Ashley Mabasa, 27

Ashley Mabasa, 27

Ashley Mabasa was appointed deputy director of research, policy and speechwriting at the Gauteng department of sport, arts, culture and recreation when he was just 24, making him the youngest deputy director at the time. His diligence and longstanding efforts to...
Awonke Nqayiya, 26

Awonke Nqayiya, 26

Awonke Nqayiya’s biggest mistake — not preparing for his mathematics paper 1 and subsequently getting a zero — led him to his greatest achievements. He got a distinction for paper 2, and turned his focus towards youth empowerment through education. In 2021, Nqayiya...
Ayanda Majola, 22

Ayanda Majola, 22

Ayanda Majola is the founder of Yanda Cosmetics, which specialises in chemical-free, vegan and cruelty-free skincare and makeup. Majola, who is a health sciences student at the Vaal University of Technology, uses ethically sourced plant-based ingredients in all of her...
Ayanda Mhlongo, 28

Ayanda Mhlongo, 28

When Ayanda Mhlongo looks back proudly on her graduations, her mother’s joy and the knowledge that she’s breaking generational patterns and creating new norms for generations to come fuels her. Mhlongo is now at the University of Cambridge, where her PhD research...
Banzii Mavuso, 31

Banzii Mavuso, 31

Johannesburg-based Banzii Mavuso is the founder of Kosmic Natives, a creative agency working with South African filmmakers, designers and musicians. “We are ensuring that black women are humanised, elevated and seen,” Mavuso said about her company. As a freelance...