South Africa’s female technology change-makers were celebrated last night at the third annual Wired4Women Awards, where trailblazers, innovators and rising stars were recognised for their contribution to shaping the country’s digital future.
Held under the banner of the Wired4Women Tech Forum, in partnership with ITWeb Brainstorm and headline sponsor Telkom, the awards ceremony shone a spotlight on excellence across 13 categories, spanning leadership, cyber security, academia, channel growth, innovation and mentorship.
The event underscored the growing impact of women across the ICT sector, from boardrooms and data centres, to classrooms, laboratories and start-up ecosystems.
Among the night’s standout winners was professor Stella Bvuma, director of the School of Consumer Intelligence and Information Systems at the University of Johannesburg, who received the Trailblazing Career in ICT award for her longstanding contribution to developing digital talent and advancing academic leadership.
Tsebeletso Mashau, CIO for Africa regions at Standard Bank South Africa, was named CIO of the Year, while Celia Mantshiyane, group CISO at FirstRand, took home the CISO of the Year accolade for leadership in cyber resilience and information security.
The channel ecosystem was also recognised, with Natasha Oosthuizen, GM of sales at Tarsus Distribution, winning Channel Achiever of the Year.
In a rare tie, the Mentor of the Year category was jointly awarded to Kgopotso Magoro, director: learning and innovation at National Treasury, and Thenzie Stewart, senior manager: financial systems at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), for their role in guiding and uplifting future industry leaders.
Qhakaza Mohare, COO of Digify Africa, won the Tech Innovator, highlighting her growing influence in emerging technologies and digital transformation.
Accepting her award, Mohare said recognition was meaningful, but what mattered most was inspiring young professionals entering the industry. “I always encourage people to put their best foot forward, step into boldness and know that you belong in these spaces,” she said.
Audrey Mothupi-Palmstierna, CEO of SystemicLogic Group, was named Tech Business Leader in recognition of her strategic leadership and impact on the sector.
In her acceptance remarks, Mothupi-Palmstierna dedicated the award to women across the sector working to create opportunities and jobs. “This is for every little girl who needs to know there is space for her in technology.”
The next generation of technology professionals was also celebrated, with Ovayo Ntebe, a third-year BSc Computer Science Informatics student at the University of Johannesburg, crowned as Top Tech Student.
Delivering the ITWeb Brainstorm Wired4Women chairperson’s address, Nomonde White, chief information officer: group compliance at Absa Group, said the awards were about more than celebrating individual success stories.
She noted that women’s leadership often drives impact quietly – through innovation, governance, operational excellence and community upliftment, yet is not always sufficiently recognised. She added that women in technology continue to solve complex problems, lead through uncertainty and create opportunities for those coming behind them.
According to White, platforms such as the Wired4Women Awards are essential because they send a clear message that talent must be recognised, representation matters and inclusive leadership is fundamental to the future of business.
“Women’s leadership should not be recognised occasionally, but consistently celebrated,” she said, noting that women across the ICT industry continue to solve complex problems, lead through uncertainty and create opportunities for others, often while navigating greater scrutiny and fewer opportunities for visibility.
She added that recognition platforms such as Wired4Women help shift industry culture and reinforce the importance of inclusive leadership.
In the sponsor’s address, Gugu Mthembu, chief marketing officer of Telkom, congratulated organisers on the growth of the awards programme, noting increased attendance and a rise in entries across all categories.
Mthembu said Telkom was proud to partner with an initiative that celebrates not only achievement, but the power of opportunity and inclusion in the ICT sector.
She added that empowering women is one of the smartest investments organisations can make, as women bring fresh perspectives, innovation and sustainable growth.
Addressing guests on behalf of beneficiary partner iSchoolAfrica, Michelle Lissoos, founder and director of iSchoolAfrica, said the Wired4Women Awards are not only a celebration of today’s leaders, but an investment in tomorrow’s women in technology.
“These awards are not only celebrating women in tech today, they are actively building the women technology leaders of tomorrow,” she said.
Lissoos said support from the initiative helps expand access to coding, robotics and digital learning opportunities for learners across South Africa.
She also added that every award presented on the night contributes to strengthening the future pipeline of women innovators.
Since launching in 2009, iSchoolAfrica has reached hundreds of schools, special needs institutions and hospitals, equipping teachers and learners with critical digital skills.
In its third year, the Wired4Women Awards continues to gain momentum as one of the country’s key platforms for recognising women transforming South Africa’s technology landscape, while helping develop the next generation of digital talent.
The list of all the 2026 winners of the Wired4Women Awards:
Trailblazing Career in ICT: Professor Stella Bvuma, director of School of Consumer Intelligence and Information Systems, University of Johannesburg
CIO of the Year: Tsebeletso Mashau, CIO: Africa regions, Standard Bank South Africa
CISO of the Year: Celia Mantshiyane, group CISO, FirstRand
Channel Achiever of the Year: Natasha Oosthuizen, GM of sales, Tarsus Distribution
Mentor of the Year (joint winner): Kgopotso Magoro, director: learning and innovation, National Treasury
Mentor of the Year (joint winner): Thenzie Stewart, senior manager: financial systems, CSIR
Tech Entrepreneur: Pretty Kubyane, co-founder and tech lead, eFama App
Tech Innovator: Qhakaza Mohare, COO, Digify Africa
Tech Business Leader: Audrey Mothupi-Palmstierna, CEO, SystemicLogic Group
Tech4Good: Kasthuri Soni, CEO, Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator
Rising Star – Security: Ncebakazi Tyalisi, junior cyber security specialist, Absa Group
Rising Star – AI and Data Innovation: Kutlwano Ngwarati, head of AI and intelligent automation, Exxaro Resources
Rising Star – Software and Coding Development: Fanelesibonge Mbuyaze, software engineer, Sanlam
Top Tech Student: Ovayo Ntebe, fourth-year BSc Computer Science Informatics student, University of Johannesburg
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