Bridgette Radebe Biography
Bridgette Radebe (Bridgette Motsepe Radebe) was born on 26th February 1960 in South Africa. She is a South African entreprenuer and the Founder, Executive Chairperson and CEO of Mmakau Mining (Pty) Ltd.
Bridgette was born into an entrepreneurial family during the apartheid era when black people were not allowed to hold a mining licence – and not allowed to mine or own mining rights. Her parents had to fight oppressive rules against businessmen and this created the foundation for the spirit of economic activism within Bridgette and her family.
In 1976, she and her tribe, who were robbed of royalty payments for mineral rights leased to a Canadian company, marched to the mine seeking justice. They were met with teargas, dogs, police and guns. Bridgette swore that she would become a mining lawyer, but despite being accepted at Wits University, her race prohibited her from studying there.
Banished to the University of the North – a racist ‘Bantu education’ institution – by the regime, she, together with other students striking against Bantu education, was expelled. That ended her struggle towards a career in law.
This however did not deter her from pursuing her dream. Bridgette defied legislation and entered the mining industry as the first black mining entrepreneur. Women at that time were prohibited by legislation from owning mining rights or working in mines. As a contract miner, her company produced minerals and managed shafts for the big mining houses, acquiring the relevant skills and expertise that were so critical for her to build her own business.
Today Mmakau Mining has equity in platinum mines, coal, chrome and gold as well as in Shaft Sinkers, a company that specialises in shaft sinking, mining construction and development world-wide.
Through her leadership, Mmakau’s prime focus is on investment in sustainable mining ventures through community-driven involvement, which provides for wealth creation through empowerment procurement practices, managed empowerment partnering and entrepreneur development. This Integrated Resource Management model has created the equity participation of many rural communities and has sustained the wealth creation process through public-private partnership models and policies.
Through her presidency of the South African Mining Development Association (South Africa’s largest Mining chamber), her pioneering models in creating sustainable mining communities and robust business and infrastructure development in rural areas, through integrated resources development programme, have alleviated poverty and restored the dignity of indigenous peoples; thereby addressing the “resource curse syndrome”. This model is being adopted and adapted by various resource-abundant countries and mining chambers.
She is the Founder and a member of the Board of Trustees of the New Africa Mining Fund to aid junior mining companies, particularly empowerment companies, with finance and skills, and former Vice Chairman of the Minerals and Mining Development Board that advises the Minister of Minerals and Energy.
In her capacity as president of SAMDA, Bridgette was instrumental in the lobbying and design of the Minerals and Petroleum Development Bill, The Royalty Bill, and the Empowerment Mining Charter in partnership with the Minister of Minerals and Energy, Labour Unions, the Chamber of Mines and other stakeholders. In the mid-eighties she was the head of Public Affairs for the National Soccer League and contributed to the development of soccer in South Africa. She is a founding member and served as the first Chairperson of the International Women’s Forum South Africa, and has recently been nominated as one of the 20 Most Powerful Women in Africa by ‘Forbes’ Magazine. She often presents at Fortune Most 200 Powerful Women Conferences, and also serves on various boards including Sappi Limited, the biggest paper and pulp company in the world.
Bridgette Radebe Career
- May 2004 – Present: Independent Non-Executive Director, SAPPI LTD.
- 1999 – Present: Chairperson of Nabera Mining (Pty) Ltd.
- 1995 – Present: Founder and Executive Chairperson, Mmakau Mining (Pty) Ltd
- Director of Leadership Foundation IWF.
- Chair of South Africa Minerals Development Assosiation.
- President of South African Mining Development Association.
- Business Development Director, Cast Mining and Construction (Pty) Ltd South Africa.
- Chair of International Women’s Forum SA.
- Founder of New Africa Mining Fund
- 1989 – 1994: Chief Executive Officer, Projects International (Pty) Ltd.
Bridgette Radebe Awards
- International Business Person of the Year, 2008
- Forbes Africa’s Most Richest Women, 2012
- Pioneer in Mining Award, South African Ministry of Minerals and Energy
- Mababongwe: Renaissance Woman Award, University Durban-Westville
- The Onkgopotse Tiro Excellence Awards, Limpopo University, 2010
Bridgette Radebe Membership
- Board Member of National Research Foundation.
- Member of National Research Foundation.
- Board of Trustee Member, New Africa Mining Fund
Bridgette Radebe Net Worth
She has an estimated net worth of R1 billion.
Bridgette Radebe Age
He was born on 26th February 1960.
Bridgette Radebe Family
She is married to Jeff Radebe and they have three children Mandisa Radebe, Vukani Radebe, Malaika Radebe.
Bridgette Radebe Photo
Bridgette Radebe Contact Details
This information will be updated soon.