Moloi-Motsepe to inspire Limpopo businesswomen

The Limpopo branch of the Businesswomen’s Association of South Africa (Bwasa) will host their annual Limpopo Businesswomen of the Year Awards at a gala function at Sun Meropa on 8 August.
Renowned businesswoman, co-founder, chairperson and Chief Executive Officer of the Motsepe Foundation and also founder and chairperson of Africa Fashion International, Precious Moloi-Motsepe, will be the guest speaker. This year’s theme is ‘The Economy is a Woman’.
Since 2001, these awards have been made at each of the seven Bwasa branches around the country to honour entrepreneurial and professional women. Awards will be made to winners in the Emerging Entrepreneur, Established Entrepreneur, Corporate, Professional, Youth Entrepreneur and Social Entrepreneur categories.
According to Mmabogoshi Msiza, Chairperson of Bwasa Limpopo, the purpose of the awards is to give recognition to women who are in service to society, have been working hard and have succeeded in making their mark in their respective fields of expertise. “The event will furthermore aim to honour and pay tribute to the females who dedicated their lives to ensure that women were granted equal rights and equal economic participation, to remember and acknowledge the discrimination and inequality of women in the past, as well as how much it still remains in many cultures, to show support for the movements dedicated to women empowerment and to show love and appreciation to all the women who are making a difference in others’ lives,” Msiza says.
The event will start at 17:30 and doors will close at 18:30. Tickets cost R350 for members and R400 for non-members and should be booked at 078 030 4559 or Limpopo@bwasa.co.za.
More about Precious Moloi-Motsepe
Precious Moloi-Motsepe is a businesswoman and philanthropist who started her career in medicine. She is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of African Fashion International as well as Deputy Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer of the Motsepe Foundation.
As a medical doctor, she specialised in women’s health and established the first women’s clinic in Johannesburg when she received the Elizabeth Tshabalala Award for her work in raising awareness for cancer affecting women.
Moloi-Motsepe then scaled down her medical practice to steer the Motsepe Foundation which she and her husband, businessman Patrice Motsepe, started in 1999. The Motsepe Foundation aims to reduce poverty by focusing on education and in particular Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) fields, among other various programmes and initiatives, including women’s agendas.
In 2013, the Motsepes became the first couple to join the Giving Pledge, an organisation started by Bill Gates, Melinda Gates and Warren Buffet, to scale up philanthropy and embark on community and societal development initiatives.
Moloi-Motsepe founded African Fashion International (AFI) in 2007 in order to raise the profile of African designers and also contribute to the commercial success of fashion and creative designers from Africa in the global fashion landscape. AFI has presented African designers on international platforms like New York Fashion Week, Paris Fashion Week and Moscow Fashion Week.
In 2017, she was awarded the Fashion 4 Development Franca Sozzani Award for her work in propelling African designers. This award was handed to her during the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
She is a member of The Harvard Kennedy Women’s Leadership Board, the International Women Forum of South Africa, the Cancer Association of South Africa and the Global Agenda Council of the World Economic Forum. She is also the recipient of numerous awards.
Moloi-Motsepe loves travelling, reading and being in nature and lives in Johannesburg with her husband and three sons.

Story: BARRY VILJOEN
>>barryv.observer@gmail.com