The new domestic soccer season gets underway in August and the Mamelodi Sundowns dynasty lives on. Can anyone break their stranglehold on the South African domestic league title? We speak to some of the top coaches.



Mamelodi Sundowns won an unprecedented sixth South African DStv Premiership title in a row in the 2022/23 season as their dominance of the domestic league continues in relentless fashion.



It is not just the fact they have lifted the trophy, but the manner of the victories has been so emphatic that the last three seasons in particular have been a one-horse race from the off.



They finished 13 points clear in 2020/21, and 16 points in front of second place in each of the last two seasons. The remainder of the league simply could not keep up with them.



Looking to the new campaign that starts in August, the question 



now is whether anyone can rise from the chasing pace and dethrone The Brazilians.



The most likely pretenders to the throne are Orlando Pirates, a giant of the local game who last lifted the league trophy in 2011/12 but went toe-to-toe with Sundowns in the second half of last season after a sticky start.



Pirates picked up 35 points in their final 15 games and Sundowns 33, as The Buccaneers’ Spanish coach José Riveiro got to grips with the DStv Premiership and the players at his disposal in his first year in charge.



If they can keep up that level through the 30 games of this coming season, they will have an excellent chance of being crowned champions.



“We have a fantastic group [of players] and resources,” Riveiro tells FORBES AFRICA.



“Emotionally, it’s been a tough fi rst season. It is not easy to do what you love in a different country. For me to be here, the learning process was dificult and things were not easy from the start.



“If we do the same things [next season], we are going to get less [success], so we have to do different things to improve.”



One factor that may hold the Pirates back in the coming campaign is that they will have the considerable distraction of the CAF Champions League.



The same is true for Sundowns, but at this stage the latter perhaps have a squad with more depth that makes them better equipped to juggle domestic and continental matters. Riveiro is confident his side can make an impact in both though.



“We are going into Africa to dream that we have the potential to go all the way. I’m a very optimistic person, so I have the intention to win it.



“We know we will fi nd dificult trips, difficult opponents and dificulties from the referees, but Mamelodi Sundowns did a fantastic job in the competition [last season] and showed that it’s possible for South African teams to compete.”



It will mean bolstering his squad, and just who they manage to sign will be key.



“There’s going to be players coming and going like every season. I hope not too many because it is important to have continuity to build on the things we have done already.”



As for who else could rival Sundowns, the pickings are slim. Kaizer Chiefs continue to falter and went backward in the last campaign, while SuperSport United overachieved but are in a constant cycle of having to sell their best players to balance the books. This transfer window looks no different.



“They’ve set the bar so high, I don’t think anybody is going to catch them in the next few years,” SuperSport United coach Gavin Hunt says, adding other teams simply cannot match Sundowns in the transfer market. 



“Give us the fi ve to six players from Sundowns and we will show you where we can go,” he says ruefully. “We have a salary cap here, that is how we operate. That’s unfortunate, but we will have to find new players, try to build a team that is competitive and try to close the gap.”



Former Chiefs head coach Arthur Zwane, who has since been replaced in the hotseat by Molefi Ntseki but remains an assistant with the team, also doesn’t see Sundowns dropping their level anytime soon, so it is up to the rest of the league to find a way to close that gap. 



“I think it is a challenge for everyone to take our game to another level. For us, we are a work in progress and we are getting better and better,” Zwane said. “It boils down to a lot of things: chemistry, preparation and having a long-term plan. We still have a long way to go. I wouldn’t talk about other teams because I don’t know what their plan is.



But as for us, we are on that journey of trying to revive the glory days.”



For anyone else hoping to win the DStv Premiership this coming season, the only thing that will get them over the line is consistency in performance, because relying on Sundowns to falter looks a pipe dream.

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Mamelodi Sundowns’ Dominance Of The South African Domestic League Title

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From Madiba To The Pan-Africanist: Playing His Part For The Continent

Entrepreneurship is a risky game. Ask these women who have had to create their own rules and lead with hustle and heart. They entered the game at different times but have one thing in common – their focus on the finish line. They are in it to win it, come what may. A Women’s Month special.



It has been 67 years since the trailblazing Women’s March in South Africa. The country will never forget the fire and fortitude of the 20,000 women of all races, classes and creed who on August 9, 1956, marched up the steps of the Union Buildings, the seat of the apartheid government in capital city Pretoria, to deliver a petition to then Prime Minister J.G Strijdom against the introduction of pass laws. The march was led by struggle stalwarts Lilian Ngoyi, Helen Joseph, Albertina Sisulu, Sophia Williams-De Bruyn and Rahima Moosa.



In the annals of history, iconic events have always further defined the women’s liberation movement, and Covid-19 was no less a landmark in reaffirming the resilience of the female workforce, in both Africa Inc. and across the entrepreneurial ecosystem. 



The pandemic saw resourceful survivalist entrepreneurs emerge in Africa and champion their cause with talent and tenacity. According to the 2022 Mastercard Index of Women Entrepreneurs, female entrepreneurs in South Africa are making progress, with a strong will and determination to make sure their businesses survive. In South Africa, women account for just 19.4% of business owners but there have been important gains in recent years in terms of entrepreneurial traction.



But even as business booms, we must contend with the dismal numbers on the ground. According to the World Bank, women represent a majority of the poor in most regions of Africa and the gap may widen further. According to recent analysis by the United Nations, an estimated 121 women per 100 men will be living in extreme poverty by 2030 (living on $1.90 a day or less).



Lizz Welch, the CEO of International Development Enterprises (iDE), says investing heavily in female entrepreneurs is the key to alleviating poverty. “From my point of view, women entrepreneurs invest more heavily in hiring women… helping with gender parity, and also, often, they have a much more successful business model, they’re more profitable, and [put] more investments back into the community. 



So when women lead and women-owned businesses really take off, you see a much bigger multiplier effect that occurs within the community.” The iDE has spent $137 million in the past five years powering entrepreneurs to end poverty across the developing world. In an article written by Stephanie McKinney, CEO and Founder of River VC (a venture capital firm dedicated to investing in women entrepreneurs), she says female-led businesses or startups tend to struggle to find funding. 



