At the 2020 FORBES WOMAN AFRICA Leading Women Summit in Durban on March 6, for the first time on the same stage, South Africa’s minister Dr Naledi Pandor and her entrepreneur-daughter Dr Aisha Pandor revealed their secrets to continued success.



It’s not often we get to witness a famous mother and daughter on the same stage sharing their lessons on success and legacy. And this duo was certainly doing so for the first time.



At the 2020 FORBES WOMAN AFRICA Leading Women Summit in Durban, South Africa, on March 6, Dr Naledi Pandor, the country’s Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, and Dr Aisha Pandor, CEO and Co-founder of SweepSouth, engaged in a stimulating and thought-provoking panel discussion titled ‘How To Raise A CEO’.



“Thank you very much to FORBES WOMAN AFRICA for the opportunity to be here with Aisha. I don’t often get a chance to see her. So it’s lovely to see you Aisha,” opened the much-loved minister, to laughter from the audience in the large ballroom at the international convention center in Durban.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="517" src="https://www.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Forbes-LWS2020KZN-2778-e1586614377306-1024x517.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-44166" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Forbes-LWS2020KZN-2778-e1586614377306-1024x517.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Forbes-LWS2020KZN-2778-e1586614377306-300x151.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Forbes-LWS2020KZN-2778-e1586614377306-600x303.jpg 600w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Forbes-LWS2020KZN-2778-e1586614377306-768x388.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Forbes-LWS2020KZN-2778-e1586614377306-1536x775.jpg 1536w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Forbes-LWS2020KZN-2778-e1586614377306.jpg 1623w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption>Gugu Mfuphi, Dr Aisha Pandor, and Dr Naledi Pandor </figcaption></figure>



The panel’s moderator Gugu Mfuphi began with a comic disclaimer that Dr Naledi has four children and that Dr Aisha is certainly “not the favorite”. As the audience lapped up the moment, the minister, with a broad smile, shook her head in disagreement, saying: “They are all my favorite!”



<figure class="wp-block-pullquote"><blockquote>“It was very clear – just nurture them in a wide range of things. That’s really important.”<cite>&#8211; Dr Naledi Pandor</cite></blockquote></figure>



There was more laughter and life lessons in store, as the audience got to see the lighter side of the minister.



“As a mother, what I tried to do is nurture her where she wished to grow, but also, to encourage her to have as much experience in a range of areas as possible. We would encourage academic work. We also encouraged sport, creativity; all my kids had to do speech and drama at school, it was very clear – just nurture them in a wide range of things. I think that’s really important,” said the senior Pandor.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="711" height="883" src="https://www.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Forbes-LWS2020KZN-2806-cropped.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-44176" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Forbes-LWS2020KZN-2806-cropped.jpg 711w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Forbes-LWS2020KZN-2806-cropped-300x373.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Forbes-LWS2020KZN-2806-cropped-600x745.jpg 600w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Forbes-LWS2020KZN-2806-cropped-242x300.jpg 242w" sizes="(max-width: 711px) 100vw, 711px" /></figure>



While she mapped out her daughter’s career path, she later came to an important realization.



“She was really good in science. I love science but I’m bad at it. So I thought ‘God gave me Aisha, she’s going to achieve you know, because she was good at math and science’. And so she did very well at school, and went into the science faculty, did very well at the undergraduate level, was invited to carry on with an honors degree. She did very well and was asked to proceed to her Masters prior to finishing the honors. So, I was over the moon. It’s my dream, right? She continues from Masters into the PhD track, and completes her PhD with much fanfare and celebration on our part because now I’m thinking ‘here’s our senior research partner’. All these things I’ve been talking about science and technology, my child is going to live the example. Well lo and behold…”



The minister went on to offer more life-changing anecdotes about her daughter.



