‘Rebirth and Reinvention’ takes centre stage as WomenCan honours women redefining success across South Africa
Seen Here: The WomenCan Awards return on 29 August in Midrand under the powerful theme “Rebirth and Reinvention” — celebrating phenomenal women who are breaking boundaries, building businesses with purpose, transforming communities and creating opportunities for others. From corporate leaders and entrepreneurs to educators, innovators and community champions, the WomenCan Awards shine a light on women whose impact goes far beyond the spotlight. Photo Credit: Supplied
MIDRAND — The WomenCan Awards are returning this month with a renewed focus on the women whose leadership, resilience and community-driven work are helping shape South Africa’s future.
Under the theme “Rebirth and Reinvention”, the A Night of Mystery Gala and WomenCan Awards will take place on 29 August 2026 in Midrand, bringing together women from business, education, innovation and communities to celebrate achievement and social impact.
Now established as a platform for recognising women who are making a difference beyond traditional measures of success, the WomenCan Awards aims to shine a light on both high-profile leaders and women whose contributions often happen away from the spotlight.
The 2026 edition is centred on a powerful message: community is power.
Celebrating impact beyond the boardroom
For WomenCan founder Tumi Mthembu, the awards are about redefining what it means to succeed.
“We are entering a bold new era of rebirth and reinvention, where community is power,” says Mthembu.
“The awards are dedicated to women who are breaking boundaries and redefining what it means to succeed and empower other women. That is the future we are building.”
The organisation says this year’s event will celebrate women who are building businesses with purpose, transforming communities, creating opportunities for others and leading with humanity.
The focus reflects a broader understanding of women’s leadership — one that recognises that meaningful impact can be created in boardrooms, classrooms, businesses, neighbourhoods and community organisations alike.
Passing the baton
The 2026 awards will also build on the legacy of last year’s recipients, with the 2025 WomenCan Awards honourees passing the baton to a new group of women making their mark across South African society.
Among the previous recipients were DJ Zinhle, Ntando Zikalala, Professor Elelwani Ramugondo, Nozibele Mayaba, Dr Boitumelo Petla, Nomathamsanga Malatsi, Tanie Codes Organisation, Alex Boavida, Nompendulo Makhwatsha and Bokang Monjane Tshabalala.
Their recognition set the tone for an awards platform that seeks to celebrate diverse forms of achievement while placing personal stories, resilience and community impact at the heart of its work.
Awards that tell a bigger story
The WomenCan Awards are structured around categories designed to recognise different dimensions of women’s contribution and leadership.
This year’s categories include:
- The Powerhouse Award
- The Sky Award
- The Beacon of Home Award
- The Butterfly Award
- The Heart of Soul Award
- The Cornerstone Award
- The Mind Builder Award
- The SheCan Award
- The Voice Award
- The Founder Award
The categories reflect the organisers’ intention to move beyond a narrow definition of success.
Whether through entrepreneurship, education, advocacy, community leadership, innovation or personal resilience, each category provides an opportunity to recognise women whose work contributes to the advancement of others.
From inspiration to action
The awards ceremony will feature a keynote address by FASSET CEO Ayanda Mafuneka CA (SA), adding a strong professional and leadership dimension to the programme.
A panel discussion will also explore real stories of empowerment and transformation, creating space for conversations about the experiences, challenges and opportunities shaping women’s journeys in South Africa.
The evening will culminate in the awards celebration, bringing together the honourees and guests in recognition of the women being celebrated.
A platform for the women behind the transformation
At a time when conversations about women’s empowerment can sometimes become dominated by statistics and corporate initiatives, WomenCan is positioning its awards around something more personal: the stories of women themselves.
The organisation says its aim is to amplify women who are often unseen but whose work is creating meaningful change within their communities and industries.
That human-centred approach gives the awards a distinctive character.
It recognises that transformation does not always arrive through headline-making achievements. Sometimes it begins with a woman creating employment, mentoring another woman, building a small business, educating young people, supporting a family or finding innovative ways to solve problems within her community.
These contributions may not always attract national attention, but they can have profound local impact.
Building a future through reinvention
The theme “Rebirth and Reinvention” speaks directly to the changing landscape in which women are navigating careers, entrepreneurship, leadership and community development.
For WomenCan, reinvention is not simply about starting again. It is about using experience, resilience and collective strength to create something better.
The organisation’s emphasis on community also reinforces the idea that individual success and collective progress do not have to be separated.
A woman can build her own career while opening doors for others. An entrepreneur can grow a business while creating opportunities in her community. A leader can achieve professional success while remaining committed to lifting others.
That philosophy lies at the heart of this year’s celebration.
The next generation of women leaders
As the WomenCan Awards return to Midrand, the event promises to be more than a traditional awards ceremony.
It is an opportunity to celebrate the women already creating change while encouraging others to recognise their own capacity to lead, build and transform.
From established professionals and entrepreneurs to community champions and emerging leaders, the awards seek to create a space where different journeys can be acknowledged and celebrated.
Ultimately, “Rebirth and Reinvention” is both a theme and a call to action — inviting women to embrace change, redefine success and recognise the strength that comes from building together.
On 29 August, the WomenCan Awards will place that message firmly in the spotlight, celebrating women who are not simply succeeding for themselves, but are helping create pathways for others to succeed too.
For more information about the WomenCan Awards, visit WomenCan.
