerce 2024

• Smollan
  
• Esoft Development & Technologies
  
• Social Places
  
• Sebenza Taxi WiFi
  
• Estée Lauder
  
• Boxfusion
  
• DocFox
  
• Corporatemall
  
• Vulatel

Top Women Business in Construction, Infrastructure & Mining 2024 sponsored by RS South Africa

• Broll Property Group
  
• Harmony Gold
  
• Enel Green Power
  
• Stenda Group
  
• Vulatel

Top Women in Business Health & Pharmaceutical 2024

• Sanofi
  
• Healthgarde

Top Women in Business in Public Services 2024

• Strategic Fuel Fund
  
• uMngeni-uThukela Water
  
• Broll Property Group
  
• NYDA

Top Women in Business Corporate Citizenship and Community Impact 2024

• Nestlé
  
• L'Oréal
  
• Estée Lauder
  
• Mint Group
  
• Lyra Southern Africa (ICAS)
  
• Sebenza Taxi WiFi
  
• ONOMO Hotels
  
• Merchants
  
• Sizwe IT Group
  
• KZN Oils
  
• Michelin Tyre Company South Africa

Top Women in Business in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion 2024 sponsored by Kia South Africa

• Smollan
  
• ONOMO Hotels
  
• Mariswe (Pty) Ltd
  
• L'Oréal
  
• Estée Lauder
  
• Siyanqobangamandla Engineering Services (Pty) Ltd
  
• PepsiCo Inc
  
• Dentsu South Africa
  
• Schneider Electric
  
• LegalWise
  
• Wipro
  
• Barloworld Limited
  
• Boxfusion
  
• Sibanye-Stillwater
  
• bp Southern Africa
  
• Kumba Iron Ore

Top Women in Business in Skills & Youth Development 2024

• Smollan
  
• Seriti
  
• PepsiCo Inc
  
• KLM Empowered
  
• Schneider Electric
  
• UDM International
  
• Owethu Managed Services
  
• Merchants
  
• Sizwe IT Group
  
• Portia M Skin Solutions
  
• Michelin Tyre Company South Africa
  
• SANDA Skills Development
  
• NYDA

Top Women Business of the Year 2024 sponsored by BMW South Africa

• The Institute of Directors of South Africa
  
• Lyra Southern Africa (ICAS)
  
• SteelXperts
  
• Eskom
  
• Barloworld Limited
  
• Sibanye-Stillwater
  
• KZN Oils
  
• KGB Holdings

Individual awards:

