Tofaa company founder Kamvalethu Himunzowa took top honours at the Eastern Cape Iwisa No 1 Community Champions competition.
Himunzowa secured first place ahead of fellow Gqeberha finalists Lungisa Lutshaba and Lerato Mvinjelwa, who placed second and third respectively.
The competition was held in East London earlier this week, pitting 10 social entrepreneurs shortlisted from the region, against each other.
Himunzowa walked away with R50,000 in prize money and will further receive comprehensive business development support.
She dedicated the win to her team and the community they serve.
“This R50,000 investment, combined with the training, mentorship and network access we will receive, represents so much more for our SME,” she said.
“We are going to use our win to continue innovating in the agricultural value chain — championing solutions that allow chicken farmers, in particular, to diversify their community offerings through our egg incubators, creating far more localised food security.
“We are not just building a business — we are building hope and bringing dignity to current and future generations of community farmers and agripreneurs.”
Lutshaba from Analit Africa and Lerato Mvinjelwa from Azania Connect will split the rest of the R100,000 cash prize allocated to the region.
They also will get ongoing business development support to ensure they further build, grow and sustain their social enterprises.
Now in its third year, the Iwisa No 1 Community Champions competition is one of the brand’s flagship initiatives which recognise social entrepreneurs operating within SA’s townships, peri-urban and rural communities.
The Premier senior brand manager at Iwisa, Phumzile Nhlapo, said the 2025 competition had targeted established social entrepreneurs addressing critical areas including agriculture, education, and digital and tech solutions, among other things.
“The 2025 competition has been extraordinary in both scale and impact.
“What makes it particularly special is how our partners answered our call to amplify impact — creating a support ecosystem which extends far beyond prize money to include comprehensive skills development, health insurance through FundiHealth, and ongoing mentorship opportunities for the 40 finalists across our four regions.”
Through its expanded network of partnerships with Sibanye-Stillwater, Kasi Konnect, Kamva Capital, PM Skillshouse, Yarena Group and the Baithudi Mampane Foundation, Nhlapo said the total value of support available to finalists doubled beyond the R400,000 prize pool.
Nedbank will also provide ongoing access to dedicated business bankers and associated support.
“These remarkable [participants] are not just solving community challenges, they are proving that business can be a powerful force for good.
“This is just the beginning of what we can achieve together,” Nhlapo said.
The Herald
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