In a room alive with entrepreneurial energy and determination, South Africa's Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) were celebrated for their resilience and job-creation efforts at the Presidential MSMEs and Cooperatives Awards.
Hosted by the Department of Small Business Development, the awards aim to spotlight and reward South Africa’s top-performing MSMEs, cooperatives, and ecosystem enablers driving growth and transformation.
The Minister of Small Business Development, Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams, led the event at the Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand, with President Cyril Ramaphosa delivering the keynote address.
The ceremony honoured businesses that embody innovation, commitment to local development, and entrepreneurial spirit.
Two Lifetime Achievement Awards were presented to business icons Dr. Mike Nkuna, the founder and Executive Chairman of the Masingita Group of Companies, and Dr. Gloria Serobe, the co-founder of Women Investment Portfolio Holdings (Wiphold) and Chancellor of the Tshwane University of Technology.
Arion Power, a start-up founded by three young entrepreneurs, Brian Gadisi, Alan Gie, and Themba Hadebe, emerged as a major winner.
Their product, WiBox, a mini-UPS that powers routers during outages, has earned them two prestigious awards -- Youth-led MSME of the Year and MSME of the Year.
Speaking to SAnews, Gadisi expressed pride in their achievement.
“This award reassures the hard work we've put into research and development, the sleepless nights, and our efforts to crack technology often dominated by the East and West. It shows that Africa has the capability to innovate on par with global leaders,” he said.
Another standout was Kedibone Segole, the 30-year-old founder of Moipone Aesthetics, a black-owned township start-up based in Mabopane, Pretoria. Her company, which manufactures high-quality natural personal care products, won the Township MSME of the Year award and a cash prize of R200 000.
Speaking to SAnews, Segole encouraged aspiring entrepreneurs to start small and stay persistent.
“What I would like to say to young and upcoming entrepreneurs, along with unemployed graduates and youth, start something, work on it and believe in it. Push. Your breakthrough will come. Whatever you have, the little you have, use it. It can make you reach boundaries that you have never even imagined.
Segole said winning the award means that they are recognised, acknowledged and important.
“The President acknowledges our efforts, and he believes in the strides that we are making in an effort to come out of poverty, unemployment and the social ills we are affected by in the townships. It's in our hands. Vuk' uzenzele (get up and do it for yourself)!” she said.
Segole revealed her business journey began with just R600 from a UIF payout after losing her job in 2016. With support from stakeholders like the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) and Innovation Hub, her perseverance has transformed her business into a success story.
“I was fortunate enough that along the way there has been government assistance from the NYDA, as well and the Innovation Hub, among other stakeholders. As a started, I used the little that I had and look where it has gotten me today,” she said.
Another inspiring recipient was Dimakatso Kanyane, the 32-year-old founder of Dillets Sanitary Towels. Her innovative product, designed for African women, won the Start-up Business of the Year Award.
Motivated by her own experience with her cycle, Kanyane developed a product that addresses a critical need.
Kanyane told SAnews that the award was a full circle moment for her.
“This award affirms a lot of things, that no matter how hard the journey is, with authenticity and perseverance, you can overcome any obstacle. To those who are aspiring to be on this journey -- stay ambitious, trust and believe that perseverance will lead you to the fulfilment of your dreams.
“I used to have heavy flows and severe period pains and there wasn’t a sanitary towel that catered to my specific needs. It was this search that eventually led me to the development of Dillets Sanitary Towels, a sanitary towel designed for African women by an African woman,” she said.
The Presidential MSMEs and Cooperatives Awards underscore the vital role of small businesses in driving economic growth, fostering innovation, and creating sustainable opportunities across South Africa. – SAnews.gov.za