Studies show that male and female entrepreneurs are often evaluated differently by investors, the latter more likely to be perceived as “risky” investments. This bias can derail female- led businesses to secure the funding they need to grow and scale. But they continue to be undaunted, as this small cross-section of female change- makers on these pages illustrate.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center" id="h-luyanda-lwandle-duma-founder-alchemy-lab-dumisa-kamvenya-and-shop-she-who-dreams">Luyanda Lwandle Duma Founder, Alchemy Lab, Dumisa KaMvenya and Shop She Who Dreams</h3>


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Duma runs not one but three businesses –Alchemy Lab Talent Management, which is focused on identifying and crafting authentic brands; Dumisa KaMvenya, which provides human capital solutions to small and medium enterprises; and Shop She Who Dreams, which retails personal organizational stationery and productivity resources. We ask:



What inspired your businesses?



My father has always been an entrepreneur and growing up in a family of entrepreneurs, I was introduced to it, especially as a sustainable profession.



What were some of the challenges you experienced?



The beauty of entrepreneurship is that no one day is the same. Not all deals pull through but with every step of the journey, there is also a hidden lesson that makes you better and teaches what you need for the next level. Finding a business model that works has been the most challenging for me, but also cash flow for certain projects, and then, finding capital.



South Africa is one of only 12 economies where women’s entrepreneurial activity rates increased, with 11.1% of working-age women engaged in early-stage entrepreneurial activities. What would you want female entrepreneurship to look like in South Africa? 



As South Africa strives to foster economic growth and equality, it is essential to envision a future where female entrepreneurship flourishes. Building on the progress made thus far, the future of female entrepreneurship in South Africa should be characterized by inclusivity, equal opportunities, and supportive ecosystems. This vision not only benefits women but also contributes to the overall economic advancement and social wellbeing of the nation. We envision a South Africa where female entrepreneurs have equal access to capital. Financial institutions, government agencies, and private investors must actively support female-led ventures by providing tailored financial solutions, grants, and low-interest loans. Additionally, initiatives to bridge the gender financing gap and educate women about funding options should be prioritized, empowering them to scale their businesses.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center" id="h-olwethu-mhlana-founder-afristem">Olwethu Mhlana Founder, AfriSTEM</h3>


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As the technology industry continues to rapidly grow, there are still billions of people around the world, particularly women, without access to that technology.



This is what motivated Mhlana to start her business.



“As the daughter of activist parents who spent their lives fighting for freedom and equality, I have always been driven by the need to create spaces where inclusion and democratization were the mission and not a by-product,” she says.



Having been part of startups that have built and taught coding and robotics, the disparity that Mhlana saw in the types of communities that benefited from that education drove her vision.



“This is how AfriSTEM began as a way to provide STEM education to underserved communities.”



Mhlana hopes the tech space can be reimagined by providing opportunities for more people, and also encourage them to pioneer innovative solutions that would advance their communities and South Africa at large.



According to a report by Mordor Intelligence, the South African ICT Market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 9.3% for the forecast period. “South Africa is one of Africa&#8217;s biggest marketplaces for information and communications technology (ICT). It demonstrates technological leadership in the areas of mobile software, security software, and online banking services,” the report reads.



Mhlana wants to see more inclusion, especially for women in the tech space.



“We need to transform and completely reimagine the foundation of what inclusion looks like. We need to take into account that marginalized groups have even less access to business opportunities, and then we can start to discuss how to break down the exclusionary nature of entrepreneurship.”



For her, this could also be the solution to getting more investments into female businesses but the change needs to start from the top.



“I want to see more women in policy-maker roles, more women handling funding portfolios, more women teaching business skills, and more women creating their own tables. Men are often at the helm of all these roles, and the more women are at the helm, the more women will be encouraged to leap into entrepreneurship.”



<h3 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center">Tania Theron Co-founder and Head of Wealth, GraySwan</h3>


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According to a report by Investment Week, asset management and investment teams are still dominated by men. Overall, the study found the average investment team&#8217;s gender split is 78% male and 22% female. Part of that small percentage is Theron, who, with her husband, started a boutique wealth management firm in 2010. As Head of Wealth, her role is to oversee client portfolios and build a lasting relationship with them, at the same time ensuring all transactions are executed effortlessly.



How did you start your business?



Before starting our business, my husband and I had worked in the investment industry. Our 12 years of constructing purpose-led long-term investment solutions stem from the story of a family that, being passionate about investments, decided to not only live well, but also help others implement and manage long-term investment strategies.



What were some of the highlights and challenges you experienced as a female entrepreneur?



The finance and investments industry is male-dominated and it has taken a while to build my reputation but I was fortunate enough to have been surrounded by supportive family and friends. I recall when I matriculated, I [enrolled for] a physiotherapy degree. Two weeks in, I realized I had made the wrong decision. Perhaps it was that a part of me had doubted whether I could succeed in this industry as a female. I later attended RAU (now the University of Johannesburg), where I met a professor who took me through a few career [options]. Having always enjoyed maths and accounting, I was intrigued when he told me I should become a chartered accountant. Since choosing this path, I have never once looked back.



What would you want female entrepreneurship to look like in South Africa?



The future really holds great promise for women entrepreneurs in our country. As a society, we have become more aware of the untapped potential and value that women bring to the business landscape, so I anticipate a significant shift towards a more inclusive and supportive environment. In the coming years, I hope to see more representation of women in entrepreneurship across various sectors. There should be greater access to funding opportunities specifically targeted towards women-owned businesses, enabling them to scale and thrive. 



What do you think needs to happen to get more investors interested in female businesses and startups?



To achieve this, one would have to change the current perspectives of female-led businesses and startups. The reality is there are already quite a few female businesses that have secured investments; these are the women who should be providing mentorship, training and networking opportunities specifically for women entrepreneurs, which can help enhance their skills and confidence. We need to stand together and support each other as much as we can. Because if we don’t believe in each other, we can’t expect others to believe in us and change the way they think.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center" id="h-sinovuyo-mondliwa-founder-lovekinks">Sinovuyo Mondliwa Founder, LoveKinks</h3>


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This story started with five sisters who bonded doing each other’s hair.



