Every year, the Entrepreneur of the Year awards, sponsored by Business Partners bring together South Africa’s brightest and most dedicated business minds. The event celebrates the spirit of entrepreneurship, recognising the people who continue to drive innovation, create jobs, and uplift their communities. This event isn’t just about success stories but it’s all about resilience, vision, and the passion to build something that lasts.

As we celebrate this year’s finalists, we also take a moment to honour last year’s winner, who inspired us through their remarkable journey of growth and perseverance. Their story reminds us that entrepreneurship is not only about profit but it’s all about impact, courage, and the drive to keep moving forward despite the challenges. Congratulations to all this year’s finalists for carrying that same spirit and your achievements make South Africa proud of you.

This year, we are proud to celebrate our very own COO of 21st Century Funeral Services, Aphiwe Khambule who has been recognised for her leadership, innovation, and contribution to the business world. Her recognition as Entrepreneur of the Year 2025 reflects the strength and growth of our company under her guidance.

Under her leadership, 21st Century Funeral Services has continued to expand and evolve. The company has introduced new product offerings tailored to meet the needs of today’s families, opened new branches to reach more communities, and formed key partnerships, this includes Sanlam as our new underwriter and CemAir through a travel benefit for our policyholders as well as KOMOFIN, a reputable financial services provider specialising in micro-lending solutions. Each of these achievements represents our commitment to providing care, value, and support that go beyond traditional funeral cover.

As a business built on compassion and service, we take pride in being part of a community of entrepreneurs shaping the future of South Africa. We extend our special thanks to Business Partners for their continued support of small and medium-sized enterprises, and for recognising the people behind the businesses who make a real difference.