2002 PLATINUM WINNER
Patrice Motsepe

Patrice Motsepe is a leading South African mining entrepreneur. His company, African Rainbow Minerals, has interests in gold, ferrous metals, base metals, and platinum. He is a passionate football lover and owns Mamelodi Sundowns FC, which has been the most successful club in South Africa since the inception of the Premier Soccer League in 1996. Motsepe also contributes greatly to both social and business development and empowerment through providing financial assistance to many social and entrepreneurial causes within South Africa.

2003 PLATINUM WINNER
Cheryl Carolus

Cheryl Carolus has been described as energetic and dynamic by those who know her well, with her perseverance and dedication of 200% a constant in all that she undertakes. She is a passionate leader who works and plays with a driven, enthusiastic zest for life and humanity. Carolus has shown that she is a unique person with many talents. As the former chief executive officer of SA Tourism (then Satour), she managed to bring about a tremendous turnaround in the tourism sector, to transform it into a positive and progressive industry. She is a true visionary and role model as a women leader – achieving against all odds within the business and investment sectors.

2004 PLATINUM WINNER
Phuthuma Nhleko

Phuthuma Nhleko assumed the position of chief executive officer of MTN Group Limited. Under his leadership, the MTN Group became a billion-rand mobile telecommunications industry nationally, as well as within Africa. The MTN Group has recorded more than 10 million subscribers in the African countries of South Africa, Swaziland, Rwanda, Uganda, Cameroon and Nigeria – where it provides cellular, satellite and Internet access services. Nhleko is a true champion of success, taking South Africa to great heights particularly within the telecommunications industry.

2005 PLATINUM WINNER
Mbhazima Shilowa

The former Premier of Gauteng Mbhazima Shilowa is to be lauded for his exceptional achievements in bringing about sustainability and growth to the Gauteng province in this role. He demonstrated remarkable stewardship and leadership in transforming the country’s economic heartland. He has created a province with vibrancy and has accelerated economic growth. Shilowa recently resigned from the post of Premier to further pursue his career in politics.

2006 PLATINUM WINNER
Salukazi Dakile-Hlongwane

Chairperson of Nozala Investments Salukazi Dakile-Hlongwane is a prominent, highly successful figure in the South African business arena. She has demonstrated a spirit of resilience, perseverance and single-mindedness to attain success, which should be defining characteristics of leadership excellence in black-empowered business. She has become an ambassador for the empowerment of women through breaking the glass ceiling and holding high the torch to illuminate their paths towards obtaining financial security and freedom.

2007 PLATINUM WINNER
Musa Zulu

Musa Zulu has demonstrated the incredible pioneering and tenacious human spirit that triumphs against all adversity. Paralysed from the waist down from the age of 23, he has not let this disability stand in his way. As the former director of the KwaZulu-Natal Asiphephe (Let Us Be Safe) Road Safety Project, he raised people’s awareness and consciousness on road safety and the rights of people with disabilities. Today he continues to be a shining light through his motivational speaking, which is enhanced by his dynamic personality. He coined the phrase “Disability is Visibility”, and is using “Thisability” to inspire people across all business sectors, cultures and South African life.

2008 PLATINUM WINNER
Professor Shirley Zinn

Human Resources director at Nedbank Group Limited and former president of the Institute of People Management, Professor Shirley Zinn is an amazing inspiration and true visionary. She has not allowed her humble beginnings to cloud her vision and strives to uphold the high standards she has set for herself. She introduced a transformational approach to the fields of human resources and human capital development, and is a well respected professor in Human Resource Management at the University of Pretoria. Professor Zinn has broken barriers, regained ground and achieved against all odds; she has made a tangible difference and impacted corporates and communities in South Africa. Her talent and efforts were recognised in September this year, when she was lauded as the 2008 Top Woman of the Year in Business in the Top Women Awards, in association with Top Women in Business & Government.