What South Africa’s Best Small Businesses Can Teach New Founders This Entrepreneurship Month
The 2026 News24 x Lula SME Award winners show what it takes to start, survive and scale. Their stories hold five practical lessons for anyone starting a business this Entrepreneurship Month.
South Africa’s best small businesses of 2026 were revealed at the News24 X Lula SME Awards at Nasdak in Cape Town on Thursday, 29 October[1]. Now in its second year, the awards recognise businesses that show real growth, innovation, impact and resilience and shares R300,000 in prize money across five categories to notable SMEs. This year, Zaio Institute of Technology took home both Small Business of the Year and Service Business of the Year; Wonder Snacks was named Product Business of the Year; Ambesha Africa won Women-Owned Business of the Year; and Bulelani Balabala, founder of the Township Entrepreneurs Alliance (TEA), was named Business Networker of the Year.
“We talk a lot about what South Africa needs to do to grow. We talk about investment,
jobs and economic growth. But one of the most important answers is our entrepreneurs. People who see an opportunity where others see a problem. People are prepared to take risks, back themselves and build something that creates opportunities for others.
When we talk about SMEs, we often talk about numbers and their contribution to the
economy, the jobs they create and the growth they drive, but behind every one of those numbers is a person. A founder who took a chance. An employee who got their first job. A family whose future became a little more secure. SMEs don’t just participate in the economy. They help build it.”
The winners were announced as South Africa heads into Entrepreneurship Month in November, which builds to Global Entrepreneurship Week from 16-22 November[2]. Now in its 19th year, the week draws more than 10 million people across 200 countries and territories. It celebrates and supports ingenuity and innovation, providing aspiring and existing entrepreneurs with practical support and connecting them with knowledge, networks and opportunities. The News24 X Lula SME Award winners’ own journeys show how South African companies are thriving and building despite challenging markets and conditions.
The first lesson is to prove demand before spending on capacity. Wonder Snacks, winner of the Product Business of the Year, is a case in point. The family-owned business started in 2017 with small popcorn poppers and manually flavoured its products. It now operates a fully automated popcorn plant in Parow, Cape Town. The family has a passion for crafting premium snacks and as a Level 1 B-BBEE company, they are committed to empowerment and fostering opportunities for small businesses throughout their value chain.
Mubeen Ebrahim, Co-founder, Director and General Manager of Wonder Snacks, says: “As an SME, one of the biggest challenges is how you respond to adversity – when a retailer tells you no, but you still have bills and staff to pay. You have to pick yourself up, go back and try again. The FMCG space is highly competitive, but if you believe in your product and what you are trying to achieve, you need the determination to keep going. This award is also recognition of the hard work of our team and the opportunities we are building for the people and families behind the business.”
The second lesson is to build around a problem you understand. The Zaio Institute of Technology began as a University of Cape Town student start-up and now provides accredited programmes in software development, artificial intelligence, data science and cybersecurity. Its hands-on, project-based learning is designed to help graduates secure work in the digital economy. Founders who share their customer’s problem start with a clear picture of what those customers need.
Akhil Boddu, Co-founder and CEO of Zaio Institute of Technology, says: “I think one of the biggest things this recognition can unlock for us is new introductions and connections. We want to grow our employer-funded training offering and work with more companies that are willing to invest in talent and skills development. If this award can open those doors and put Zaio in front of more organisations and partners, that would be a significant next step for us.”
The third is that a network is a sales pipeline. Balabala founded TEA in 2015 with a database of around 10,000 entrepreneurs in townships that included Thembisa, Alexandra, Mamelodi and Vosloorus. The alliance now reports directly impacting more than 80,000 township and rural companies and has strengthened township business communities by turning relationships into practical access to funding, markets, knowledge, equipment and strategic partners. Every contact made in a founder’s first year is a potential customer, supplier or referral.
“Winning this award is validation of the work we are doing to drive economic growth at township and grassroots level. To receive this recognition from Lula and News24 is a major milestone for us because it signals to the market that we are trusted, reliable and worth working with. It gives us even more momentum to go back into the market and deepen our impact,” says Bulelani Balabala, Founder of TEA (Township Entrepreneurs Alliance).
The fourth is to earn from more than one service. The winner Women-Owned Business of the Year, Ambesha Africa, founded and led by Trudy Mkansi, makes custom outdoor patio furniture using locally sourced materials and repairs existing pieces to extend their lifespan, work that also earned her third place for Small Business of the Year. A repair or maintenance line brings in income between large orders and gives customers a second reason to come back.
Trudy Mkansi, Founder of Ambesha Africa, says: “I hope this award unlocks new partnerships for Ambesha Africa, but I also hope it inspires other entrepreneurs to believe in what is possible. I come from a rural village in Bushbuckridge, and if someone at home who wants to start a business can look at my journey, relate to it and feel encouraged to turn their own idea into something real, that would make this recognition even more meaningful. After ten years of building the business, being recognised in this way is incredibly special.”
“The fifth lesson is to plan your finances,” says Gosling. “Know your numbers, hire when the work is there to pay for it, stay close to your customers and plan for the months when cash is tight. Funding is essential to this process because when a growing business draws on working capital to buy stock, take on work or deliver a new contract, it is acting from a place of strength.”
That thinking defines how Lula supports SMEs with a Cash Flow Facility that operates like a line of credit without monthly account or admin fees so a business can draw funds as opportunities arise. The News24 X Lula SME Awards extend that support with recognition for the companies that drive economic growth and innovation.
Trevor Gosling, Co-founder and CEO of Lula, concludes: “I believe the opportunity ahead is enormous. As technology and AI create new ways for businesses to reach customers and operate, there is real potential for more South African SMEs to grow into significant employers and industry leaders.
But that requires all of us to play our part and to support the entrepreneurs who are willing to keep building, finding funders willing to back potential, and building partnerships focused on creating opportunities.
None of us can do it alone. But together, we can make it easier for more businesses
to succeed.”