“If you are an entrepreneur with a clear vision, a track record of hard work, and a commitment to your community, entering the Bambelela Business Awards can completely change the trajectory of your business.” These are words spoken by Rashaad Sambaba, a recipient of R40 000 at last year’s Bambelela Business Awards in the Western Cape.
The founder of the Adult Education Institute (AEI), which offers accessible long-distance learning for adults in the province, credited the company’s growth to the awards.
“While AEI was built on a solid, debt-free organic growth model, scaling an independent private educational institute requires constant capital reinvestment. Winning a Bambelela Award provided a crucial injection of growth capital right when we were expanding our operational capacity.”
What Bambelela Means and What the Awards Offer
Meaning “hold on”, Bambelela reflects the determination, resilience and ambition of entrepreneurs who continue to grow their businesses, seize new opportunities and make a lasting impact in their communities. More than an awards programme, the initiative by the Hollywood Foundation celebrates and empowers entrepreneurs by providing funding, business development opportunities and a platform to scale innovative businesses that are creating jobs and driving economic growth across the Western Cape.
Turning Capital Into Operational Growth: AEI’s Story
“The financial prize allowed us to upgrade our online Learning Management System (LMS) front-end, optimise our physical study-pack printing, and strengthen our nationwide courier logistics network to deliver course materials to distance learners across the country. It turned potential operational bottlenecks into smooth, rapid expansion.”
Building a Brand From the Ground Up: Rich Aunties Aesthetics
Rich Aunties Aesthetics, a fragrance, luxury candle and home accessory manufacturer, is another business which was transformed. Veliswa Tiya, the founder, expressed her gratitude.
“Winning the award enabled me to bring to life the brand I had envisioned; it gave me confidence to represent the brand in terms of what it looked like aesthetically. I’ve also been able to employ two part-time staff members, which I wasn’t able to do before. Besides the financial aspect, the organisers also provided background support. The awards themselves also lit a spark in me to support other entrepreneurs at some point.”
Strengthening Systems and Standards: Body Basics
Body Basics founder, Liesl Fysh, echoed the same sentiment. Her massage therapy and wellness company, which just last year alone served 300 cancer patients in Groote Schuur Hospital and served other corporate and individual clients, is a significant presence in the province. For her, the funding helped improve her inventory monitoring system, her client registry, her staff uniforms, and improved the quality of the professional products used in her company.
“We certainly would encourage businesses who need help to apply to the Bambelela Business Awards. We needed an opportunity to be seen, to be heard, and the pitch training provided helped us to polish our story not only for the judges present but for anyone else in future.”
A Ripple Effect Beyond the Businesses Themselves
The impact of the awards on these businesses is evident. In addition, the communities around them have also benefited from the growth and contributions of these businesses. For instance, besides providing employment, the AEI has reinvested into its community by funding bursaries allowing young women from disadvantaged backgrounds to gain professional qualifications and recently gifting 100 fully sponsored accredited computer courses to South African women to celebrate Women’s Month and boost local digital literacy.
How to Apply for the 2026 Awards
These three businesses represent just a fraction of the entrepreneurs whose growth has been supported by the awards over the years. Qualifying entrepreneurs are encouraged to apply online via the Hollywood Foundation website before 31 August 2026, ahead of the 2026 awards taking place in September.
Shortlisted businesses will participate in a two-day programme comprising an exhibition, seminar and business pitches before an independent panel of judges, with winners sharing in over R1 million in funding.
Qualifying entrepreneurs are encouraged to apply online via the Hollywood Foundation website before 31 August 2026 at 23:59.
Eligibility Criteria
For more information on the Hollywood Foundation, please visit: https://hollywoodfoundation.co.za/