“This made me appreciate how much a woman&#8217;s hair is tied to her innate identity,” Mondliwa says of her childhood. “My haircare business was inspired by wanting to help my audience care for their hair in the most simple, practical, and accessible way possible.”



She started her business on Instagram showing her audience it is possible for “natural hair to look fashionable, professional, and socially acceptable”.



Studies have shown how using platforms like Instagram can help business. According to EmbedSocial, there are over 200,000 million businesses that use the app for this purpose.



“This allowed my audience to add natural hair to their hairstyle options,” Mondliwa explains. She also turned to YouTube. “My YouTube was more helpful via tutorials. Then, my audience had another challenge; YouTube tutorials could only take them so far – most people do not have the time or desire to go through the whole upskilling process. So that was how LoveKinks was born.”



It’s a haircare business that offers accessories and products focused on improving the relationship women have with their tresses and ultimately themselves.



“A highlight [for me] has been seeing something that was a thought come to life and grow [from a turnover of] R1 million to R5 million ($55,000-$275,000).”



[Pullquote]: What would you want female entrepreneurship to look like in South Africa? “I would like females in business to speak to each other more and not compete so that information can be shared. Through collaborations, we can find possible economies of scale… There is so much room for information-sharing that would help grow our businesses.”

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Women’s Month Special: Survivors And Thrivers In South Africa

A week before the 2023 French Open, South African tennis ace and paralympian Kgothatso Montjane said on radio that she wanted to top her achievements with a Grand Slam win “to validate everything”.



“And then I went out to win the Grand Slam, it was just unbelievable!” she says now, back in South Africa at the end of June as a Roland Garros women&#8217;s wheelchair doubles champion with Yui Kamiji from Japan as the two clinched an impressive 6-2, 6-3 victory over Diede de Groot and Maria Moreno.



Speaking to FORBES AFRICA soon after her win, she reminisces that this was not the career she had originally envisioned for herself.



“I picked up a racket at the age of 19 for the first time,” says the 37-year-old. “At school, I was playing quite a lot of sport. So I think that&#8217;s the reason why [with] tennis, they came directly to me. They were like ‘you’ve got to go try this’. So I was somehow forced into it.”



The Limpopo-born tennis player remembers going to university not sure about wanting to continue the sport.



“At school, I felt like I was good at table tennis. So for me, that&#8217;s what I was looking forward to playing when I got to university, but it wasn&#8217;t there. Even wheelchair basketball, I think I would have settled for, but tennis, it was foreign to me. I have never seen it anywhere. And I just never understood this whole thing of them wanting me to play the sport.”



A few years later, she was approached to play professionally, which came with the opportunity to travel the world. At first, it seemed an attractive proposition but it was not without its challenges, especially when she had to start securing her own sponsorships.



“It was glamorous at the beginning, because there was someone taking care of everything,” Montjane explains. “We didn&#8217;t have to worry, we just had to pack our bags and go to the airport. I didn&#8217;t know the financial implications that were involved, the admin and the entering of tournaments.”



This meant that she had to learn to be business-savvy. So the young sportswoman set off to learn to draft proposals and approach sponsors across the board.



All of this is what led to Montjane’s illustrious career including being named ‘South Africa&#8217;s disabled sportswoman of the year’ three times (2005, 2011 and 2015), holding 29 singles titles and winning wheelchair tennis tournaments such as the Belgian Open and Swiss Open.



Montjane also made history as the first South African woman to win at Roland Garros since Tanya Harford’s and Rosalyn Fairbank&#8217;s victory in 1981.



“I still can&#8217;t believe it happened. When someone says ‘Grand Slam champion’, I am like ‘Nah, you are not talking to me’. It&#8217;s still to sink in,” she says. “I just want people to know that disability doesn&#8217;t mean inability. It&#8217;s just a condition that limits you in a certain way… At the end of the day, we people with disabilities – we are human, we are capable, we are talented.”

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‘Disability Does Not Mean Inability’: South Africa’s Wheelchair Tennis Champ

After a long and stressful but successful debut at Paris Fashion Week and becoming one of the few designers from Africa to do so, Aryea Kolubah is holidaying in Jamaica when she sits down for this Zoom interview with FORBES AFRICA.



Her eccentric and bold designs wowed the fashion stage in March, and you can tell that her “vibe” is inspired by her West African roots, which translates to bright ethnic prints and vibrant colors to create sartorial statements for the fearless and confident woman.



This is all done with very some specific messaging.



“I’m such a connoisseur of art but also I am such a connoisseur of the continent, and I take that show with me everywhere,” Kolubah says. “…Being from Africa, [there’s so much art that’s being stolen]… but yet still, we are fighting to find our place in the art and entertainment space. And I’m just so fortunate that I am at a pivotal time in my life where I can contribute to society’s demands.”



Although this was her debut on the Paris stage, this is not her first time taking the fashion industry by storm. Kolubah’s designs have already graced international platforms, including New York Fashion Week, Miami Swim week, San Francisco Fashion Week, Louisville Fashion Nite-Out, and Runway Liberia International.



Born in Liberia, but raised in the United States from 2005, Kolubah was influenced by her father, who instilled in her a thirst for knowledge, creative expression, a strong work ethic, and a determination to pursue her dreams.



“When I told my father that I wanted to be a designer, he was like ‘but you could be a doctor, you could be a lawyer, all of these things’. But when I told him I love art he got me my very first sewing machine.”



Unfortunately, Kolubah’s father was not able to see her first foray in global fashion as not long after she received her sewing machine, her father died in a tragic fire accident she says could have also taken her life. But she survived.



“My father passed away [because of] the fire in my apartment, [where we both were, but] by the grace of God, I’m here today… Fashion has to be in the therapeutic part of my life.



“The craft does come with ups and downs but I’ve always dreamed that this particular gift of mine would take me places,” Kolubah says. “Being African, and just being invited to that type of prestigious event like Paris to showcase my art…And just beyond that, the way in which the audience accepted it and everything else that has followed since… it’s a dream come true.”



She is grateful indeed.