“One day, Aisha comes with her husband – who happens to be a software engineer – they tell us about this plan they’ve cooked up; that they’re going to start this tech start-up. And so I say to her ‘what about your research career?”. And she goes ‘this is what I want to do”. I say ‘what, but you’ve got a PhD, you could be a professor at the University of Cape Town, what are you talking about?’ And she says, ‘no mom, we’ve designed this program, we’ve started our company’. They began to tell me and her father all about it. Both of us were livid. I must tell you we thought ‘these kids are going to be a problem for us, they’ll be coming to beg for money and everything’. Few years down the line, and here we are! I’m very proud of her. I’ve learned my lesson. Let your children go where they wish to go!”



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="681" src="https://www.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Forbes-LWS2020KZN-2807-1024x681.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-44169" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Forbes-LWS2020KZN-2807-1024x681.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Forbes-LWS2020KZN-2807-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Forbes-LWS2020KZN-2807-600x399.jpg 600w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Forbes-LWS2020KZN-2807-768x511.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Forbes-LWS2020KZN-2807-1536x1022.jpg 1536w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Forbes-LWS2020KZN-2807.jpg 1623w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption>Dr Aisha Pandor</figcaption></figure>



Aisha, along with her husband, learned quickly that being a CEO will require significant sacrifice.



“I lived with my parents for probably four years after starting our business. We eventually ended up selling everything we had, to fund the business,” she said.



“Our parents brought us up to have the right moral compass. Education and the idea of learning and knowledge have been very important. My parents gave us freedom in the decisions we made based on the fact that they knew they had given us that grounding.”  



Watch the full panel discussion below: 



<figure class="wp-block-embed-youtube wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<iframe loading="lazy" title="#LWS2020KZN: Mother &amp; Daughter - How To Raise A CEO" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/kqJiWcLTgGY?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
</div></figure>

Forbes LWS2020KZN-2791

How To Raise A CEO: A Mother And Daughter Share Lessons

All roads led to Durban in South Africa’s KwaZulu-Natal province for the FORBES WOMAN AFRICA 2020 Leading Women Summit that brought together a star-studded gathering of female leaders and A-listers from across Africa and beyond.



On March 6, at the fifth annual FORBES WOMAN AFRICA Leading Women Summit, held for the second time in Durban, a galaxy of Africa’s stars drawn from business, arts, sports, politics and public life, descended at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre Complex for a power-packed day of talks and discussions that centered on one topic: the advancement of women.



Ahead of International Women’s Day on March 8, about 800 attendees hobnobbed with some of Africa’s most powerful women in the same room, at the one-day event themed ‘The Ceiling Crashers 2.0: Power With Purpose’, hosted by the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government and presented by Mastercard.



The air was redolent with excitement as the event opened to a full house with seasoned dancers moving to the melody of Grammy-award winning artist Beyoncé’s song, Spirit.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="682" height="1024" src="https://www.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Forbes-LWS2020KZN-1120-682x1024.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-44062" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Forbes-LWS2020KZN-1120-682x1024.jpg 682w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Forbes-LWS2020KZN-1120-300x451.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Forbes-LWS2020KZN-1120-600x901.jpg 600w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Forbes-LWS2020KZN-1120-200x300.jpg 200w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Forbes-LWS2020KZN-1120.jpg 719w" sizes="(max-width: 682px) 100vw, 682px" /><figcaption>Nomusa Dube-Ncube</figcaption></figure>



In her opening speech, Nomusa Dube-Ncube, MEC for Economic Development, Tourism &amp; Environmental Affairs, KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government, said the FORBES WOMAN AFRICA Leading Women Summit is about reawakening the spirit of sisterhood and strengthening the solidarity among African women. “We are here to remind each other that our fate is bound together. The summit gives us that opportunity to recharge, redefine our steps in the fight of the dignity of the African woman irrespective of which part of the globe we may be coming from.”



