SAB's Zoleka Lisa on the rise of women in the beer sector
In a rural home in South Africa, a clay pot sits quietly by the fireside. Its contents, umqombothi, a sorghum-based traditional beer, bubble gently, tended to by a woman who has learned the craft from her mother, as her mother did before her.
Zoleka Lisa is SAB’s vice president of Corporate Affairs. Source: SAB.
Community life
The scene is familiar: women laughing together, the scent of malt and maize rising, the rhythmic stirring of the brew echoing the heartbeat of community life.
For centuries, these women were the custodians of beer, not just making it but also conserving traditions, rituals, culture, and memories.
Anthropological records confirm what oral histories already tell us: from as early as 7000 BCE, women were the first brewers globally until industrialisation. In South Africa, women have perfected the art of umqombothi, a drink woven into ceremonies, initiation rites, weddings, and even poured as a libation in communion with ancestors. Brewing was never just about sustenance; it was an act of cultural preservation, an offering of hospitality, and a tool of resilience.
Over time, that tradition of homebrew extended into a parallel economy for generations to come. Women brewed beer, but it was also women’s businesses and livelihoods. Even under colonial laws that criminalised traditional beer-making, such as the Native Beer Act of 1908, women resisted, becoming legendary "Shebeen Queens" who kept families from dire poverty during apartheid and beyond. These women developed shorter brewing times by adapting traditional methods to create quicker brews for their patrons.
Today, the echoes of those clay pots and shebeens are heard in South Africa’s beer sector. Brewing is no longer relegated to the informal. Women now lead companies in retail, logistics, and supply chains, carrying their ancestral role into formalised, thriving businesses. This transformation is far from being an afterthought; it represents a natural continuation of women’s historical role as the true architects of brewing culture.
Consider the story of Serako Birtha Mosako, who, once a domestic worker, supported her family by selling beer for 54 years. Starting Mamalady’s Place with just three cases in one room, she endured police raids and arrests before securing a licence. Her tavern grew into a multi-zoned venue with VIP and VVIP sections, and by her passing in 2020, it had become a legacy. Now run by her successor, Mamalady Tavern has become a lasting testament to her vision and endurance.
Equally compelling is the journey of Pulane Matshela’s entrepreneurial spirit, which emerged early while she sold apples and sweets at school. In Koster township, she saw residents travelling far for alcohol and began with a single case of beer. Frequent police raids prompted her to formalise her business with a liquor licence, starting her journey to becoming a responsible trade, resulting in the establishment of Pulane Bottle Store. Her resilience earned community trust, and today she also serves as a councillor, embodying how women entrepreneurs lead both in business and civic life.
The stories of Serako and Pulane are not isolated examples. Across South Africa, women are the backbone of tavern economies. Women own 54% of the country's 34,500 licensed taverns. These businesses are not marginal; they are economic engines. The beer industry contributed R71 billion to GDP in 2019, and 1 in every 66 jobs in South Africa is connected to beer-related economic activity, totalling 250,000 jobs. And the benefits reach far beyond the tills. Women reinvest directly into their families, paying school and university fees, buying food, and funding healthcare. In fact, women entrepreneurs in the beer sector often report improved decision-making power within households, securing better futures for their children and strengthening family stability. What begins with a business grows into education, dignity, and hope.
Yet challenges remain. In the craft brewing sector, women make up less than 5% business owners or head brewers. Barriers to entry in higher-value parts of the industry overshadow the knowledge that once defined women's role in beer-making. However, the industry is gaining momentum. Programmes by the Beer Association of South Africa now provide women with training, helping entrepreneurs shift from survival to scale. Imagine a future where we not only protect this heritage but also propel it forward.
Intergenerational progress
Women who once brewed in clay pots for rituals and functions are now innovating with new products, building businesses that anchor local economies, and creating jobs that ripple through entire communities. Beer, in their hands, is more than a drink; it is a platform for empowerment, innovation, and intergenerational progress. The journey from clay pots to corner taverns shows us something profound: when women lead in the beer economy, families and communities thrive. Their ingenuity turns profit into school fees, brewing into employment, and tradition into opportunity.
The invitation is clear: policymakers, brands, and communities must urgently invest in women-led beer businesses through training, finance, and recognition. With the right support, the next generation of Serakos and Pulanes will not only follow their example but build enterprises of their own, driving local economies, preserving heritage, and creating new opportunities for their communities.
The story of South African women in brewing is not one of nostalgia. It is living, breathing proof that heritage, when honoured and nurtured, becomes the foundation for innovation and resilience. And as women continue to keep the brew alive, they are not only pouring beer. They are pouring futures.
About the author
Zoleka Lisa is SAB’s vice president of Corporate Affairs.