“I represent a million Africans because there’s so much created from the continent and [people] who haven’t had the chance. But now that I do have the chance, if I were to give somebody advice, I would say just ‘go for it’!”

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From Liberia To The World: ‘A Connoisseur Of The Continent’

There are 600 million smallholder farmers around the world working on less than two hectares of land. These farmers are estimated to produce 28%-31% of total crop production and 30%-34% of food supply on 24% of gross agricultural area.



The most-funded sector on the continent, according to TechCrunch, is fintech. Unfortunately, reports, experts and our profiles tell us a story of how difficult it is to source venture capital funding on the continent for agriculture.



“The answer to that is quite straightforward,” says Dr Mandla Mpofu, the Managing Director of Omnia’s Agriculture Division. “It’s the risk of the business.” 



The pressure on Africa’s food supply will require substantial investment to guarantee food security, as Africa remains the only region yet to experience a Green Revolution. Most of this will come from private investment.



Venture capital firm AgFunder attested that African farming stands out for drawing in a low volume of venture capital investment.



At the moment, the continent is experiencing the fastest rate of population growth in the world.



Consequently, food demand is growing rapidly as well.



However, as the continent with the youngest population in the world, the 2022 Africa AgriFoodTech Investment Report says it attracted less than 1% of all venture capital spending onagriculture—just $482 million compared to the nearly $52 billion raised globally.



The figure for the entire continent is about the same as the public sector agricultural research budget of Nigeria or South Africa. Far too many potential food and agriculture investors still overlook opportunities in Africa.



“There are more and more funding opportunities coming up,” says Bosire, who bootstrapped his business. “But what I really think we need to focus on at the moment is look into Africa as a place of opportunity for investment.



Because agritech in other developed markets is really receiving a lot of funding but it&#8217;s not the case in Africa. So, I believe that with more sensitization of global investors to see Africa as an opportunity to also invest in agritech is really going to help us.”



Investment volumes were negligible just a decade ago, according to reports, but thankfully have grown as investments more than doubled from 2020 to 2021.



They seem set to nearly double again.



“Investing in 2022 got off to a roaring start, with startups raising roughly $400 million in the first half of the year—more than 80% of what was raised in all of 2021,” the AgriFoodTech Investment Report reads.



While 40% of the agricultural workforce (some 440 million workers) is in waged employment; the other 60% are self-employed as farmers, mainly as small scale farmers (Fyfe 2002). 



But why is the uptake slow?



“You have heard the jokes such as if you&#8217;re going to get broke very fast, you either start a farm or buy an airline,” Mpofu laughs. “And everything&#8217;s going to go south. But that&#8217;s exactly why you need more predictive tools in the business, which is why you would need agtech so that you&#8217;re bankable in the industry.”



But there are also reports that interest in funding African farming by venture capital groups spiked last year and is on track to continue expanding aggressively this year.



“I almost feel like this agtech space was made for agriculture,” Dr Agnes Kalibata says. “I was looking at how much money has been invested in this space. About two to three years ago, this was about a $17 billion industry, you know, and growing very fast. Now, actually it is projected that by 2025 to be a trillion dollar industry… There is no reason why most of it should not becoming to Africa.”

Shot of an unrecognisable woman using a digital tablet while working on a farm

Money Does Not Grow On Trees: African Farming Draws Low Volume Of Venture Capital Investments

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AFRICA’S GREEN ECONOMY: Africa’s Agripreneurs Leading Smart Sustainable Farming

<h4 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center" id="h-desmond-koneyco-founder-and-ceo-complete-farmerghana">Desmond Koney Co-Founder and CEO, Complete Farmer Ghana</h4>



There is no manual or playbook to tell you how to run a farm or even scale a business, as this agripreneur will tell you.



“I think a lot of times, especially for solving problems in Africa, you always underestimate then infrastructure gap that your solution needs to get to market,” Desmond Koney says to us from his home in busy, bustling Lagos.



Complete Farmer was built connecting three integral parts of agriculture; buyer, grower and vendor, connecting farmers to global food buyers and growing with them to provide a competitive edge across the supply chain. 



“I asked myself ‘how can we start looking at farming differently’?”



Koney went to the drawing board not as a farmer but as a qualified engineer who wanted to bring more success to the sector on the continent.



“I started thinking of the problem from an engineering perspective. Like, how would I have done this, if I were designing a factory or if I were using my production engineering skills to approach the problem of farming in Africa?”



According to Koney, the reasons why African farmers struggle to scale and sometimes ultimately fail are because the continent has supply chain as well as capital issues.



The AfCFTA: A New Era for Global Business and Investment in Africa report by the African Continental Free Trade Area reiterates that already the pressure on Africa’s food supply will require substantial investment in order to guarantee food security, as the continent remains the only region yet to experience a Green Revolution.



“So Complete Farmer really started with the question of how do we improve and digitize the African agriculture value chain,” Koney says.



“We did not have a clear path…I wanted to build but first we really had to figure out what the solution really is. And we spent close to five years refining the model to where we are today.”



Complete Farmer is an end-to-end digital agriculture platform that provides industries with an easy way to cheaply source quality farm produce and it offers individuals anywhere in the world a convenient way to own a farm by eliminating the middlemen and farm produce aggregators. The marketplace platform allows global industries to build the supply chain and solve their agricultural needs directly, these are then exclusively brought by African farmers.



“We&#8217;ve seen that data about what the potential for agriculture is in Africa,” Koney adds. “And then we&#8217;ve also seen that data for how food insecurity is increasing, especially with what&#8217;s going on in Europe. And given that we are talking about food, which is really something basic for human survival, this is what makes this industry full of opportunity.”

CF Des

Africa’s Green Economy: This CEO’s Advice On Digitizing The African Agriculture Value Chain

<h3 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center" id="h-spencer-hornefounder-and-ceo-cloudlinesouth-africa">Spencer Horne Founder and CEO, Cloudline South Africa</h3>



Savoring the mild nippy weather in New York City, a far cry from South Africa’s autumn sun, Spencer Horne seems to have come full circle.



The Spencer Horne who was born in the small community of Kales River, Cape Town.



The Spencer Horne who, from an early age, developed “an obsession” for engineering fueled by his love for trains.