One of the opening keynote speakers was Suzanne Morel, Country Manager, Mastercard South Africa, who provided insight on unlocking new innovations and opportunities for women in the global financial economy. “Inequality and exclusion still holds girls and women back in many aspects of their everyday lives. While positive steps have been taken to level the playing field, too much of the world is still designed without women in mind and without women involved,” she noted.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="683" src="https://www.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Forbes-LWS2020KZN-1108-1024x683.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-44064" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Forbes-LWS2020KZN-1108-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Forbes-LWS2020KZN-1108-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Forbes-LWS2020KZN-1108-600x400.jpg 600w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Forbes-LWS2020KZN-1108-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Forbes-LWS2020KZN-1108-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Forbes-LWS2020KZN-1108.jpg 1620w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption>Renuka Methil</figcaption></figure>



In her welcome address, Renuka Methil, Managing Editor of FORBES WOMAN AFRICA and FORBES AFRICA, described the summit as “a live 4D interpretation of the magazines”, adding that “it has become pertinent to convene and re-convene such gatherings to increase the decibel on the progress women have made and that it just cannot be business as usual as we need to double our efforts in catalyzing gender parity”.



During her talk on ‘Restructuring the C-Suite model in the 4IR era’, Dr Judy Dlamini, Founder, Mbekani Group, said “over time, people have realized we’ve got to have an inclusive culture; that inclusive culture is driven by the CEO”.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="683" src="https://www.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Forbes-LWS2020KZN-2791-1024x683.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-44059" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Forbes-LWS2020KZN-2791-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Forbes-LWS2020KZN-2791-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Forbes-LWS2020KZN-2791-600x400.jpg 600w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Forbes-LWS2020KZN-2791-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Forbes-LWS2020KZN-2791-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Forbes-LWS2020KZN-2791.jpg 1620w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



One of the most popular panels on the day was when mother and daughter duo, Dr Naledi Pandor and Dr Aisha Pandor, stepped on stage for an inspiring discussion on ‘How to raise a CEO’.



Among other highlights, a one-to-one with Miss Universe 2011, Leila Lopes, also an entrepreneur, ensued, while award-winning South African songstress Lira delivered a soulful talk on finding her tune in business.&nbsp;



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="683" src="https://www.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Forbes-LWS2020KZN-4053-1024x683.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-44058" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Forbes-LWS2020KZN-4053-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Forbes-LWS2020KZN-4053-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Forbes-LWS2020KZN-4053-600x400.jpg 600w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Forbes-LWS2020KZN-4053-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Forbes-LWS2020KZN-4053-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Forbes-LWS2020KZN-4053.jpg 1620w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



The summit’s most powerful segment, called ‘In the Spotlight’, unraveled, featuring inspirational women such as DJ Zinhle, Bogolo Kenewendo, Malaika Uwamahoro, Ranya Kargbo, Caitlin Rooskrantz, Nozuko Teto, Londy Ngcobo, Jaishree Naidoo, and Lebohang Lebogo, all of who received a standing ovation in the end.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="683" src="https://www.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Forbes-LWS2020KZN-4201-1024x683.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-44061" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Forbes-LWS2020KZN-4201-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Forbes-LWS2020KZN-4201-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Forbes-LWS2020KZN-4201-600x400.jpg 600w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Forbes-LWS2020KZN-4201-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Forbes-LWS2020KZN-4201-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Forbes-LWS2020KZN-4201.jpg 1620w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



The audience, eager to be inspired and informed, were treated to riveting conversations that included a panel discussion based on the March issues of FORBES AFRICA and FORBES WOMAN AFRICA featuring an unprecedented, unranked list of ‘Africa’s 50 Most Powerful Women’, and on the panel were Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, Olajumoke Adenowo, Glenda Gray and Bonang Matheba. 



The evening of the summit unfolded with the glittering FORBES WOMAN AFRICA Gala Dinner at the same venue punctuated with awards. The red carpet witnessed A-list African glamor at its best.&nbsp;



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="683" src="https://www.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Forbes-LWS2020KZN-5167-1024x683.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-44065" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Forbes-LWS2020KZN-5167-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Forbes-LWS2020KZN-5167-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Forbes-LWS2020KZN-5167-600x400.jpg 600w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Forbes-LWS2020KZN-5167-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Forbes-LWS2020KZN-5167-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Forbes-LWS2020KZN-5167.jpg 1620w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption>Rakesh Wahi</figcaption></figure>