Top Women Leader in Professional & Support Services 2024

• Mashobane Advisory - Anastasia Mashobane
  
• Nchupetsang Incorporated Attorneys - Dhilshad Hoosen
  
• Dentsu South Africa - Roxana Ravjee
  
• Enel Green Power - Caroline Nhlane
  
• LegalWise - Siva Gengan
  
• Nicqui Galaktiou Inc - Megan Ross
  
• Veriforce - Sudha Johns
  
• Elev8-Group - Buhle Mudau
  
• SAPVIA - Dr Rethabile Melamu
  
• SANDA Skills Development - Nelisiwe Mkhize

Top Women Leader in STEM 2024

• Eskom Pension and Provident Fund - Yolisa Skwintshi
  
• Council for Medical Schemes - Dr Denisha Jairam-Owthar
  
• DocFox - Tertia Barrett

Top Women Leader in Public Sector 2024

• Strategic Fuel Fund - Dr Marion De Wet
  
• DTI - Angie Ontong
  
• Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA) - Refilwe Buthelezi
  
• Broll Property Group - Mantsi Moiloa
  
• uMngeni-uThukela Water - Thobekile Gambu
  
• NAMC - Shandini Naidoo
  
• Durban ICC - Melanie Rambally

Top Women Young Achiever 2024

• Mint Group - Ronelle Naidoo
  
• Artisan Zone - Tshepiso Makandawire
  
• Social Places - Ashleigh Wainstein
  
• Esoft Development & Technologies - Manali Sheth
  
• Enel Green Power - Caroline Nhlane
  
• ONOMO Hotels - Nicolene Claassen
  
• Merchants - Zipozake Jijingubo
  
• BBF Safety Group (Pty) Ltd - Arthi Daya
  
• Omoda - Shannon Gahagan
  
• Massmart - Maxcene Aspeling
  
• FedEx Express South Africa - Tanisha Jeewa
  
• Veriforce - Sudha Johns
  
• Lobengula Advertising - Brenda Khumalo
  
• Hodari Africa - Mikayla Benkenstein
  
• SIZO Projects - Yangelihle Magxagxa
  
• Sebenza Taxi WiFi - Collette Roetz
  
• Kumba Iron Ore - Matshidiso Gama
  
• NYDA - Asanda Luwaca

Top Women Entrepreneur of the Year 2024 sponsored by Standard Bank

• Davhadumela Trading (Pty) Ltd - Boitumelo Mudumela
  
• KwaNgwane Consulting (Pty) Ltd - Joy Hlongwane
  
• Reapsew (Pty) Ltd - Mahlatsi Mashile
  
• Quality Crates - Hema Sirkot
  
• Healthgarde - Lovelyn Bassey
  
• Bono Property Group - Patricia Tshitema
  
• Fetola Mmoho (Pty) Ltd - Catherine Wijnberg
  
• Niya Consulting - Thandeka Zulu
  
• Kriel Occupational Health Centre - Dr Patience Lindi Mokwena
  
• Grace The Brand - Kylie Saunders
  
• Sarhap Hair Line - Oluchi Ibeabuchi
  
• Zingezethu Construction - Nompumelelo Yvonne Sibisi
  
• DG Property - Michela De Gennaro
  
• Avenir Holdings (Pty) Ltd - Tshidi Mndzebele
  
• WAXIT - Michelle Royston
  
• Sebenza Taxi WiFi - Collette Roetz
  
• Giving Wings - Kefilwe Morobane
  
• Elev8-Group - Buhle Mudau
  
• Lobengula Advertising - Brenda Khumalo
  
• Greysun Media - Naledi Msibi
  
• WMN Attorneys - Zama Ngcobo
  
• 4IRI - Naomi Musi

Haley Fletcher Top Women Business Leader of the Year 2024 sponsored by Standard Bank

• Mint Group - Yvonne Dias
  
• XLink - Thanusha Govender
  
• The Institute of Directors of South Africa - Parmi Natesen
  
• Siyanqobangamandla Engineering Services (Pty) Ltd - Nqobile Valentia Veronica Mkhabela
  
• Aeci World - Kavita Pema
  
• Harmony Gold - Boipelo Lekubo
  
• Lyra Southern Africa (ICAS) - Navlika Ratangee
  
• HOMECHOICE INTERNATIONAL (HiL) - Shirley Maltz
  
• SteelXperts - Mayleen Kyster-Nduli
  
• UDM International - Jacqui van der Riet
  
• Owethu Managed Services - Ntombizanele Makabane
  
• Stenda Group - Tshidi Dlungwane
  
• Corporatemall - Vinisha Govender
  
• Ellipse Executive Apartments - Pamela Niemand
  
• Portia M Skin Solutions - Portia Mngomezulu
  
• Sasol - Gaopalelwe Mothoagae
  
• KGB Holdings - Tammy Makadooj

Top Women EmpowHER Entrepreneur of the Year 2024 sponsored by Standard Bank

• Cleopatra van Ster - Nurseit Primary and Occupational Healthcare Services
  
• Busisiwe Mazondo - Mazondo Gas
  
• Welile Gumede - Azowel Projects

Leaders from across the continent and fellow South Africans are invited to share in the excitement and extend congratulations on social media to all the finalists using #RiseAboveTheNoise #SBTopWomen and #SBTopWomenAwards. Winners were announced on 4 December 2024.