The Spencer Horne who grew up as a dreamer and has always been keenly aware of this rhetoric of structure versus agency; what determines outcomes for individuals or communities?



The Spencer Horne who is in New York, a long way from home, ready to answer this question with regard to his business, Cloudline.



This should be a full circle moment for him, but it is not.



“It doesn&#8217;t seem like it because I feel like the work is only just beginning,” Horne chuckles in a Zoom interview with FORBES AFRICA.



Using battery- and solar-powered propulsion to deliver carbon emission-free flight operations, Cloudline is an aerospace company building a network of autonomous airships that delivers goods and services across the globe. According to Horne, air is an “underutilized resource”. Getting anything into the air in general is difficult as also expensive. “[For conventional aircraft], putting those aircraft in the air comes at a high capital cost and keeping them there comes at a very high energy cost,” Horne elaborates. &#8220;That&#8217;s expensive in monetary terms; it&#8217;s expensive in carbon terms. And we are at the heart of the technology that we&#8217;ve developed to address those two major barriers to more widespread use of the air for getting things done.”



When Cloudline started out, they identified the infrastructural gaps that exist within African regions and saw a massive opportunity.



This is the key role that Horne plays in the agricultural space. Although he does not constitute Cloudline exclusively as an agritech, their business contributes significantly to farmers.



“I think in the agricultural sector, in particular, we&#8217;ve seen the role data has played in transforming the way in which precision agriculture is being done.”


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="665" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/DSC02238-1-1024x665.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-58472" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/DSC02238-1-1024x665.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/DSC02238-1-300x195.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/DSC02238-1-768x499.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/DSC02238-1-1536x998.jpg 1536w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/DSC02238-1-2048x1330.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">&nbsp;Horne with Mbali Gushu, chief operating officer, and Anton Erasmus, chief engineer.&nbsp;</figcaption></figure></div>


Precision agriculture is a part of the larger conversation around the green revolution. According to experts, this way of farming uses data from multiple sources to improve cultivation for farmers, whether it is used for crop yields and/or to increase the cost-effectiveness of crop management strategies including fertilizer inputs, irrigation management, and pesticide application.



Afgri, a South African agricultural services company, thinks of this type of farming as “site-specific and information-specific”. 



“If you think about Cloudline in the context of the way in which data is gathered today, that&#8217;s against the backdrop of satellites…so this is one of the big places where Cloudline plays a role in that agricultural revolution. And to tie it in with more mainstream applicability, and lowering costs, we can think about the ways in which that grows these markets. From just the top-tier largest commercial farms, it makes it more accessible to more people. That is the kind of thing that makes both business sense and development sense.”



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Improving yield, efficiency and profitability in agriculture comes down to the harvesting of technology. At its forefront are the agritech innovators bringing transformative change to the continent’s green economy. FORBES AFRICA profiles some of Africa’s biggest agripreneurs, inventors, and agribusiness leaders changing the way we think about farming, food security and climate resilience. They have cultivated a passion for smart agriculture and are leading the charge for social change not only for the sector but for the continent – and for humanity’s sustainable future.



<a href="https://shop.forbesafrica.com/shop/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Read about all the innovators in our June/July issue by getting your digital copy </a>


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<figure class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/twitter-banner-agri-1024x341.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-58451" width="592" height="196" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/twitter-banner-agri-1024x341.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/twitter-banner-agri-300x100.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/twitter-banner-agri-768x256.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/twitter-banner-agri-1536x512.jpg 1536w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/twitter-banner-agri-2048x683.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 592px) 100vw, 592px" /></figure></div>

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Africa’s Green Economy: ‘AIR IS AN UNDERUTILIZED RESOURCE’

<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-top-line">Top Line</h2>



Buckingham Palace in the United Kingdom (UK) has yet again reportedly declined a request to return the remains of an Ethiopian prince, Prince Dejatch Alemayehu, who came to be buried at Windsor Castle in the 19th Century. The re-emergence of this subject has caused a furore on social media with users calling the refusal “revolting”.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Key Facts</h2>



The descendants of Prince Alemayehu have made it abundantly clear that “it was not right” for him to be buried in another country other than his own.



&#8220;We want his remains back as a family and as Ethiopians because that is not the country he was born in,&#8221; one of the royal descendants, Fasil Minas, told the BBC.



However, a Buckingham Palace spokesperson has stated that removing his remains could affect others buried in the catacombs of St George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle.



“It is very unlikely that it would be possible to exhume the remains without disturbing the resting place of a substantial number of others in the vicinity,” the palace said, according to the BBC.



Social media users are up in arms by this decision with many calling for Buckingham Palace to not only return the remains of Alemayehu but other priceless artifacts that “do not belong to them”.



“It’s revolting how the monarchy won’t return the remains of Prince Alemayehu who they kidnapped from Ethiopia. So many of the world’s priceless artifacts were stolen by them and The British Museum, and should be returned.” 



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">It’s revolting how the monarchy won’t return the remains of Prince Alemayehu who they kidnapped from Ethiopia. So many of the world’s priceless artifacts were stolen by them and The British Museum, and should be returned. <a href="https://t.co/SAJLJTlzMz">pic.twitter.com/SAJLJTlzMz</a>&mdash; Merone (@Merone) <a href="https://twitter.com/Merone/status/1661077095793999872?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 23, 2023</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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“The idea that the British royals are somehow entitled to the body of Prince Alemayehu, even in death, is nothing short of grotesque. But it’s not unrelated to the fact that the young man was taken to England with a huge hoard of artifacts.” 



