Veuve Clicquot names SA finalists for 2026 Bold Woman Award

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Now in its fifth year in South Africa, the awards recognise women-led businesses in two categories: the Bold Woman Award for established entrepreneurs and the Bold Future Award for emerging businesses.

This year’s finalists span sectors including manufacturing, consumer goods, mobility, education technology and agricultural technology.

Established business finalists

The Bold Woman Award category includes:

• Lindiwe Nkuna-Kgopa, founder and CEO of Lindiwe Sanitary Pads, which manufactures sanitary products and supplies South Africa’s National Sanitary Dignity Programme.
• Sonto Pooe, founder and CEO of Nativechild, a hair and body care brand focused on plant-based products for people of colour.
• Xolile Mabuza, founder and CEO of Tendalo Trading, which produces bags and accessories using recycled rubber materials.

Emerging business finalists

The Bold Future Award category recognises businesses operating for less than five years.

The finalists are:

• Maambele Khosa, founder and CEO of SheCab, a women-led e-hailing and charter transport platform.
• Pretty Kubyane, co-founder and tech lead at eFama App, an agricultural marketplace connecting farmers and buyers through digital tools.
• Tshaamano Mabuba, founder and CTO of Buddy Learning, which developed an AI-powered tutoring platform delivered through WhatsApp.

According to Veuve Clicquot, the winners of the two categories will be announced on 15 July and will join the brand’s global Bold network.

The award programme has been running internationally for more than 50 years and focuses on recognising women entrepreneurs across different industries and stages of business growth.