Nomzamo Mbatha is bringing back her celebrated EmpoweringHER Seminar and Business Awards for a fifth year of inspiration, resilience, and female-driven change through the Nomzamo Lighthouse Foundation.
Nomzamo Lights the Way: Inside the EmpoweringHER 2025 Movement Uplifting South Africa’s Women in Business
When Nomzamo Mbatha speaks about women’s empowerment, it is more than a headline; it is a mission.
On Saturday, 15 November 2025, the Nomzamo Lighthouse Foundation, in partnership with the Hollywood Foundation, will host the 5th annual EmpoweringHER Seminar & Business Awards at the Inanda Club in Johannesburg.
From 9 am to 5 pm, the event will gather entrepreneurs, visionaries, and community builders. It will be a full day of learning, networking, and celebration.
Nomzamo says the idea for EmpoweringHER was born during one of the world’s darkest moments.
“During COVID, while I was in quarantine and watching devastating business losses, something stuck out,” she recalls.
“The big players had insurance to back them up and resources they could tap into. Meanwhile, women-owned businesses in rural and marginalized areas were closing down and making tough choices. These women already had multiple families to care for, and I thought, ‘This can’t be right. We must raise funds to not only sustain but also scale and fail-proof such businesses.”
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From that vision came a movement. Over five years, the event has evolved into one of South Africa’s most impactful women’s initiatives. Real stories of transformation and business growth emerge from each event.
This year’s theme, “The Power of 50,” celebrates fifty exceptional women who have driven social and economic progress through entrepreneurship. For Nomzamo, the milestone is deeply personal.
“It is a gift and a blessing to have stayed the course on what was once a vision,” she says proudly. “Now it’s at such a pivotal milestone.”
“The Nomzamo Lighthouse Foundation team works really hard. I’m so proud of our partners like Hollywood Foundation, who trust the growth of this and where we can take it.”
The summit is more than motivational speeches. It is designed to equip attendees with actionable strategies for business growth, financial management, and community impact.
“Our panel discussions are very tailored for the audience,” Nomzamo explains. “They are here to learn how to scale their businesses and ensure sustainability. They also learn to tap into grants and think about community engagement and investment. We also hope it’s a time to network, connect, and celebrate.”
A strong advocate for gender equality, Nomzamo continues to use her platform to spotlight urgent issues like gender-based violence (GBV). Her words on the matter are passionate and uncompromising.
“The colour purple is what is current, but GBV has been at the forefront of our fears,” she says. “No woman in this country can feel completely free and safe. What’s most concerning is the increased and brazen acts we see daily. I have no middle ground when it comes to injustice and violence towards women and children. It is my moral and civic duty to amplify any movement calling us to come together. Hopefully, it will make the powers that be listen and do something significant.”
For Nomzamo, empowerment does not end when the curtains close in the event. She believes the true success of the event lies in its ripple effect; the action it sparks beyond the conference.
“There is no hoping anymore,” she says with conviction. “I see its impact and how beloved an annual event it has become. People invite others because of the change and inspiration they’ve received.”
