South African entrepreneur and employer Bathabile Moreki, founder of the conglomerate Nothile Consulting and its subsidiary The Perfume Co. Africa, has been named a finalist in the Top Women Entrepreneur of the Year 2025 category at the Standard Bank Top Women Awards — a category that recognises women whose businesses are creating jobs, expanding economic access, and driving tangible national impact.
Through Nothile Consulting and The Perfume Co. Africa, Moreki has built one of South Africa’s most significant women-led employment and entrepreneurship ecosystems. The Secunda-based manufacturing facility employs 184 full-time staff, with women representing the majority of the workforce. Many of these employees were previously unemployed and have since been trained across production, packaging, logistics, and administration — opening pathways to long-term careers and income stability.
Beyond formal employment, The Perfume Co. Africa has activated a reseller and Independent Business Owner (IBO) network of more than 258 000 micro-entrepreneurs across South Africa and the SADC region — including Namibia, Botswana, Lesotho, Zambia, and Kenya. These entrepreneurs, most of whom are women and youth in townships and rural communities, now operate their own perfume businesses with access to training, mentorship, and wholesale pricing. The broader economic ripple effect of this model is estimated to support more than 20,000 livelihoods through dependents, secondary agents, and community-based supply networks.
South Africa’s exit from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) greylist in 2025 marked a turning point in confidence in the country’s financial environment. As the nation works to strengthen economic participation, enterprises like The Perfume Co. Africa demonstrate the power of entrepreneurship to create real income opportunities at community level — particularly for women and young people historically excluded from formal employment.
According to Statistics South Africa’s Quarterly Labour Force Survey, unemployment remains one of the country’s most urgent challenges, especially among women and youth. The National Development Plan 2030 highlights small business development, women’s economic participation, and grassroots enterprise growth as essential to South Africa’s long-term recovery — priorities reflected in the mission and impact of Nothile Consulting and its subsidiary.
“This nomination is a celebration of the thousands of South Africans who are building their livelihoods through this ecosystem,” said Moreki. “Entrepreneurship must deliver real income, not just ideas. The Perfume Co. Africa was created so that ordinary people — especially women and young people — could earn, learn, and build financial stability in their own communities.”
Moreki reflected on the national importance of shared economic participation. “When women earn, households stabilise. When young people gain skills, communities grow. When township economies circulate income locally, the country advances. This work is about dignity, access, and long-term opportunity.”
She affirmed her commitment to further expansion. “There is still much work ahead. My focus is on scaling access into more provinces and more countries, and ensuring that more women and youth can participate meaningfully in the economy. Transformation must be visible — it must translate into income, employment, and empowerment at household level.”
Moreki’s nomination builds on an established record of recognition. She was honoured by the Gauteng Legislature as a Basadi Community Heroine in 2019, has served as a National Development Plan Youth Ambassador, and has been acknowledged by North-West University for her contributions to entrepreneurship and social impact. In 2023, she was named a finalist in the Veuve Clicquot Bold Woman Awards, and her work has been profiled across national media including The Star, Sunday World, Africa.com, IOL’s Sunday Tribune, Gauteng Lifestyle Magazine, and Ignited Woman Magazine. These recognitions reflect her ongoing contribution to enterprise development, job creation, and women-led economic growth.
For more than 20 years, the Standard Bank Top Women Awards have recognised women and organisations shaping South Africa’s progress through leadership, innovation, and measurable transformation. The winners will be announced at the awards ceremony on 02 December 2025 at the Sandton Convention Centre.
