KUGOMPO CITY- Eastern Cape entrepreneur and founder of Chef Zinzi Ltd. Zinzi Rwicila, has clinched first place at the second annual Eastern Cape Bambelela Business Awards securing R145,000 in funding to expand her business.
The two-day awards programme, hosted by the Hollywood Foundation brought together entrepreneurs from townships and rural communities across the province with a focus on supporting and empowering micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).
The first pitching session was held at Abbotsford Christian Centre on 19th August followed by the awards ceremony at the Hemingway Hotel in KuGompo City on 20th August.
A total of 84 entrepreneurs pitched their business ideas for funding, while 25 businesses exhibited their products and services.
Rwicila said the funding would make a significant difference to her business, particularly by allowing her to renovate and improve her kitchen.
“This support will go a long way, our kitchen will now be fitted with wheelchair ramps and we plan to install specialised ovens to accommodate team members who are deaf,” she said.
Mdantsane entrepreneur founder of Labtronic Internet Solutions Ltd. Thobane Vumindaba, took second place and received R115,000.
Pufeso Agri Enterprise, founded by Phumza Sambatha from Xhibeni Location outside Ngcobo, secured third place and received R85,000.
A further 17 businesses each received R45,000, bringing the total number of funded businesses to 20.
The awards formed part of a broader programme that brought together nearly 100 entrepreneurs for business development, pitching, networking and knowledge-sharing sessions.
Entrepreneurs shared ideas on growing their businesses and creating shared prosperity, while their business strategies were assessed through a formal pitching process.
Hollywood Foundation Head Jason Baker said the initiative had invested more than R15 Million in 358 businesses across South Africa since its launch in 2023.
About 200 of the businesses supported are women-owned.
Furthmore, Hollywood Foundation portfolio manager Simo Vilakazi said the funding pool had grown from R1 Million in the previous year to R1.135 Million this year, with the money distributed among the top-performing businesses.
Eastern Cape Department of Economic Development, Environmental Affairs and Tourism(DEDEAT) MEC Nonkqubela Pieters, who attended the awards ceremony, congratulated the winners and said the province’s economic future depended on creating an environment where small businesses could grow, create jobs and contribute to economic development.
“The Eastern Cape cannot develop if we rely solely on big corporations and government,” said Pieters.She said small businesses had an important role to play in strengthening the provincial economy.
Pieters also highlighted the province’s target of achieving a 60% local procurement threshold and called for greater accountability to ensure more public spending reached local businesses.
“Every rand spent locally stays in this province, directly helping us combat poverty and unemployment,” she said.
The Bambelela Business Awards continue to provide financial and developmental support to Eastern Cape entrepreneurs, helping them expand their operations, create opportunities and contribute to the province’s economic growth.
Courtesy IMAGE: Hollywood Foundation
Okuhle Nqana
25 August 2026
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