Just a day before commemorating the June 16 Soweto Students Uprising. Pat on Brands, a digital media platform that is always on the Pulse with Brands, announced the winners of its inaugural awards initiative – Top 16 Youth-Owned Brands Awards (YOBA) brought to you by Sakhumnotho Group Holdings.
What Top 16 Youth-Owned Brands Awards Is About
The main aim of YOBA is to recognise the excellence, innovation, and hard work of South African youth-owned brands across 16 categories. The honors were revealed and celebrated on the 15th of June 2022 under the theme ‘Real Recognises Real’ at The Capital: On the Park in Sandton.
More than 500 entrepreneurs, marketers, academics, and celebrities gathered at The Capital: On the Park hotel in Sandton to celebrate and support South African youth-owned brands.
“Any nation that doesn’t invest in its own youth is sabotaging its future. As Sakhumnotho Group Holdings, young people are at the heart of what we do. With a staff complement that averages the age of 34, we’re the true definition of an organisation that believes in young leadership. Having been the naming sponsor for the Top 16 Youth Owned Brands Awards has been a reflection of what we stand for as a world-class Pan-African investment holdings company” says Mosa Ntwampe – Group Head Marketing & Corporate Communication at Sakhumnotho Group Holdings.
The esteemed awards were developed by Pat on Brands in partnership with Sakhumnotho Group Holdings (SGH), to recognise and further empower South African brands that are owned and run by the youth between the ages of 18 –35 – to also shine a spotlight on their impact, and extraordinary contribution to the country’s GDP.
Taking From History
The youth of 1976 was fighting a political fight and the youth of today is fighting an economic one. They are the drivers of economic growth and job creation in South Africa. It is for these reasons that youth empowerment and involvement are important to build a stronger economy. According to the IFC report, small businesses employ between 50 and 60% of South Africa’s workforce and contribute 34% of the GPD.
Thebe Ikalafeng – Founder and Chairman of Brand Africa, stated during his keynote address “We need to support local brands because brands build companies and companies hire people and people pay tax and tax builds a country.
The top 16 YOBA received 482 highly competitive awards nominations in 16 different categories. Each category had four nominated brands and only one brand with more votes was titled the ‘top brand’ in the respective categories.
“As much as we celebrate young people’s brands, I would like for you to recognize the fact that young people are not sitting folding their hands, they are actually knocking on doors and creating amazing brands that helps our economy grow” says Pat Mahlangu – Founder of Pat on Brands/ Lerato Agency.
A panel of judges consisting of industry award-winners, marketers, thought leaders, and academics, carefully reviewed each entry and evaluated them based on a measurable result to determine the strongest front runner of each category. The nominees were further evaluated by a leading black-owned chartered accountants firm called Khumalo & Mabuya attorneys.
Top 16 List of Winners
TSHEPO JEANS won the “Overall Top Brand” category sponsored by Sakhumnotho Group Holdings and the top Apparel Brand category award.
The category winners for the inaugural Top 16 Youth-Owned Brands Awards in 2022 are as follows:
- Overall Top Brand – (Sponsored by Sakhumnotho) – Tshepo Jeans
- Top Travel & Tourism Brand – Book Ibhoni
- Top NPO’s & Charity Brands – Women Leaders South Africa
- Top Media Brand – Podcast and Chill with MacG
- Top Food Brand (Sponsored by Nik Naks) – Solo Restaurant
- Top Beverage Brand category (Sponsored by Black Crown Gin & Tonic) – Siwela Wines
- Top Footwear Brand – Bathu
- Top Apparel Brand – TSHEPO JEANS
- Top Accessories Brand – Ziba Styles
- Top Personality and Influencer – Pamela Mtanga
- Top Homeware Brand – Maison Space
- Top Beauty Brand – Hermosa Flor Cosmetics
- Top Agriculture Brand – Mater Pluviam Holdings
- Top Education Brand – Elevate Africa
- Top Services Brand – Delivery Ka Speed
- Top Technology Brand (sponsored by MTN Pulse) – Green Scooter.
Congratulation to all our winners for building amazing brands that build our economy. We would also like to thank our sponsors, Sakhumnotho Holdings Group, Lerato Agency, Khumalo & Mabuya, Black Crown, Reveel Group, MTN Pulse, Nik Naks, UJ FM and Global School of Entrepreneurship for pulling through for the youth of South Africa.