<figure class="wp-block-embed aligncenter is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">The idea that the British royals are somehow entitled to the body of Prince Alemayehu, even in death, is nothing short of grotesque. But it’s not unrelated to the fact that the young man was taken to England with a huge hoard of artifacts. <a href="https://t.co/b5od93LE9C">pic.twitter.com/b5od93LE9C</a>&mdash; Aparna Nair (@DisabilityStor1) <a href="https://twitter.com/DisabilityStor1/status/1660982626612641792?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 23, 2023</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">Return Prince Alemayehu to his home, he was captured in war&#8230;.British Royal family truly is savage and barbaric to deny this child peace in his death&#8230;.Shame on you King Charles and Buckingham Palace, treating a human being as looted treasure and denying him dignity in death <a href="https://t.co/vlrK3M5Ujb">pic.twitter.com/vlrK3M5Ujb</a>&mdash; Renee (@Aditiya_renee) <a href="https://twitter.com/Aditiya_renee/status/1660702214816448525?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 22, 2023</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">How colonizers colonize&#8230;.If the price of righting this wrong is to &quot;disturb&quot; Windsor burial sites, that&#39;s what consequences mean for a stealing a life, and a body. &quot;British royals refuse to return the remains of &#39;stolen&#39; teenage prince&quot; <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PrinceAlemayehu?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PrinceAlemayehu</a> <a href="https://t.co/5hp9dt6jci">https://t.co/5hp9dt6jci</a>&mdash; karla fc holloway (@ProfHolloway) <a href="https://twitter.com/ProfHolloway/status/1661021336087715845?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 23, 2023</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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The history of the prince’s story is well documented in both Ethiopia as well as in British society. At just seven years old, Prince Alemayehu was taken to the UK by British army officer Captain Tristram Speedy. As the son of one of the most prominent rulers in Ethiopian history, Emperor Tewodros II; Tewodros committed suicide as the British troops stormed the citadel of Magdala.



In 1868, British soldiers “looted” Tewodros’ imperial fortress after the battle, plundering thousands of cultural and religious artifacts such gold crowns, manuscripts, necklaces and dresses.



According to reports, once in the UK, Speedy presented the Prince to Queen Victoria who allegedly sympathized with the prince and agreed to support him financially. Multiple tales in history, including a diary entry by Queen Victoria, note how despite receiving a British Education, the rest of his upbringing he was miserable. Historians say that he was “deeply unhappy” during his time at



prestigious boarding schools like Rugby and Sandhurst military college as he frequently encountered racism, and that his requests to return home were ignored.



He died of pneumonia at age 18 and, at the reported request of Queen Victoria, was entombed in the catacombs in a corner of St George&#8217;s Chapel at Windsor Castle, the royal residence west of London.



This is not the first time that a request has been made to the Royal Family to return the remains of Alemayehu. According to The Guardian, the campaign to return the Prince to his home country began as early as 2006 with the late Queen Elizabeth II “rebuffing” the request. According to the Ethiopian embassy, the Lord Chamberlain replied on behalf of the Queen, saying “while Her Majesty was in favour of repatriation […] identifying the remains of young Prince Alemayehu would not be possible”. The prince’s remains had been added to a grave at St George’s Chapel with nine others.



This is a developing story: FORBES AFRICA reached out to the British Museum and Embassy of Ethiopia in London, but did not receive comment from either at the time of publication.

Dejatch Alamayou, King Theodore’s Son.

‘We Want His Remains Back’ Says Descendants Of Ethiopian Prince To Royal Family, But Palace Refuses

With his recent album, Timeless, making waves, Nigerian Afrobeats star Davido’s much-anticipated performance at the Forbes Under 30 Summit Africa in Botswana did not disappoint. The internationally-acclaimed singer, songwriter and producer also sat down with FORBES AFRICA to talk music and life.



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote has-text-align-center">
“To see Africans relate with other business pioneers is just great. There has been a lot of recognition of Africans.”
</blockquote>



The last time he stepped on a stage in Botswana, his album A Good Time was at the top of the charts with over one billion streams across various digital platforms.



Returning to Gaborone in Botswana’s capital from April 23-26 with his first new album in over three years, David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, walked off the stage, smiling gratefully as the crowd continued to sing the hit song Unavailable from his new album Timeless – which incidentally also features 2022 FORBES AFRICA 30 Under 30 list-maker Musa Keys (Musa Makamu).



“I&#8217;m unavailable (unavailable). Dem no dem see me (dem no dey see)…” the attendees at the Forbes Under 30 Africa Summit continue to chorus long after the award-winning artist has made his way to his VIP tent around 11PM on a beautiful Botswana night.



The superstar Nigerian Afrobeats singer attended the four-day summit in Gaborone this week, participating in an on-stage interview on day two of the event and signing off the ‘Bushfire Party’ on the final day with an electrifying performance.



“This is one of my first performances of the year,” Davido says to FORBES AFRICA backstage after leaving his fans wanting more at the Waterstone Events and Conferencing venue in Gaborone.



“It was really about me getting back to doing my job. The thing I love most about being an artist is being on tour. I love it. So the fact that I could not perform, I felt very [cloistered].”



This is in reference to the fact that for six months, Davido halted his performances and public appearances after the tragic loss of his son last year.



“God put a full stop to everything I was doing,” he said during his on-stage interview at the summit.



“I never thought I would be able to perform or sit here again. I never thought I would be the same… I had a lot of time to reflect and make changes.”



So the 2023 Forbes summit has been special.



“I mean the fans will always scream,” Davido laughs.



“It was fun to be on stage but being able to sit and listen to people’s visions and their businesses has really been amazing. To see Africans relate with other business pioneers is just great. There has been a lot of recognition of Africans,” he says of the summit sessions that brought together young entrepreneurs.



Davido was a surprise adjudicator for the ‘Pitch Battle’ which had aspiring entrepreneurs selling their ideas to some of the continent’s top venture capitalists in a small group setting on the grass at the Waterstone venue.



“I am just happy that [Forbes] have been recognizing young Africans,” Davido tells FORBES AFRICA. “To put young Africans and creatives together has been amazing to see.”



Although Davido is primarily an Afrobeats artist, for his ‘Bush Party’ performance, the singer/songwriter showed “love” for Amapiano artists like Lethabo Sebetso, professionally known as Focalistic, who made the FORBES AFRICA 30 Under 30 list this year.



Who is his favorite Amapiano artist, we ask.



“Oh no, that is a hard one,” Davido says. “Amapiano has so many great artists but if I had to choose just one, right now it would need to be Musa Keys [Musa Makamu]. But can I just say I have always loved music from South Africa like Mafizola and Askido.”



