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Tag: SMME

THE CHAUKE SISTERS: Turning their mother’s baking into a national empire
Business

THE CHAUKE SISTERS: Turning their mother’s baking into a national empire

By Sitha Maliwa: ABOVE: Rhulani (left) and Rirhandzu Chauke (far right), co-owners of Conza’s Biscuits, with Maanda Milubi, Director Enterprise and Supplier Development, Tiger Brands. Conza’s Biscuits is one of the township-based, women-owned businesses that Tiger Brands has supported. (Image: supplied) In the heart of Soweto, in a tiny kitchen warmed by the smell of vanilla and ambition, a single mother once stood over five battered baking pans, determined to change the course of her family’s life. That woman was Constance Chauke - and the seed she planted in 2004 has grown into one of South Africa’s most inspiring SMME success stories: Conza’s Biscuits. What began as a survival strategy has risen, against the odds, into a beloved national brand now touching homes, re...
FROM TALK TO  ACTION: The 2025 Green Economy Indaba sparks change
Business

FROM TALK TO  ACTION: The 2025 Green Economy Indaba sparks change

By Sitha Maliwa: The air at the 2025 Nedbank Green Economy Indaba crackled with urgency and hope. Business leaders, young entrepreneurs, and changemakers converged under one roof, not just to talk about sustainability but to declare a new chapter in South Africa’s fight for an inclusive, resilient, and greener future. This was no ordinary conference. It was a battle cry. A rallying point. A space where South Africa’s youth stood tall, proving they are not just the leaders of tomorrow, but the architects of today’s solutions. From renewable energy to sustainable farming, from water innovation to green financing, the conversations were fierce, unapologetic, and inspiring. Panels unpacked the Just Transition Framework, probing how inclusivity can be more than a po...