Meet inspiring women in business leading the charge in South Africa
Category Property Industry News
If you're looking to make it in business, there's no shortage of role models right here at home - and many of them are inspiring women. According to the 2025 Grant Thornton Women in Business report, women now hold 35% of CEO positions in South Africa, far outpacing the global average of 21.7%. This Women's Month, we're shining the spotlight on powerhouse leaders in tech, construction, retail, supply chain, logistics, and e-commerce. These trailblazers are building empires, driving innovation, and motivating the next generation of women to go big with their careers.
Serisha Barrat
Serisha Barrat's two favourite words are "grit" and "resilience", and it shows. Despite rejection at the start of her career, she is now the founder and CEO of Lawyered Up, revolutionising legal access for small businesses through AI-driven tools. The digital platform simplifies contract management, cuts costs, and breaks down barriers to essential legal support, from creating contracts to tracking obligations and ensuring compliance. Leading a 70% female African team, Barrat's been shortlisted for Africa Tech Festival's 2024 Female Innovator of the Year and named one of the Mail & Guardian's Top 200 Young South Africans in 2024.
Rose Tsenase
Spotting a gap in the market for innovative building technology, Rose Tsenase founded Bashoeshoe Construction, which has pioneered over 650 project designs since 2009. As the CEO, she helps tackle South Africa's need for quality, affordable housing through services including crane hire, rigging, civil construction, cabling, and project management. Her forward-thinking approach earned Bashoeshoe the title of "Innovative Entity of the Year" at the 2022 Empowerment and Recognition of Women in Construction (ERWIC) Awards.
Bertina Engelbrecht
Next time you're shopping in Clicks, pay a thought to Bertina Engelbrecht, who made history as its first female CEO in 2022. Under her leadership, the retail and healthcare group's market capitalisation has climbed to R94.1 billion ($5.29 billion). Engelbrecht is known for leading with empathy and has said, "You can be a decent human being and really focus on work and still get to the top ... you don't have to do it through manoeuvrings and political agendas."
Lebogang Letsoalo
Lebogang Letsoalo, founder and CEO of Sincpoint, leads a 100% female, black-owned company specialising in sustainable supply chain consulting, trucking, logistics, and mentorship in procurement and logistics. Passionate about empowering women, she also established the African Women in Supply Chain Association, which has mentored and coached over 300 women entrepreneurs in the transport sector. In 2023, she was honoured as one of the Mail & Guardian's 'Power of Women' winners, "who turn the impossible into unstoppable".
Chante Venter
Chante Venter, co-founder and CEO of Wise Move South Africa, runs an online platform connecting people in need of moving services with local moving companies. Having facilitated over 10,000 deliveries, Wise Move is on track to generate R20 million in revenue this year for its clients. Venter's advice for aspiring women entrepreneurs is simple and powerful: "Just start. That email, that call, that idea - act on it. We often wait for the perfect timing or the right credentials, but it's action that creates clarity and momentum."
Aisha Pandor
As if having a PhD in Human Genetics wasn't enough, Aisha Pandor co-founded and was CEO of SweepSouth, Africa's first on-demand tech platform for booking domestic services. This connects unemployed and underemployed domestic workers with homes, Airbnbs, and offices that need their services. By 2023, the platform had reached two million bookings. Unsurprisingly, Pandor went on to scoop the Forbes Woman Africa Technology and Innovation Award in recognition of her work in e-commerce.
Ready to make your own mark?
Starting your business is an exciting journey filled with endless possibilities. And one key to success is having the perfect space that fits your vision and needs. That's where Newpoint Property Group comes in - with over a decade of experience in the industrial and commercial property market, we're here to champion women entrepreneurs. Whether you need a retail store, office, warehouse, factory, workshop, or showroom, we'll help you find the ideal space to grow your dream or expand your operations. Reach out to our team at your convenience.
Author: Newpoint Property Group