This weeks guest, Sipamandla Manqele is a 28-year-old entrepreneur breaking fresh ground in the realm of agro-processing with her business, Local Village. She produces a variety of artisanal and organic foods and has built a compelling value proposition within a niche health market. Manqele’s business has been running for three years and has already proven itself a viable and valuable startup, providing employment and community growth.

Sipamandla has been named one of South Africas’ top 200 Young People to watch in 2019 by Mail and Guardian. She is inspired by the African continent, its diverse cultures and its quest for social and economic unity and wants to play a role in the implementation of free and fair trade across Africa.

I was very inspired by the powerful presence that Sipamandla carries and the strong leadership values that she exudes. I feel privileged to have had the opportunity to sit down with such a powerful young black woman and hear the way she thinks. Our conversation spanned many topics from gender parity to the lack of leadership in South Africa to Xenophobia and her views on some of the race issues we have in our country. Siphamandla has a refreshingly clear voice and is a true future leader in our country.