NTOMBENHLE KHATHWANE MAKES FORBES LIST

MBABANE – Swazi-born entrepreneur Ntombenhle Khathwane has been named by Forbes Magazine as one of the 30 most promising young Entrepreneurs in Africa 2016.

Khathwane  is the founder of AfroBotanics, which was established in 2010 and the company is based in Johannesburg where they manufacture premium haircare products, using African botanical oils and other natural products and formulas to care for the hair and limit damage are to the barest minimum.

Khathwane (38) joins a list of very diverse entrepreneurs from all over the continent, who include some who recycle plastic bags in South Africa, a 26-year-old agricultural engineer from Uganda and a 21-year -old who discovered alternatives to treating diabetes using the herb moringa after her mother was diagnosed with it.

The article in the magazine has included brief profiles of the young businesspeople, a majority who are under 35, but Khathwane has hoisted the country’s flag as it mentions that she is a Swazi.     
During an earlier interview, under Hair Diaries, she defined herself  first according to the roles that she plays and matter to her.

“I am first a mother to my 15-month old son and 19-year-old daughter, I am a wife, an entrepreneur is so very proudly African and a proud feminist,” she said during the interview.
On AfroBotanics, Khathwane posted on Twitter last month inviting Swazis to come and hear about her product during the country’s first Hair and Make-up Master Class, which was hosted by local make-up artist Khosi Tshabalala.    

    
Stating how she came up with AfroBotanics, she said it was more a response to her frustrations that resulted from not understanding her hair, and then realising that there weren’t enough products in the South African market that were formulated to assist her to grow strong, good hair.
“I am not the DIY type, so buying ready formulated products is easier, and so I decided to make an offering for women like me who want good hair and good products but don’t have the inclination to mix products weekly,” she said.
Khathwane said she was horrified when she researched and realised that her hair would react best to a certain mix of products that weren’t available in the market.

“I was horrified at the self-inflicted damage my hair had undergone due to my ignorance. After reading mostly American blogs, I spent time in the USA learning about best ingredients and formulations for black hair. When I returned (to South Africa), I found a contract manufacturer and resigned from my government job and invested my pension into building the AfroBotanics business,” Khathwane said.

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