Alumna, Zime Nxumalo is flying the Durban University of Technology (DUT) flag high with all her exceptional accolades and outstanding achievements as an astute business entrepreneur.
She is the founder and CEO of Zime Wezwe Creatives. It is a software development company that specialises in quality website and application development which is also currently developing a prototype for the real estate industry using blockchain technology.
Recently, the charismatic Nxumalo was given the Founder and Techpreneur of the Year nomination for the Founder of The Year (FOYA) Awards, the Young Entrepreneur Finalist Award by the United Nations Woman, 100th South Africa Shining Stars, GISU Global Urban Innovation Competition semi-finalist, a first of its kind in Africa.
Nxumalo is eternally grateful and humbled by the numerous awards and nominations she had received so far. “I believe 2024 is the year we, as a company, intend to establish a more firmer foundation, building and providing value for the customer and more collaborations,” she expressed euphorically.
For Nxumalo, an Information and Communications Technology graduate, she describes herself as an advocate for self-development who is always looking to improve herself and her craft by pushing the boundaries of what people might believe is possible.
“I think that it’s God’s grace that I have been able to marry two of my favourite things-business and IT. It seems to work for me, mostly because my degree is largely based on my business therefore it definitely gives me a competitive advantage on all fronts,” she said.
Nxumalo started her business at the age of 17, and has been in business for a a few years. She firmly believes that the youth have the ability to change the entire trajectory of this nation.
Nxumalo thrives on being an adaptive graduate and responding to changes in the world aiming to make a contribution towards providing solutions to societal problems and improving the lives and livelihoods of the broader society through her business.
Nxumalo’s other accolades includes:
- Mail and Guardian Top 200: Tech & Innovation;
- Top 100 Young Mandalas 2023;
- Most Improved Business of the Year 2023 innobiz Award;
- Best VELUX Collaborator;
- National Winner for Best Pitch;
- Huawei 2023 H1 Best Ambassador;
- Young Female External Recognition Award 2023;
- Sunday World Heroic Women 2023.
She also gave a presentation on “Industry Disruption using Blockchain Technology” to final year MBA students at the Northpark University of Chicago in the United States of America, last year (2023). Besides her strong business acumen, Nxumalo stressed that her life is rather boring which entails a routine, almost like a soldier. Every hour and minute is accounted for.
“I try to dedicate two hours to prayer, five hours to schoolwork, three hours to business, and three hours to self-development (exercising, meditation, reading, learning Spanish, self-reflection, and journaling). I relax for about two hours, and 30 minutes an hour phone call with my parents. I have been trying to get at least six hours of sleep so I do not burnout but when I can’t then I take naps throughout the day,” she chuckled.
Nxumalo aims to provide more opportunities to the youth at large in the form of programmes that would expose them to what’s possible and then harness their limitless creativity to solve some of the world’s most pressing problems.
“Nothing is impossible,” said the talented entrepreneur.
Pictured: Zime Nxumalo
Waheeda Peters
