Meet the 12 Women Shaping the Future of South African Music

After receiving more than 500 submissions from across South Africa, the Betway Cares Foundation has announced the Top 12 finalists for its Voices of Her mentorship programme, a career-building initiative designed to support emerging female artists with the tools to build sustainable, long-term careers in music.

Representing nine provinces, the selected finalists will take part in a two-week, in-person mentorship residency in Johannesburg, followed by five weeks of structured virtual learning. Beginning on Sunday, 23 November, the programme will focus on vocal development, artistic identity, and the often-overlooked business skills required to thrive in the music industry.

More than a music development initiative, Voices of Her is positioned as an access-driven platform that aims to equip women with ownership over their creative futures. “Voices of Her is about more than music; it’s about expanding access and ensuring that women are equipped not just to perform on stage, but to build and own their careers,” says Bakang Lethoko, Head of the Betway Cares Foundation. “When talented women are given the right tools, they create opportunity that stretches far beyond themselves.”

Throughout the programme, finalists will participate in masterclasses covering performance development, creative direction, financial literacy, brand building, and industry navigation. The goal is to move artists beyond raw talent, enabling them to operate confidently as professionals within a competitive and often complex creative economy.

By combining artistic mentorship with practical business insight, Voices of Her seeks to address long-standing barriers faced by women in music, particularly around sustainability, representation, and career longevity.

Voices of Her finalists

Gauteng: 

• Nontobeko Masiye (Johannesburg)

• Kutlwano Nyandeni (Kagiso) 

• Buhle Mashinini (Benoni) 

• Angella Mulaudzi (Soweto) 

• Modimooratile Tau (Kagiso) 

• Boitumelo Momakwe (Soweto)

KwaZulu-Natal: 

• Sanelisiwe Majola (Umlazi) 

• Thembeka Duma (Durban Harbour)

Free State: 

• Neo Mabote (Sasolburg) 

• Ncebakazi Qwanti (Bloemfontein) 

• Muhle Fulela (Bloemfontein)

Limpopo: 

• Karabo Sithole (Mankweng, Polokwane)

The Betway Cares Foundation continues to position Voices of Her as a platform that develops talent and reshapes what opportunity looks like for women in South Africa’s creative industries.