2010 Top Women Awards winners announced

The awards recognises the achievements of corporate pioneers, government employees and entrepreneurs at the forefront of gender empowerment.

A panel of judges chaired by Manola Sanchez Aragu, Wits Business School, selected winners in 21 categories from a pool of nominees that came from all over the African continent. There were an incredible 95 finalists in total.

Women of South Africa

"The passion, power and leadership of the women of South Africa throughout our history, cannot be overlooked by those of us who have benefitted and continue to benefit from those achievements", says Tina Eboka, director group corporate affairs, Standard Bank Group and TWA judge.

"Today at the Top Women Awards dinner, Standard Bank salutes a few of these women champions, because we know that South Africa would not be the success it is without you and many other women, and that our future is brighter and more secure because all women continue to strive to make South Africa a better place for all."

Top Empowered Company categories

Top Gender Empowered Company: Resources - Sponsored by Standard Bank
Winner: Anglo Platinum Limited

Top Gender Empowered Company: Basic Industries
Winner: Uvuko Civils Maintenance & Construction cc

Top Gender Empowered Company: Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals
Winner: Pfizer Laboratories (Pty) Ltd

Top Gender Empowered Company: Retail
Winner: The Foschini Group

Top Gender Empowered Company: Travel, Leisure & Entertainment
Winner: Tourvest Travel Services, a division of Tourvest Holdings (Pty) Ltd

Top Gender Empowered Company: Media
Winner: GRID World Wide Branding and Design (Pty) Ltd

Top Gender Empowered Company: Business Support Services
Winner: Isilumko Staffing (Pty) Ltd

Top Gender Empowered Company: Professional Support Services
Winner: Adams & Adams

Top Gender Empowered Company: Transport
Winner: Siyaduma Auto Ferriers (Pty) Ltd

Top Gender Empowered Company: Financial Services
Winner: Nkonki Inc.

Top Gender Empowered Company: ICT
Winner: NEO Technologies (Pty) Ltd

Top Gender Empowered Company: Education
Winner: University of Pretoria

Top Gender Empowered Company: SMME
Winner: Avocado Vision

Top Gender Empowered Government Department
Winner: Department of Agriculture: Western Cape

Top Gender Empowered Government Agency
Winner: National Empowerment Fund

Top Gender Empowered Parastatal - Sponsored by Transnet Freight Rail
Winner: South African Weather Service

Individual categories are:

Top Women Entrepreneur - Sponsored by Independent Development Trust
Winner: Megan Willson - 360 Degrees Production House (Pty) Ltd

Top Young Women Entrepreneur - Sponsored by Standard Bank
Winner: Nicola Scott - Siyaduma Auto Ferriers (Pty) Ltd

Top Women Executive
Winner: Marna van der Walt - Gensec Property Services Ltd t/a JHI

Top Women in the Public Sector - Sponsored by Procter & Gamble
Winner: Philisiwe Buthelezi - National Empowerment Fund

Top Women-Owned Company - Sponsored by Airports Company South Africa
Winner: Siyaduma Auto Ferriers (Pty) Ltd

Overall/Headline winners are as follows:

Overall Top Gender Empowered Company
Winner: The Foschini Group

The overall winner of Top Gender Empowered Company is selected from the winners of the company awards.

Overall winner of Top Women of the Year in Business
Winner: Marna van der Walt - Gensec Property Services Ltd t/a JHI

The overall winner of Top Women in Business is selected from the winners of the individual awards.

In addition, Top Women in Business and Government, presented the Top Women Honorary Lifetime Achievement Award to Emma Thandi Mashini. This award is presented to a woman who has dedicated her life to the upliftment of women and gender. For further information regarding Mashini's successes please contact Hullabaloo PR.

The 7th Annual Top Women Awards were partnered by Standard Bank, Proctor and Gamble, Transnet Freight Rail, The Airports Company of South Africa and the Independent Development Trust.

"On behalf of Top Women in Business and Government and Topco Media, I would like to thank our sponsors in helping make this year's awards a huge success. The networking opportunity that the Top Women Awards provides is considerable. It affords like-minded business women and organisations the opportunity to share their successes and highlights the significance of gender empowerment. Congratulations to all the winners!" says Ilse Pienaar, associate publisher, Top Women in Business and Government.

For further information, go to www.topco.co.za or www.businesswomen.co.za.