Basetsana Khumalo, from humble beginnings…

The phrase “beauty with brains” must have been coined with Basetsana Khumalo in mind, because that is exactly what this amazing businesswoman is. Born in Soweto in 1974 to what one would call a fairly ordinary family, Bassie, as she is commonly known, has definitely risen above what was expected of her as a young black woman at that time.

Basetsana stepped into the spotlight at the tender age of sixteen after winning the Miss Soweto pageant. Four years later, she took it a step higher and was crowned the first black Miss South Africa. Her reign as Miss South Africa was the stepping stone she needed, and like the sharp businesswoman she is, Bassie took hold of the opportunities that came with the title to build her brand. One of her greatest opportunistic moments came during her reign as Miss South Africa when she became a founder and host for one of South Africa’s top lifestyle shows, Top Billing, through which she gained some business savvy and exposure. Her job at Top Billing opened yet another door for an even bigger business venture, leading to the birth of Tswelopele Productions, a partnership she formed with the show’s producer, Patience Stevens. All this at the age of twenty! Tswelopele now produces Top Billing, and Bassie has opened up a publishing division in the company, through which she has launched the successful Top Billing magazine.

In 2001, Basetsana stepped onto the fashion scene with the launch of her clothing line “Stature Ladies wear by Bassie”, which was not only distributed nationwide, but throughout Sub-Saharan Africa as well! In 2002, she introduced her optical and sunglasses range, which has contributed to solidifying her brand throughout the country.

This amazing woman is also leaving her mark in the corporate world. In 2001, she joined Gauteng Travel Academy as Director. Currently, she sits as a board member of numerous companies such as Unipalm Investment Holdings, Morongwa Investment Holdings and Seven Falls, to name a few. In addition, Basetsana is also the President of the Business Women’s Association of South Africa.

Bassie has built her brand over the years, and to say she has made a success of it is merely an understatement! It is no wonder she has graced the glossy covers of some of South Africa’s most successful magazines, such as Cosmopolitan, Drum and True Love. She has even been awarded an honorary scholarship by former President Nelson Mandela to further her studies at Georgetown University in the United States – the same institution where Bill Clinton studied!

Even with all this on her plate, Bassie is more than just a businesswoman. She is a mother, wife, columnist, motivational speaker and writer.

As you read this, I am sure you are probably thinking “Wow!” because that is exactly what I thought. Though we often hear people say “the sky is the limit” or “you can do anything you put your mind to”, sometimes we all need some inspiration to remind that indeed it is all possible. May you all be inspired by this amazing woman and remember that it all starts from the humble beginnings, so even if it takes a while to land that job, get that business contract or even get a degree, with hard work and perseverance, nothing is impossible!