Eastern Cape entrepreneur Zinzi Rwicila, founder of Chef Zinzi (Pty) Ltd, has taken top honours at the second annual Eastern Cape Bambelela Business Awards, securing R145,000 in funding to expand her business.
Chef Zinzi (Pty) Ltd, founded by 37-year-old Zinzi Rwicila, took top honours at the awards ceremony held at Hemingway’s in the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality on Thursday evening, walking away with R145,000 in funding to grow her business.
Rwicila, who began her entrepreneurial journey in 2015, said the funding would be used to make her kitchen more accessible and inclusive.
“This support will go a long way. Our kitchen will now be fitted with wheelchair ramps, and we plan to install specialised ovens to accommodate team members who are deaf.”
Her story reflects the type of enterprise the Bambelela Business Awards aim to support — businesses that are not only building sustainable enterprises but creating opportunities within their communities.
The second-place prize of R115,000 went to Labtronic Internet Solutions (Pty) Ltd, founded by Thobane Vumindaba, while Pufeso Agri Enterprise, founded by Phumza Sambatha, secured third place and R85,000.
A further 17 businesses each received R45,000 in funding, bringing the awards’ investment directly into Eastern Cape enterprises.
The awards formed part of a two-day programme that brought together nearly 100 entrepreneurs for business development, pitching, networking and knowledge-sharing. Entrepreneurs participated in discussions centred on growing local enterprises and creating shared prosperity, while their business strategies were assessed during a formal pitching process.
The initiative was held under the theme “Giving hope to those who Dare to Try, Bambelela… Hold On,” highlighting the resilience required to build businesses in challenging economic conditions.
The focus on measurable business growth was echoed by Jason Baker, Head of the Hollywood Foundation, who said the initiative had invested more than R15 million into 358 businesses across South Africa since its launch in 2023, with approximately 200 of those businesses being women-owned.
Addressing entrepreneurs at the event, Eastern Cape MEC for Economic Development, Environmental Affairs and Tourism Nonkqubela Pieters said the province’s economic future depended on creating an environment where small businesses could grow.
“The Eastern Cape cannot develop if we rely solely on big corporations and government,” said Pieters. “Real transformation will come from the spaza shop in Mdantsane, the manufacturer in Gompo, the tourism operator on the Wild Coast, and start-ups in Gqeberha.”
Pieters also highlighted the province’s target of achieving a 60% local procurement threshold, calling for greater accountability from government departments to ensure more public spending reaches local businesses.
“Every rand spent locally stays in this province, directly helping us combat poverty and unemployment,” she said.
The awards were supported by MTN, Tru FM, SANParks, the Eastern Cape Gambling Board and the Eastern Cape Development Corporation (ECDC).
Top Three Winners
- First Place – R145,000: Chef Zinzi (Pty) Ltd – Zinzi Rwicila
- Second Place – R115,000: Labtronic Internet Solutions (Pty) Ltd – Thobane Vumindaba
- Third Place – R85,000: Pufeso Agri Enterprise – Phumza Sambatha
Additional Winners – R45,000 Each
- 469 Enterprises (Pty) Ltd
- Abundant Solutions (Pty) Ltd
- Andy M Lifestyle (Pty) Ltd
- Asizu Trading (Pty) Ltd
- Augulia Enterprise (Pty) Ltd
- Bottomman Media Group (Pty) Ltd
- Buso Consulting Services (Pty) Ltd
- Camel Gold (Pty) Ltd
- Ezamampondo General Trading (Pty) Ltd
- Ideal Veg Trading (Pty) Ltd
- Integration Plus ZG (Pty) Ltd
- Khaninetix (Pty) Ltd
- Khol Newman Transport, Conference, Accommodation and Services (Pty) Ltd
- Phopho Drycleaning CC
- Profolic Entity (Pty) Ltd
- The Porkhub (Pty) Ltd
- Uncedo Lwabantu Clinic (Pty) Ltd
Spot Prizes | |
Best Exhibition stand | Chef Zinzi (Pty) Ltd |
Early bird | Khol Newman Transport, Conference, Accommodation and Services (Pty) Ltd |
Social Media Competition | Mbuks Catering Services (Pty) Ltd |
Social Media Competition | BSLIK (Pty) Ltd |
