Our Story
Built for those who build.
Where African Business Rises.
ZA Summit was born from a simple belief — that African businesses and professionals deserve a platform that sees them, verifies them, and connects them with the opportunities they’ve earned.
Our Mission
We exist to close the visibility gap
Black-owned businesses and professionals in South Africa are among the most talented, resilient, and driven in the world. But talent alone doesn’t pay the bills — visibility does. Too many skilled people are invisible to the clients who need them most.
ZA Summit changes that. We are a verified business directory, a freelancer marketplace, a jobs and tenders board, and a community platform — all built specifically to elevate African business.
46%
Youth unemployment rate in South Africa — the problem we’re building against
R500
The budget this platform was built on — proof that constraints don’t limit vision
16 June
Youth Day launch date — because this platform is for the generation building tomorrow
🇿🇦
Why Youth Day
16 June is not just a public holiday
In 1976, young South Africans risked everything to demand dignity and opportunity. In 2026, we launch ZA Summit on Youth Day to honour that legacy — by building the economic infrastructure that gives the next generation a real chance.
46%
Youth Unemployment
3.3M
Young People Not in Employment
1
Platform Built to Help
“Every listing is an opportunity. Every connection could change a life.”
The Founder
AM
Andiswa Mbhele
Founder & Director
✓ VERIFIED FOUNDER · LISTING #001
15 years of finance. One platform. Built in 9 days.
Andiswa Mbhele is a Cape Town-based Finance and Operations Professional with over 15 years of experience spanning financial management, IT administration, ISO compliance, and digital operations.
She built ZA Summit from concept to live website in under 10 days on a R500 budget — not because the resources were abundant, but because the need was urgent. As a black professional who has navigated the gaps in visibility and credibility throughout her career, she built the platform she wished had existed.
Andiswa is ZA Summit’s first listed and verified member — Listing #001 — offering bookkeeping, VBA automation, and e-commerce finance support to businesses locally and internationally.
“I built ZA Summit because I know what it feels like to be skilled, experienced, and overlooked. This platform is for every professional who deserves to be seen.”
— Andiswa Mbhele, Founder
Founder Credentials
🎓BCom in Information Technology Management — MANCOSA, 2024
🎓Advanced Certificate in Accounting Sciences — UNISA, Current
📊15+ years in financial management, IT administration and operations
⚙️ISO Infrastructure — independently established full company ISO compliance framework
💻VBA Automation specialist — built macro-enabled workbooks saving hundreds of hours annually
⭐Peer rated 9.5–10/10 across reliability, accuracy and professionalism — Feb 2026 review
What We Stand For
Our values
🛡️
Trust Through Verification
Every verified badge is human-reviewed. We don’t automate trust — we earn it, one business at a time.
🤝
Community Over Competition
We believe African businesses grow faster together. ZA Summit is a platform for connection, collaboration and collective rise.
🎯
Access for All
Listing is free. Always. Premium features amplify visibility but the door is open to every business, regardless of size or budget.
📈
Empowerment Through Opportunity
Jobs, tenders, clients, collaborators — we connect our community with opportunities that move the needle on economic inclusion.
🌍
Pan-African Vision
We start in South Africa but our vision is continental. African business deserves a global stage.
⚡
Built Different
We were built on R500 and a vision. We understand what it means to do more with less — and we build tools that reflect that reality.
Where We’re Going
The ZA Summit roadmap
June 2026 — Launch
Directory & Verification goes live
Business directory, freelancer listings, verification badges, jobs and tenders board. South Africa’s first verified black business platform.
Q3 2026
Community & Portfolio features
Portfolio pages for paid members, community feed, news and opinion posts, AI-assisted CV upload for instant listings.
Q4 2026
Digital marketplace & corporate directory
Ebook and digital product store, verified supplier lists for corporate B-BBEE procurement, newsletter monetisation.
2027
Pan-African expansion
Expanding to Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Kenya. African business deserves an African platform with continental reach.
Join Us
Be part of something bigger
List your business for free, get verified, and join a community of African professionals building the future together.
List Your Business — Free
Get Verified