Collaborating with more South African or southern African artists, he admits he will be “dropping an EP in September”.



His recent new album, Timeless, which he calls “his miracle album”, debuted with 3.61 million streams, more than the previous record on Spotify for first-day streams (4.91 million).



“I would be lying to you if I told you I knew the business-end of music early on in my career,” he laughs. “But it is something I had to learn over time. I don’t think it is something that you already know when you get into the industry but I think it is something you really do need to take seriously, that is very important,” says the star on his early days in Africa’s burgeoning music industry.

Ilan Godfrey for Forbes-3899 (1)

‘Getting Back To Doing My Job’: Nigerian Superstar Davido Opens Up

With over 600 young brand ambassadors and/or business leaders expected to be part of the four-day event, the Forbes Under 30 Summit Africa kicked off in Botswana’s economic and political capital, Gaborone, on April 23.



Thousands gathered in Botswana’s capital Gaborone yesterday, April 23, in the historic Main Mall and square, for the pan-African opening of the Forbes Under 30 Summit Africa, held for a second year in the southern Africa city.



The four-day event kicked off with celebrations at the outdoor shopping and commercial hub as summit delegates and members of the public swayed to live on-stage music featuring energetic performances from some of Africa’s finest musical talent including Sauti Sol, Stabito, local Botswana artist Dato Seiko and one of the country’s rising stars, ATI.



South African Grammy award-winner Nomcebo Zikode also enthralled the audience with her foot-tapping music and viral smash single, Jerusalema.&nbsp;



The eager crowds gathered outside the Cresta President Hotel, known as a legacy hotel, overlooking the main stage.



“I am thrilled to be attending the 2023 summit,” said Muhle Ndwalane, the Managing Director of Asante Tech Solutions&nbsp;and FORBES AFRICA’s 2022 Under-30 lister. “This is one incredible platform that brings together some of the brightest minds and most innovative leaders from across the world.”



“With this being the first day of the summit, we have really been having fun,” said FORBES AFRICA’s 2021 Under-30 lister, filmmaker and creative director, Ifan Ifeanyi Michael, during the festivities.



“Apart from it being fun, it&#8217;s actually such a good networking experience for me. Meeting people from all parts of the continent, and all over the world; sharing business ideas, and also connecting with individuals who are also very optimistic about changing the narrative of Africa.”



Throughout the summit, attendees are looking forward to riveting conversations with change-makers from Africa and across the globe including the continent’s youngest billionaire Mohammed Dewji and Grammy award-winning artist Davido (who is also set to perform at the Bush Party), but part of the “fun” will be hearing from some of the past listers as well continuing the African growth story.



“This year I’m at the summit to speak on the topic of securing equitable funding, with fellow FORBES AFRICA listers Shaun Shoriwa and Charlot Magayi,” said Dr Brett Lyndall Singh, 2022 Under 30 list-maker, and founder and CEO of AOM GrouP.



“Last year, I came to the summit as an excited delegate, eager to learn from successful young entrepreneurs, and I ended up meeting a fellow lister, who became my co-founder! This year, I’m here to hear more! This summit is the most important event for any serious young entrepreneur, and I’m excited to share, learn and support this wonderful community.”



Held under the theme Entrepreneurial Africa—with Botswana at the Center, the summit will start day two with conversations and panel discussions with several African leaders and elite entrepreneurs, at the Botswana Innovation Hub.

Copy of Copy of Ilan Godfrey for Forbes_T1A5622

‘This Summit Is The Most Important Event For Any Serious Young Entrepreneur’: The Forbes Under 30 Summit Africa Opens In Gaborone 

In 2018, Oluwatosin Ajibade, better known as Mr Eazi, made the FORBES AFRICA 30 Under 30 list. The journey to that began in 2016, when Ajibade took the world by storm with his Afrobeats hit single Leg Over.



Following his success as an artist, as a serial entrepreneur and founder of emPawa Africa (a talent incubator program that funds and mentors emerging African artists), Ajibade is back in South Africa. For this interview from his sun-sea-sand base in Cape Town, he talks about his business ventures and upcoming albums.



Q. What can fans expect from your forthcoming albums?



A. A lot of things changed since the last time [FORBES AFRICA] spoke to me [which was when I had just made the 30 Under 30 list]; things even changed for me musically. Part of it has been that I founded something known as Chop Life Ministries. I was tired of doing the same thing; I was bored of the routine, and needed a new challenge. So I went to spend more time working on my entrepreneurial activities… It was like Chop Life (which had a massive turnout in Rwanda and Sweden) is an African Tomorrowland (electronic dance music festival), you know, with me as host and MC. So this album, Chop Life Volume One, which for the first time is dropping on March 31, is like that whole spirit [of Tomorrowland]…



Q. A lot of young people who enter the music industry do not realize they need to understand the business side of things. How important is it to be business-savvy in the entertainment industry?



A. I think in fairness to most artists, they know they need to be savvy, or they want to be savvy, but it&#8217;s not an easy job mixing, you know, the creativity and the business because both are actually creative endeavors. And both take a toll on the mind. You must write this record and you must focus on writing these beautiful melodies and focus on representing yourself as a creative, as an artist, and as a superstar. But at the same time, you still have to be thinking about some emails, being on some Zoom calls and all of those things. But I feel my talent really is creating stuff. Whether it&#8217;s in the boardroom, or on the Zoom call, it’s business, it’s music. I was just born to create.



Q. What does the future of music in Africa look like?



A. I think the future for African music is very great. It continues to be a growing market. We see more artists breaking globally, undiluted, which gives more power to the creatives. By power I mean for them to have more freedom to create what they want to create, and then be in a better position to not just take any deal. Because I think it&#8217;s just amazing how 90% of African artists are still independent in some form or the other. So, I think it&#8217;s positive.

IMG_2115 2 (1)

‘I Was Just Born To Create’: Mr Eazi On The Future Of African Music

From soap operas to sipping (and selling) wine, Mbalenhle Mavimbela rose to popularity in South Africa in 2020 with streaming platform Showmax airing the telenovela, The Wife, based on Dudu Busani-Dube’s book series Hlomu the Wife. Mavimbela, who plays the lead as Hlomu, chats to FORBES AFRICA about how she was never prepared for the reception and fandom the show gave her, and also her role as a spirited entrepreneur off-screen:



Q. The Wife has been received well and has everyone hooked every Thursday. How has your own life changed since its inception?