In his opening address, Rakesh Wahi, Vice Chairman of the ABN Group and founder and publisher of FORBES WOMAN AFRICA and FORBES AFRICA, emphasized the education of women. “I implore everyone in this room to pay more attention to this aspect of imbalance, particularly in the rural areas of our society. If you educate one girl in your lifetime, you will be part of the change needed and not part of a compromise that is expected,” he said.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="681" src="https://www.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Forbes-LWS2020KZN-5577-1024x681.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-44066" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Forbes-LWS2020KZN-5577-1024x681.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Forbes-LWS2020KZN-5577-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Forbes-LWS2020KZN-5577-600x399.jpg 600w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Forbes-LWS2020KZN-5577-768x511.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Forbes-LWS2020KZN-5577-1536x1022.jpg 1536w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Forbes-LWS2020KZN-5577.jpg 1623w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption>Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma</figcaption></figure>



The awards recognized some of Africa’s most impactful women. Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, South Africa’s Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, was honored with the Legacy Award and received a standing ovation as she made her way to the podium. “I was very inspired today when I saw young women doing what was thought to be impossible. We want more women to succeed,” she said, concluding the dazzling awards night, even as DJ Zinhle, also a winner, took to the stage with her electrifying house music.



WINNERS OF THE 2020 FORBES WOMAN AFRICA AWARDS:



Forbes Woman Africa



Gen Y Award



Nthabiseng Mosia, Founder,



Easy Solar, Sierra Leone



Forbes Woman Africa Technology and



Innovation Award



Dr Aisha Pandor, Co-founder,



SweepSouth, South Africa



Forbes Woman Africa



Entertainer Award



DJ Zinhle, South Africa



Forbes Woman Africa



Entrepreneur Award



Olajumoke Adenowo, Founder,



Ad Consulting, Nigeria



Forbes Woman Africa Male Gender Advocate Award



Bafana Khumalo, Co-founder,



Sonke Gender Justice, South Africa



Forbes Woman Africa



Social Impact Award



Charmaine Mabuza, Co-founder, Zamani Holdings, South Africa



Forbes Woman Africa



Pioneer Award



Irene Charnley, Founder and Deputy Chairman, Smile Telecoms,



South Africa



Forbes Woman Africa



Chairperson Award



Ibukun Awosika, Chairman,



First Bank of Nigeria



Forbes Woman Africa



Legacy Award



Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, South Africa

Forbes LWS2020KZN-5816

#LWS2020KZN: Power, Profit And Purpose With Africa’s Ceiling Crashers

At the 2020 FORBES WOMAN AFRICA Leading Women Summit in South Africa’s KwaZulu-Natal on March 6, DJ Zinhle shone in the spotlight, talking about her journey from rock-bottom to record-breaking. 



As the
woman responsible for South Africa’s My Name Is hit song
makes her way onto the stage, there is rapturous applause from a 1,000 strong
audience, gathered at Durban’s international convention center for the 2020 FORBES WOMAN AFRICA Leading Women Summit.



Zinhle
Jiyane, popularly known as DJ Zinhle, walks up to the solo stage with her
four-year-old daughter, Kairo Forbes, who she calls one of her “biggest
achievements”.



South
Africa’s award-winning DJ and media personality presents an inspirational
speech during the summit’s #SPOTLIGHT session.



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://www.forbeswomanafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Forbes-LWS2020KZN-3991-1024x681.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-41543"/></figure>



“You’re lazy. You’re extremely lazy,” cites Zinhle as the words that shaped her into the woman she is today.



As a
child, Zinhle, who hails from KwaZulu-Natal, was heartbroken every time she was
called lazy.



“I knew I was a creative at heart. My lack of interest in limited career options and the mundane robotic task of drying the dishes didn’t really appeal to me. That’s the thing that got me the title ‘vila voco’ (meaning an extremely lazy person in English).”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



Despite
that, Zinhle went on to pursue a BCom in marketing
at the University of Johannesburg. Graduating at the top of her class gave her the first dose of confidence.



