S. Africa’s First Black Female Mining Entrepreneur Honored

Bridgette Radebe is one of South Africa’s most powerful businesswomen and the first Black female mining entrepreneur. She was recently honored with the prestigious international “Business Person of the Year” award.

The award celebrates those who have made dramatic differences in the political, economic and environmental arenas of their country.  
Radebe began her career with British Petroleum in the early 1980s before starting her own business development company in 1987 to draw entrepreneurs from other African nations. In 1995, Radebe founded Mmakau Mining and pushed the company to the forefront of South Africa’s mining management industry. She is currently the only woman to head a deep-level, hard-rock mining company in the country.

The entrepreneur is also a founder and trustee member of the New Africa Mining Fund and founder/president of the South African Mining Development Association.

Past winners of the award include South African President FW de Klerk.