The winners of the annual FAIRLADY Women of the Future Awards, in association with Santam, were announced at an exclusive VIP luncheon at Summer Place in Hyde Park.

Tiffini Wissing Hein, owner of Old School Cool, won the FAIRLADY Woman of the Future 2017 title. Old School Cool provides transport with its flagship service Cool (kids) Cabs for children of over-scheduled parents. The company’s main focus is the safety of the children they transport. The vehicles have a number of safety features, and a team of supervisors monitor them 24/7 via onboard cameras. Old School Cool employs and empowers 40 women, and Hein says her company is ‘a testament to girl power’.

The 2017 FAIRLADY Rising Star Award winner is Anele Mkuzo-Magape, founder of the African Entrepreneurship Initiative. Mkuzo-Magape says winning the FAIRLADY Rising Star Award has been a massive honour and shows young entrepreneurs ‘that there are initiatives geared to supporting them’. The African Entrepreneurship Initiative is a consulting service that allows the youth to access financial literacy and entrepreneurship education. It provides several customised training programmes, tailored personal development, business coaching, and mentorships.

The two winners were selected from a shortlist of finalists by a panel of South African judges, including Santam executive head of people and transformation Jeanett Modise; Advocate Thuli Madonsela; media entrepreneur and international speaker Jo-Ann Strauss; jewellery designer and businesswoman Kirsten Goss; and FAIRLADY editor Suzy Brokensha.

Hein received R50 000 in cash from Santam and Mkuzo-Mgape received R20 000 in cash from Santam. Both winners received a mentoring session with one of the judges, a Sisley beauty hamper worth R8 797, a Miladys fashion voucher worth R5 000, a GetSmarter local online course worth R15 000, a Michel Herbelin watch worth R10 500, business luggage from Delsey worth R5 000, and a Lenovo 2-in-1 Laptop (Wi-Fi) from Makro worth R3 999. Hein plans to put her prize money straight back into the business.

A special thank you to Santam for partnering with us for a third year.

Thank you to our beauty partner, Sisley and to our the prize and goodie bag sponsors.