The third annual Straw Hats & Pizza Picnic brought together women entrepreneurs, business owners and community leaders in Naledi Extension to explore wealth creation, collaboration and the economic power of sisterhood.
NALEDI EXTENSION, SOWETO – 7 November 2026 – Women-led entrepreneurship, business networking and community-driven economic development took centre stage as The Pizza Garden in Naledi Extension hosted the third annual Women Who Rise: Straw Hats & Pizza Picnic, bringing together women united by a shared ambition to grow, collaborate and create opportunities.
Hosted at 2435 Lepping Street, the gathering, organised by Zanele Ndaba, founder of Pizza in Naledi, demonstrated how township-based businesses can create platforms that extend beyond commercial transactions to support entrepreneurship, relationship-building and economic participation.
With its focus on wealth, health, business and collaboration, the event provided an intimate networking environment for established businesswomen and aspiring entrepreneurs to exchange ideas, showcase their enterprises and explore opportunities for partnerships.
At a time when small businesses continue to navigate challenges around market access, business visibility, funding and sustainability, initiatives such as Women Who Rise highlight the importance of building networks that connect entrepreneurs to knowledge, customers and potential collaborators.
The presence of Mrs eSoweto 2025/26, Fikile Zwane, as the honoured guest added a leadership dimension to the gathering. Her participation reinforced the importance of women using their influence and community platforms to encourage confidence, mentorship and collective advancement.
Beyond celebrating individual achievements, the discussions placed emphasis on the economic value of women supporting women, particularly in communities where locally owned businesses play an important role in creating livelihoods and stimulating economic activity.
For Ndaba, the vision behind Women Who Rise extends beyond hosting a social event. It is about establishing an environment where women can engage meaningfully, learn from one another and build relationships that translate into personal and professional growth.
The gathering also offered participating entrepreneurs an opportunity to introduce their products and services, share their business journeys and identify potential areas of collaboration. Such interactions are particularly valuable for township enterprises seeking to expand their customer base and establish stronger business networks.
The event’s distinctive Straw Hats & Pizza Picnic concept added a lifestyle element to its business objectives. Guests arrived in signature straw hats, while artisanal pizzas, curated snacks, refreshing drinks and a luxury grazing board created an atmosphere that combined hospitality, networking and celebration.
However, the significance of the gathering extended beyond its carefully curated experience. It demonstrated how hospitality and lifestyle businesses can use experiential events to build customer relationships, strengthen brand identity and create additional value around their core offerings.
For The Pizza Garden and Pizza in Naledi, hosting the annual gathering also places a spotlight on the possibilities within township hospitality and event-driven entrepreneurship. By bringing people together around food, business and shared interests, the initiative illustrates how local establishments can become important spaces for community engagement and enterprise development.
The broader economic message is equally significant. Women’s entrepreneurship is not only about establishing individual businesses; it is also about building interconnected networks that support enterprise growth, encourage knowledge-sharing and improve access to opportunities.
Township economies stand to benefit when women-owned enterprises collaborate, support local suppliers, share business intelligence and create platforms that keep economic activity circulating within their communities.
The third annual Women Who Rise gathering reinforced this principle through an approach that placed relationships, visibility and collective progress at the centre of its programme.
From Naledi Extension, the initiative delivered a message that resonates well beyond Soweto: sustainable economic empowerment requires more than individual ambition. It requires access, collaboration, supportive networks and opportunities for businesses to grow together.
Ultimately, Women Who Rise was more than a picnic. It was a celebration of entrepreneurship, community investment and the growing influence of women in shaping local economies.
When women rise together, they do more than build businesses; they help build stronger, more connected and economically resilient communities.