“It was
possible. Although ‘vila voco’ might have been ringing in my head, at least I knew that it was possible to put in
the hard work and get
good results. That gave me all the confidence I need to
take over the world.
And that’s exactly what I did.”



READ MORE | <a href="https://www.forbeswomanafrica.com/woman/2020/03/11/lws2020kzn-the-forbes-woman-africa-2020-leading-women-summit-sets-the-bar-high-for-2021/">The FORBES WOMAN AFRICA 2020 Leading Women Summit Sets The Bar High For 2021</a>



Her new
found self-assurance propelled her to do more.



“In
2009, I launched Fuse Academy, the first and only DJ female academy in South Africa. Ten years later, the academy has
produced working DJs in
the industry that have contributed largely to the overall
entertainment
industry.”



After
eight years of resilience in the music industry, she finally scored her big break. 



“I had a song called My Name Is featuring Busiswa which became one of the biggest songs in 2012, not only in South Africa, but in most parts of Africa. This song was special to me because for the first time I knew what real success was. It was an exciting time for me as a woman”.



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://www.forbeswomanafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Forbes-LWS2020KZN-3999-1024x681.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-41542"/></figure>



Music
has always been the DJ’s first love, so while one hand was on the decks, she
tried the other hand at entrepreneurship.



“In 2013, I launched my jewelry business, Era By DJ Zinhle. Seven years later, my pride and joy is the first black female owned business to distribute through American Swiss.”



The hit
maker has been vocal about the importance of female empowerment. Her
involvement in a project seeking to do just this inspired her to put pen to
paper.



“In
2017, I joined a very important project called ‘It Takes A Village’ on SABC1 focusing on 11
young women who needed to deal with the demons
of their past. My role was to help them through this process, and help them find a better future for themselves. Spending time
with these incredible
ladies inspired me to write a book.”



Along with Nokubonga Mbanga, Zinhle published a book called Meeting Your Power that went on to become a best-seller.



READ MORE | <a href="https://www.forbesafrica.com/arts/2019/04/10/noami-campbell-has-big-plans-for-africa/">Naomi Campbell Has Big Plans For Africa</a>



Her new
hit Umlilo featuring Mvzzle &amp; Rethabile is her
latest achievement. The song, which means ‘fire’, was one of the biggest hits
to come out of South Africa in 2019.



“I’m very
proud of this song. Umlilo was out for
three months and had already reached platinum. It had over five million streams
in two months. Over and above that, it was crowned the crossover song by Metro
FM and many other radio stations. The last time Metro FM had a female-led song
as the crossover song of the year was in 1997 when Brenda Fassie took it with Vulindlela.”



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://www.forbeswomanafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Pic-3.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-41518"/></figure>



On March 6, Zinhle also won the 2020 FORBES WOMAN AFRICA Entertainer Award.

Forbes LWS2020KZN-3918

DJ Zinhle: The ‘Lazy Kid’ Who Achieved Platinum Success

Africa’s most dynamic thought-leaders, industry game-changers
and icons of social activism are set to feature at the ex<a>clusive
FORBES WOMAN AFRICA Leading Women Summit </a>presented by Mastercard (#LWS2020KZN)
and hosted by the KwaZulu-Natal government &#8211; taking place at the Inkosi Albert
Luthuli ICC Complex in Durban on Friday, 6 March 2020.



For the 5th edition of this globally-renowned
event, panellists and speakers will engage with the impactful 2020 theme, ‘The
Ceiling Crashers 2.0: Power with Purpose’. The day’s thought-provoking
discussions will be followed by the highly-anticipated <a>FORBES
WOMAN AFRICA Awards Gala Dinner </a>which celebrates the continent’s most
influential female ‘ceiling crashers’ across a number of key categories.&nbsp; 



“The <a>FORBES WOMAN AFRICA Leading
Women Summit </a>has grown to become one of the biggest female-empowerment
events, boasting a high calibre of attendees and unparalleled speaker line-up,”
said Renuka Methil, Managing Editor of FORBES WOMAN AFRICA. 



