Mona Kader – From Benoni to local business tycoon

From Benoni to Newcastle, Mona Kader is a business powerhouse and a force to be reckoned with.

Growing up as one of seven children, Mona always believed she had something to prove, which motivated her to excel in anything and everything she undertook.

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From academics to gymnastics, karate and swimming, she fought to be a top achiever and master of all.

After matriculating from William Hills High School in Benoni, Mona was offered a scholarship to study medicine in Atlanta, Georgia, the USA, but she would only spend a few months there before returning to the country she called home.

She pursued her studies and obtained diplomas in various fields. In 1992, after she took a position in the Motor Licensing Department at Glencoe Municipality, Mona welcomed the birth of her son, Shamiel, followed by her daughter, Shamina, a year later.

She continued by working her way up to being the mayor’s personal assistant in 2001.

Mona and her family then moved to Newcastle, where she took up employment at Karbochem as a personal assistant to scientist, Dr Looms, and where she would meet and ultimately marry Rahim Kader.

She then left the working world to become a stay-at-home mother.

However, this determined businesswoman found sitting at home did not satisfy her desire for purpose and the need to learn, and she began to seek a bigger role in her husband’s businesses.

“He has a filling station in town, and I would find myself going into the office and learning how to help him with his admin duties, as well as how to run his business. Before long, I had learned how to manage all the business, and I knew I was destined for that industry.”

According to Mona, she’d always had a head for business, picking up bits and pieces from many weekends with her siblings, and helping her father run several butcheries in the Benoni area.

Like him, the Kaders have built their own business empire. She admitted the road to success was not always an easy one, but said she and her husband never stopped striving to reach even greater heights in the business world.

“We have endured many struggles over the years. We had little outside support and basically only had each other to rely on. But we eventually made it through it all and achieved what we wanted through many prayers, tears and extreme hard work.”

Asked what kept her motivated, Mona said her determination to succeed helped keep her going.

“My husband has also played a major role in keeping me motivated. He is my number one fan, my cheerleader and he keeps me going when all I want to do is collapse. And then if all else fails, I always turn to God, as I am a strong believer in my faith and in the grace of God,” she said with a smile.

Rahim described his wife as a ‘one size fits all’ kind of gal, stating: “She can do anything and everything, and she excels in it all.”

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When Mona is not hard at work keeping the business running smoothly, she enjoyed spending time with her three Neapolitan mastiff ‘fur babies’, Purdy, Gigantor and Sebastian.

She also loves being in the kitchen, experimenting and perfecting her baking and cooking skills. Mona’s advice to women in general was to be focused, to set goals for themselves and to be self-driven.

“Don’t ever expect miracles from others. Work hard and don’t be afraid to get your hands dirty from time to time, and soon you will see the light at the end of the tunnel.”

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