A New Wave of Women, Ideas and Possibility

By Chelsea Morford

With two photoshoot and interview days already behind us, the energy surrounding KZN Top Business Women 2026 continued to build as another group of remarkable women gathered at the Coastlands Skye Hotel in Umhlanga.

Day three brought together eleven women from a broad range of industries – spanning sport, media, music, healthcare, hospitality, property, logistics, retail and professional services.

As the cameras came out and conversations began, it was clear once again that this initiative is about much more than creating a collection of portraits. It is about creating a space where accomplished women can share their experiences, exchange ideas and celebrate the different routes that have brought them to where they are today.

Among the women joining us was Sma Mbatha Matibeli, CEO of Calvin and Family, whose entrepreneurial journey reflects a commitment to leadership, business development and creating opportunities.

The world of sport and commercial leadership was represented by Sinenjabulo Zungu-Ntuli, CEO and Non-Executive Director of AmaZulu Football Club. With experience across marketing, strategy, partnerships, sponsorships and commercialisation, her career sits at an exciting intersection of business, investment and sport.

From the sporting arena to the world of media, Pinky Myeni, Commercial Hub Department Head at Gagasi FM, brought her experience in commercial development and media leadership to the day, highlighting the relationship between media, business and commercial opportunity.

Maureen Pillay, Owner of Future Marketing, joined the cohort with more than two decades of business experience and an entrepreneurial journey shaped by persistence, determination and a drive to create value.

Logistics was represented by Lisa Anne Munsamy, Founder and Director of Lisa Carriers. With a career spanning entrepreneurship, logistics and property investment, Lisa brings a wealth of business experience and a story that reflects the ability to evolve, adapt and build again.

The hospitality and culinary world added its own flavour to the day through Chef Kayla-Ann Osborn, Founder of Kayla-Ann Culinary School, The Pennington Pantry and The Italian Club. An award-winning chef, restaurateur, educator and mentor, Kayla-Ann has developed a diverse portfolio extending beyond the kitchen into culinary education, events and food experiences.

Property and legal expertise were represented by Karien Hunter, Founder and Director of AMC Hunter Inc. Her long-standing career in property law and conveyancing has placed her within KwaZulu-Natal’s professional and property landscape, with a focus on service, integrity and creating opportunities through property ownership.

In the retail healthcare space, Claudia van Schalkwyk, Retail Operations Manager at The Local Choice Pharmacy, brought another perspective to the group, representing an industry where effective operations and healthcare services connect business with community needs.

The property sector was further represented by Bernadette Mzobe, Managing Director and Co-Founder of AJ Property Holdings. Her experience across property, finance and investment reflects the role that strategic thinking and entrepreneurship play in creating sustainable business opportunities.

Music provided another distinctive dimension to the day, with Annie Viljoen, Owner and Director of Kleens Music, representing a family business with a long-standing connection to Durban’s music and professional audio industry. Her leadership reflects the ability to carry a legacy forward while continuing to adapt to a changing business environment.

Rounding out the day was Dr Prabashni Coopsamy, General Practitioner and Aesthetic Medicine practitioner, bringing healthcare and aesthetic medicine into the diverse mix of professional expertise represented across the cohort.

What made the day particularly special was not simply the impressive range of careers around the room, but the opportunity to see the women beyond their professional titles.

Between interviews, photographs and the moments in between, conversations unfolded naturally. Different industries met around the same tables. Experiences were exchanged, connections were made and personalities emerged beyond the formal biographies and business descriptions.

That is becoming one of the defining elements of KZN Top Business Women 2026: bringing together women who may work in completely different fields, but who share an ambition to grow, contribute and make an impact.

The professional photographs and editorial interviews from the photoshoot days will come together in the 2026 KZN Top Business Women coffee-table book, creating a lasting celebration of the 40 women selected for this year’s cohort.

With three days complete, the excitement is building.

There are still more stories to capture, more women to meet and more conversations waiting to unfold before the full cohort comes together for the KZN Top Business Women evening on 19 November 2026.

Three days in, and one thing is clear: this is a cohort with experience, ambition, diversity and plenty of energy – and we are only getting started.