“This promises to be the biggest instalment yet,
featuring female pioneers and path-breakers across the continent. Audiences will
be exposed to dynamic discussions about the growing the number of women in
leadership &#8211; something government and business really need to factor into their
strategies. We will also get to grips with a new discourse that focuses on dismantling
power structures and the need for truly inclusive cultures in business and
society.”



This highly-anticipated event, which is hosted annually
in honour of International Women’s Day, is expected to draw an audience of
around 1 000 leading women. Through hard-hitting talks, fireside chats and
insightful panel sessions centred on ‘ceiling crashers’, attendees will be
inspired to make meaningful changes within their own industries, secure in the
knowledge that they have the support of these innovative allies. This year’s
programme promises an influential mix of leaders in healthcare and business;
advocates of social and environmental activism; award-winning artists and
internationally-renowned stateswomen. 



For the first time, FORBES WOMAN AFRICA will be releasing
its own list of ‘Africa’s Most Powerful Women’, many of whom will be attending
the summit. The list will be published in the March issue of the magazine, outlining
those who have been leading ideas and industries while purposefully
contributing to nation-building and positively impacting the lives around them.



The FORBES WOMAN AFRICA Awards Gala Dinner, which is
hosted the evening of the summit, is an opportunity to recognise the
trailblazers and role models who have created a new narrative within their
industries. By challenging authority and ‘old school’ traditions, they are
enabling future generations to live in a better and more equal world. 



Beatrice Cornacchia, Senior Vice President, Marketing and
Communications, Mastercard Middle East and Africa, said: “African women are a
vital source of innovation, prosperity, and economic growth. Yet inequality and
exclusion still hold women back in many aspects of their everyday lives &#8211; from
growing their businesses to having the financial tools to participate in the
formal economy; from joining the C-Suite to following their passions. We are
proud to partner with FORBES WOMAN AFRICA as we believe that it is only by
bringing diverse perspectives to the table that we can unlock Africa’s
possibilities to women.”



Managing Director of the ABN Group, Roberta Naicker, said
the organisation was excited that the KwaZulu-Natal government would, once
again, play host to this illustrious event, which serves to highlight the
continent’s most influential female leaders while also shining a spotlight on
this beautiful region. “A summit of this calibre showcases that KZN is being
positioned as a world-class events’ destination. We are excited to have
renowned speakers and attendees will get the opportunity to engage on hard-hitting
issues during the summit, while also affording them the chance to enjoy the
many recreational tourism sites and activities for which KZN is renowned.”



Tickets to the exclusive 2020 FORBES WOMAN AFRICA Leading
Women Summit and Gala Dinner are available at a cost of R3499, available
through Webtickets (<a href="https://www.webtickets.co.za/v2/event.aspx?itemid=1496991848">https://www.webtickets.co.za/v2/event.aspx?itemid=1496991848</a>).
Tickets are limited and interested parties are urged to book early to avoid
disappointment. There are also select opportunities to get involved with the event
sponsorship, exhibiting at the on-site marketplace or by sponsoring a mentee. Please
visit website for further details.



The 2020 FORBES WOMAN AFRICA Leading Women Summit is
presented by Mastercard (@MastercardMEA) and hosted by KZN Provincial
Government (@KZNgov). Keep updated on all the latest news and announcements on
Twitter @LWSummit and join the conversation using the hashtags #LWS2020KZN
#DOKZN.



Contact details:



Office: +27 (11) 384 0300



Sponsorship and exhibition opportunities: <a href="mailto:Sales_South_Africa@abn360.com">Sales_South_Africa@abn360.com</a> 



Media partnerships and press accreditation: <a href="mailto:oj@oliviajones.co.za">oj@oliviajones.co.za</a> 



Event-related queries: <a href="mailto:events@abn360.com">events@abn360.com</a>



Website:<a href="http://www.Leadingwomensummit.co.za">www.Leadingwomensummit.co.za</a>

LWS_Social-Media_Twitter_announcement_1

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Africa’s Most Dynamic Thought-Leaders, Industry Game-Changers And Icons Of Social Activism Set To Feature At The Exclusive FORBES WOMAN AFRICA 2020 Leading Women Summit