This year, owing to the Covid-19 lockdown conditions, we celebrated our annual 67squared Mandela Day event in the form of a two-hour webinar on Friday 16 July. While we certainly missed the intense creativity our usual daylong brand and website-building blitz that is the hallmark of the initiative, this online event enabled us to share some remarkable success stories from entrepreneurs within the 67squared community.

First up was Bontle Tshole, CEO and founder of Baaa Health, and one of Forba’s Africa’s recent Thirty Under Thirty Young Innovators and Risk-Takers. Bontle was followed by Melun Jeptha, of Ohana Environmental, whose environmental consultancy is based in Hawston, Overstrand, before Songi Masoka, of Kasi Table in Langa, wrapped up this part of the programme.

Each of these young women spoke with passion and conviction of their struggles to maintain and grow their businesses during these exceptionally challenging times, and shared valuable strategies and tactics on ’Surthriving the Pandemic’, the theme of the entire webinar.

We were then treated to a highly stimulating presentation by guest speaker Henk Kleizen, CEO of the Leadership Consortium, whose address on “Extraordinary Times, Extraordinary Leadership” could not have been more appropriate in celebration of Mandela Day. Henk highlighted just what a critcal component of corporate success leadership excellence is, and unpacked ways for all of us to develop our own unique leadership strengths.

Next was the announcement by Linde Ndaba of the four successful applicants who are being brought into the 67squared Branding and Website programme for this year. They are

• Zola Maphila of the Real CV Guru
• Asiphe Sibango of Boka Media
• Dr Mandisi Sindo of Kasi RC, the Khayelitsha Art School and Rehabilitation Centre
• Balise Jikolo of Rescue Youth Community Organisation

Together with our network of volunteers from Cape Town’s creative and coding community, we look forward to working with each of these emerging entrepreneurs and social activists to help them develop their brands and give their enterprises a professional website to help them achieve their objectives in this increasingly digital world.

The webinar was concluded with a presentation on the 67squared mentorship programme by Godfrey Mokaene, and the announcement of the continued website hosting sponsorships by Nicholas Shepherd, courtesy of Machete Creative.

If you would like to watch a recording of the webinar, please click here.