The prestigious Nedbank Oliver Top Empowerment Awards 2025 took centre stage on the night of 31 July 2025, celebrating the exceptional individuals, companies, and organisations driving transformation and empowerment across South Africa. Held under the theme “Defying Limits, Empowering Change,” the event gathered the country’s foremost leaders, changemakers and visionaries in a powerful tribute to inclusive growth and economic justice.
Hosted by the renowned broadcaster Leanne Manas, the evening commenced with a welcome address by Ralf Fletcher, CEO of Topco Media, who acknowledged the remarkable progress being made in economic empowerment. The event featured insights from the esteemed judging panel during a live Q&A session with Khensani Nobanda, Group Executive: Group Marketing and Corporate Affairs at Nedbank, and Gavin Fitzmaurice, Partner at Webber Wentzel, who reflected on the calibre of this year’s entries.
Guests were further inspired by a powerful keynote from Mfundo Nkuhlu, Chief Operating Officer of Nedbank Group, followed by an address from the Honourable Minister Solly Malatsi, Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies, who spoke to the critical role of digital transformation in building an inclusive, empowered future.
Congratulations to the finalists and winners of the categories:
TOP EMPOWERED COMPANY: FAST GROWTH BLACK-OWNED SMME OF THE YEAR AWARD
Winner: Bono Property Group
Finalists:
Big Eye Minerals & Energy
TCTS AUTOBODY
Wallace & Green
AND 310 EMS Projects (Pty) Ltd
Mlambo & Associates
EconoBEE
Blu Water Technologies
Maphikwana Group (Pty) Ltd
Trade Capital Finance
Vantage Advisory
Tshinwelo Innovative Business Solutions
Muncho
Bubbly Agent
Ambesha Africa
Insurazo Risk Partners (Pty) Limited
TOP EMPOWERED COMPANY: PUBLIC SECTOR OF THE YEAR AWARD
Winner: South African Revenue Service (SARS)
Finalists:
Community Schemes Ombud Service (CSOS)
Ethekwini Municipality
Breede Valley Local Municipality
Property Practitioners Regulatory Authority
TOP EMPOWERED COMPANY: ENTERPRISE AND SUPPLIER DEVELOPMENT OF THE YEAR AWARD, Sponsored by Nedbank
Winner: Mondi Zimele (Pty) Ltd
Finalists:
City Lodge Hotels Ltd
Isanti Glass
Liquid Intelligent Technologies
Icebolethu Group
TOP EMPOWERED COMPANY: DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION IN THE WORKPLACE OF THE YEAR AWARD
Winner: Schneider Electric
Finalists:
Siyanqoba Ngamandla Holdings
HG Travelling Services
Nexia SAB&T
Shared Value Africa (SVA) & Shift Impact Africa
Pamodzi Unique Engineering
VEA Road Maintenance
RCPM Industries
Ethekwini Municipality
Sanofi
Y-Brand
TOP EMPOWERED COMPANY: SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS OF THE YEAR AWARD
Winner: Nestlé ESAR
Highly Commended: Isanti Glass
Finalists:
Schneider Electric
Tyrec (Pty) Ltd
Merchants
Gordon Carbon Solutions
TOP EMPOWERED COMPANY: YOUTH DEVELOPMENT OF THE YEAR AWARD, Sponsored by Nedbank
Winner: Sanlam Life
Finalists:
Provest Cementitious Products (Pty) Ltd
Nexia SAB&T
RedM Professional Services (Pty) Ltd
City Lodge Hotels Ltd
Geeks4Learning (PTY) Ltd
Merchants
HomeComing Events
Pamodzi Unique Engineering
Youth Bridge Trust
MBVIT
Schneider Electric
Liquid Intelligent Technologies
TOP EMPOWERED COMPANY: DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION OF THE YEAR AWARD
Winner: Vaxowave
Finalists:
Old Mutual
Tshinwelo Innovative Business Solutions
Konica Minolta South Africa
South African Revenue Service (SARS)
Boxfusion
Limitles Engineer, trading as BUY BRICS+
TOP EMPOWERED COMPANY: SOCIO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF THE YEAR AWARD
Winner: Sasol Limited
Finalists:
SLG (Pty) Ltd
Mondi Zimele (Pty) Ltd
Nexia SAB&T
Ntiyiso Consulting Group
Isanti Glass
Oceana Group Limited
Liquid Intelligent Technologies
AECI
TOP EMPOWERED: LIFETIME ACHIEVER OF THE YEAR AWARD
Honourable Minister Enoch Godongwana – Minister of Finance for South Africa
MUNICIPAL WOMEN LEADERSHIP EXCELLENCE AWARD, Sponsored by SALGA
Cllr. Queen Xulu – uMlalazi Municipality
Cllr. Mamedupe Teffo – Capricorn District Municipality
Cllr. Nondumiso Buda – Frances Baard Municipality
