The official launch of #Mzansi100Top2017 nominations started with a bang at the African Pride 15 on Orange Hotel in Cape Town on the 8th of December 2016.

The room was filled with aspiring and inspiring young leaders varying from fashion designers, creatives, bloggers, entrepreneurs, radio presenters; who share one common objective – to bring upon change within our communities and respective fields.

Guests included Independent Media’s Executive Chairman- Dr Iqbal Surve, Group Executive – Mike Ntsasa, TYI Editor – Saajida Francis and keynote speaker of the evening, South Africa’s newly appointed Public Protector, Advocate Busisiwe Mkhwebane.

#Mzansi100Top2016 Innovator, Nwabisa Mayema shares insights on her leadership journey:

1. “Being an innovator means…being a person that doesn’t follow the traditional norm of doing things. It means we are different and that we generally go left when everyone goes right.”

2. “Dreaming and acting means that you have to be brave. By dreaming and acting, you have to make other people brave as well so that we can continue a circle of bravery.”

3. “We have to talk. We have to advocate for each other, we have to support each other. We can’t just do things in our corners, we must be heard, therefore platforms like TYI enables us to do that”.

 


Mayema posed an important question to entrepreneurs and leaders:

Do consumers and entrepreneurs support our innovations? By young people acting on their dreams, are we supportive of the local buying system where our own people consume local products and services?

4. “…I was told that I was unemployable, which was powerful because that drove me to become an entrepreneur. Understanding that I am an entrepreneur…changed how I go about business. This year being labelled as an innovator and a Young Independent has really changed how I go about growing my business and supporting other businesses.”

5. “I run a social enterprise called nnfinity which exists to support the creation and to support female entrepreneurs. ”

#Mzansi100Top2016, Innovator Kim Whitaker:

6. “Let’s support each other. You have brains in your head and feet in your shoes; you can steer yourself every direction you choose. Kid, you can move mountains.”

Let us inspire each other. Nominate Now!

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