Ms. Sharon Mashishi

Ms. Sharon Mashishi, also known as Monne Sharon Mashishi, is a young, driven South African entrepreneur and business leader based in Mogalakwena, Limpopo. She is the founder and director of Bahlaping Mash Trading, a 100 percent black, youth, and female-owned engineering firm, which she established after spotting opportunities to deliver services to companies in her mining town.

After being onboarded as a supplier to Anglo American Platinum’s Mogalakwena mine, Bahlaping secured a three-year joint venture contract for pit reticulation services, and has since grown to employ 63 people from the local community while expanding its offering to include trusses, reflective poles, and transport services. To strengthen her business foundation, she enrolled in Anglo American Zimele’s enterprise development programme, where she was mentored on the Business Model Canvas approach, which helped her re-engineer her operations in response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Through the Zimele programme, Sharon and her accountants were coached and guided on selecting the right accounting software in close partnership with SAICA Enterprise Development, and Bahlaping has since recorded a 56 percent increase in net profit. She also directs other ventures including Vemar Women Projects and SPA Engineering and Projects, reflecting her commitment to building businesses that uplift women and communities. Sharon has been nominated as a Young Achiever of the Year, a recognition of her growing influence in South Africa’s business landscape.