A. This was literally my breakout role, also [in] just realizing that this role [brought] more of a healing process for South Africans, both men and women. It has changed my life but also clearly the lives of others too. And it’s just insane how I impacted so many people, people even older than me… When they see me, they remind me that ‘hey, you’re powerful, we see you, we love your vulnerability’. 



Q. From entertainment to business… You are also the founder and CEO of a South African wine brand, Moments. What made you venture into wine?



A. [When it came to] venturing into business… firstly, I just thought about how I could use the platform I have right now because I’ve always been business-minded; I’ve always loved business. Wine was the first drink I had when I started drinking alcohol. So it’s always been the drink of choice. But I have always had an idea at the back of my head, just waiting for me to start. I wasn’t overly obsessed with wine, but I just knew that I have to have my own wine. I wanted a story or something that everyone could relate to.



Q. If your younger self could see you now, what would she say? 



A. My younger self would say ‘this is only the beginning, Mbalenhle, I am proud that you trusted us to do what you are doing right now and I want you continue to show what greatness is through your life…’ [And If I could ever offer advice to anyone, it would be] that the little voice [in your head] that does not want you to start something, ignore that; what little voice that thinks you’re not good enough to succeed, quieten that voice and go for everything that this world has to offer.

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Something To Wine About: ‘I wasn’t overly obsessed with wine, but I just knew that I have to have my own’

67| CHAIR, INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE (IOC) ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON HUMAN RIGHTS| SOUTH AFRICA



In 2022, Dr Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka took home the FORBES WOMAN AFRICA Lifetime Achievement Award at the 7th annual Leading Women Summit. The former UN Women Executive Director’s recent appointment as the Chairperson of The International Olympic Committee (IOC) Advisory Committee on Human Rights is just one example of how success has no age limit.



“Dr Mlambo-Ngcuka has devoted her career to issues of human rights, equality, and social justice, and her experience will help the IOC enhance respect for human rights across our three spheres of responsibility,” said IOC President Thomas Bach in a December statement after her appointment.



Mlambo-Ngcuka was born in Clermont, a township of Durban in KwaZulu-Natal, which housed multiple notable residents like Nonkululeko Nyembezi-Heita (chairperson of the Standard Bank Group), actor Muzi Mthabela and former anti-apartheid activist Eric Mtshali.



Having attended schools in KwaZulu-Natal, Lesotho, and England, the start of Mlambo-Ngcuka&#8217;s illustrious career began in the 1980s when she started at some of the world&#8217;s largest organizations in Geneva, to take up the position as the coordinator at World YWCA, where she established a global program for young women.



“I owe most of my breakthroughs to supportive and tough leadership of both men and women who assigned me to take up roles I learned a lot from,” Mlambo-Ngcuka says to FORBES AFRICA.



She was in Geneva from 1984 to 1989 and then returned to South Africa where she spearheaded TEAM in Cape Town, an ecumenical organization that focused on upskilling women, and where she was held to a high standard as a leader in the women&#8217;s movement, especially in the fight against apartheid.



“These were leaders who were both inspiring and they set the bar high and gave support when I faced challenges.”



Mlambo-Ngcuka has dedicated her career to “issues of human rights, equality and social justice, with a specific emphasis on gender and youth development”. In a 2022 interview with Global Citizen, she reflected about being part of the apartheid regime as a young South African activist which is why she has so much respect for young people fighting for equal opportunities today.



“[Young people] will take whatever steps necessary to achieve their objectives,” Mlambo-Ngcuka told Global Citizen. “&#8230;This is where you can see that it is really necessary to open up and allow young people to play the role they want to play in providing leadership and solutions in society.”



Her political career in South Africa also consisted of her working “tirelessly” to build and create policies and programs to diminish inequality, which began in 1994 when she became a member of the first democratically-elected South African Parliament. In 2005, she became the first woman to hold the position of Deputy President, the highest-ranking female political leader in the history of South Africa.



According to the University of the Witwatersrand, located in one of South Africa’s biggest economic hubs; Johannesburg, her 2005 appointment as the country’s first female Deputy President was not “only a win for women but it paved the way for sharper policies to unlock bottlenecks that suppressed economic growth”.



Mlambo-Ngcuka was happy to see change.



“Men are still dominating in most fields,” Mlambo-Ngcuka says. “Change is slow and it will not be permanent if we don&#8217;t focus on making it permanent.”



In data released by the World Bank showing the proportion of seats held by women in national parliaments for South Africa was only 33% in 2008. In 2021, that number rose to 47%, making South Africa the second-highest in having female members in parliament, Rwanda being the first with 61%.



“As women get into decision-making in parliaments, private sector boards, civil society,” Mlambo-Ngcuka further tells FORBES AFRICA, “they must ensure policies and special measures that promote women and sustain those roles. Ensure women gain irreversible momentum.



“Younger women have to keep rising and taking up space. The older good men and women must provide a support system, offer them opportunities and continuous push. Education in this context is critical but education alone is not enough; own drive and support are necessary. Young women must never forget the importance of sisterhood and organizing.”



In 2021, after completing her term as United Nations’ (UN) Under Secretary-General and Executive Director of UN Women, her colleagues and friends bid her farewell describing her as a visionary inter-generational champion.



But this not mean slowing down in any way for Mlambo-Ngcuka as she continues to be engaged and affiliated with organizations committed to education, women empowerment, and gender equality.



“In 50 years, we should not be talking about female leaders, we should just be talking about leaders.” Mlambo-Ngcuka concludes. There should be a representation of women at higher echelons as a norm.



Both men and women should play an equal role in leadership with no spotlight on women. This is what we are working towards.”


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<a href="https://www.forbesafrica.com/lists/2023/02/14/50-over-50-success-at-every-age/">For the full 50 Over 50 List </a>

Author: Chanel Retief

FORBES AFRICA SOCIAL MEDIA