Cllr. Nomvuyo Patricia Mposelwa – Joe Gqabi District Municipality
Cllr. Tunyiswa Manxila-Nkamisa – Mnquma Municipality
Cllr. Zukiswa Ndevu – uMzimvubu Municipality
Ald. (Dr.) Elna von Schlicht – Cape Winelands Municipality
Ald. Antoinette Steyn – Breede Valley Municipality
Ald. Jacqulique von Brandis – George Municipality
NEDBANK OLIVER TOP EMPOWERMENT LEGENDS 2025
bp Southern Africa
Foursight IT
FoodBev Manufacturing SETA
Methano Group
National Housing Finance Corporation
TOP EMPOWERED COMPANY: JOB CREATION OF THE YEAR AWARD
Winner: Geeks4Learning (Pty) Ltd
Finalists:
TotalServe Group (Property and Facilities Management)
Siyanqoba Ngamandla Holdings
AND 310 EMS Projects (Pty) Ltd
Afrizan People Intelligence (Pty) Ltd
Trade Capital Finance
City Lodge Hotels Ltd
Merchants
Royal Mndawe Holdings (Pty) Ltd T/A ROMH Consulting
HomeComing Events
Bubbly Agent
MBVIT
Y-Brand
TOP EMPOWERED COMPANY: EDUCATION AND SKILLS DEVELOPMENT OF THE YEAR AWARD
Winner: Mondi Zimele (Pty) Ltd
Finalists:
Nestlé ESAR
Provest Cementitious Products (Pty) Ltd
Sasol Limited
Sanlam Life
Reverside Software Solutions Pty Ltd
Merchants
Dentsu
Royal Mndawe Holdings (Pty) Ltd T/A ROMH Consulting
Konica Minolta South Africa
TOP EMPOWERED: PUBLIC SECTOR LEADER OF THE YEAR AWARD
Winner: Edward Kieswetter – South African Revenue Service (SARS)
Finalists:
Kedibone Phetla – Community Schemes Ombud Service (CSOS)
Musa Mbhele – Ethekwini Municipality
Raymond Esau – Breede Valley Local Municipality
Thato Ramaili – Property Practitioners Regulatory Authority
RICHARD FLETCHER ENTREPRENEUR OF THE YEAR AWARD
Winner: Patricia Tshitema – Bono Property Group
Finalists:
Trinisha Govender – TCTS AUTOBODY
Kushela Naidoo – Wallace & Green
Nqobile Valentia Mkhabela – Siyanqoba Ngamandla Holdings
Ntombi Mlambo – Mlambo & Associates
Allan Maphanga – EconoBEE
Hulisani Khorommbi – Blu Water Technologies
Joe Asamoah – Trade Capital Finance
Luncedo Mtwentwe – Vantage Advisory
Phathutshedzo Madima – Tshinwelo Innovative Business Solutions
Uthman Omarjee – Muncho
Trudy Mkansi – Ambesha Africa
Kabelo Ncholo – Y-Brand
TOP EMPOWERED: YOUNG ACHIEVER OF THE YEAR AWARD (UNDER 40)
Winner: Beverley Siwisa – Afrizan People Intelligence (Pty) Ltd
Finalists:
Kume Luvhani – Vaxowave
Ntombi Mlambo – Mlambo & Associates
Luncedo Mtwentwe – Vantage Advisory
Cressundra Alves – Reverside Software Solutions Pty Ltd
Dimakatso Masiteng – NYDA
TOP EMPOWERED: BUSINESS LEADER OF THE YEAR AWARD
Winner: Sindisiwe Dlamini – Pamodzi Unique Engineering
Finalists:
Nelly Ndlovu – Mondi Zimele (Pty) Ltd
Funani Mojono – Provest Cementitious Products (Pty) Ltd
Pieter du Plessis – Isanti Glass
Roxana Ravjee – Dentsu
Katlego Malatji – HomeComing Events
Thandeka Mngomezulu – TotalServe Group (Property and Facilities Management)
Prakshna Velter – The Gordon Group – Migraine Wellness Clinic
Thoko Tshabalala – VEA Road Maintenance
Alex Mabunda – Ntiyiso Consulting Group
Ayisha Zange – Nexia SAB&T
Dr Nomfundo Mcoyi – Icebolethu Group
TOP EMPOWERED COMPANY: BUSINESS OF THE YEAR AWARD, Sponsored by Nedbank
Winner: Oceana Group Limited
Highly Commended: Isanti Glass
Finalists:
SLG (Pty) Ltd
Ntiyiso Consulting Group
Sanlam Life
ICT-Works (Pty) Ltd
Mashudu Tinyiko Consulting
The 2025 Nedbank Oliver Top Empowerment Awards not only recognised excellence but reignited the national conversation around transformation, equity, and sustainable development. As the winners and finalists take their well-deserved place among South Africa’s top empowered leaders, this year’s event stands as a bold reminder that meaningful change is not only possible – it is already in motion.
A heartfelt thank you to our valued sponsors whose support made this celebration of empowerment possible: Nedbank, our Platinum Sponsor; SALGA, also proudly supporting our Category Awards; and our esteemed Lifestyle Sponsors — L’Oréal, Jenna Clifford, and Coca-Cola Beverages South Africa — for adding their unique touch to the evening.
Congratulations to all the finalists and winners who continue to inspire, innovate, and lead the way forward.
