25. Zanele Matome
Vital Stats:
- Business: Basadi Underground Contractors
- Established: 2008
Up-and-coming fact:
Matome went from teen mom to varsity drop-out to business owner and then employee. By the time she started her construction company she was prepared to break the mold of the typical mining industry player.
Despite challenges such as struggling to relate to her industry peers and employees, and issues with securing funding initially, today Basadi employs 13 staff. Matome plans to expand her workforce, along with the services offered by her company. This diversifying of services will prepare her company when incidents like platinum strikes occur, which have in the past hurt her business operations.