Welcome Ndileka Zantsi!

 Supporting Saartjie Baartman’s Entrepreneurship Hub

By Lala Steyn, Blocktober member, 7 August 2026

The Saartjie Baartman Centre has contracted Ndileka Zantsi this month to support the expansion of their Entrepreneurship Hub. This work has been made possible through donations from Blocktober supporters. 

As Ndileka begins this new chapter with the Centre, I caught up with her to learn more about her background, her passion for entrepreneurship development, and what she hopes to contribute to the Hub. 

Ndileka Zantsi, Entrepreneurship Innovator

Please tell us a bit about yourself.

I’m excited to get started and believe there is tremendous potential to build on the work already happening at the Saartjie Baartman Centre.

I was born and raised in Worcester and later grew up in Cape Town. I’m a mother of two, an entrepreneur myself, and have more than 18 years of experience in entrepreneurship development, with a particular focus on supporting vulnerable groups in townships and rural communities.

I recently completed my MPhil in Inclusive Innovation at the University of Cape Town Graduate School of Business. My research explored whether entrepreneurship programmes in townships are responding to the actual needs of entrepreneurs and whether these programmes are sustainable over time. 

What attracted you to support the Saartjie Baartman’s Entrepreneurship Hub?

I was drawn to the Saartjie Baartman Centre because its work strongly aligns with my interests in economic development, inclusion, skills development and creating meaningful economic opportunities for women.

The Centre already has a strong foundation through its existing products, facilities and programmes. I see significant potential to build on this by diversifying the product offering and bringing in external partners who can contribute additional skills, resources, networks and access to markets.

There is an opportunity to expand the Entrepreneurship Hub beyond its current product offerings and create a more comprehensive pathway for women towards economic empowerment.

Importantly, not every woman participating in the Centre’s programmes will become an entrepreneur, and that is okay. Economic empowerment should include both entrepreneurship and pathways into employment. This could include support with CV development, job interview preparation, workplace readiness and broader skills development.

For women who do choose entrepreneurship, support should go beyond initial training. They need assistance with starting their businesses, ongoing mentorship, access to networks and post-programme support that can help them build sustainable businesses.

What barriers do women entrepreneurs face?

Women entrepreneurs face a range of barriers, including limited access to resources, skills gaps and a lack of ongoing support. These challenges can be particularly difficult for single mothers and women who are the primary or sole income earners in their households. When a business fails, the consequences can affect the entire family.

Entrepreneurship programmes therefore need to recognise the broader realities of women’s lives. Practical interventions such as child-friendly training environments, travel or meal stipends and support that takes wider family responsibilities into account can make a meaningful difference to participation and outcomes.

Entrepreneurship support needs to be holistic. It cannot focus only on teaching business skills; it must also consider the circumstances and support systems that enable women to participate, start businesses and sustain them over time.

As you know Blocktober participants contribute through walks/runs/rides and through donations. Do you have any closing words for them?

Blocktober is a wonderful initiative, and I think its real strength lies in being more than a once-off intervention. It creates an opportunity for sustained support and long-term impact.

I’m incredibly grateful to the Blocktober supporters who have contributed towards this work. Your support is helping create opportunities for women and strengthening the Centre’s efforts to build pathways towards economic empowerment.

I would also love to join a Blocktober Sunday solidarity walk. I regularly participate in my local Tyger Valley Parkrun/Walk, although I need to take things a little cautiously at the moment as I recover from an ankle injury!

I’m looking forward to the journey ahead and to working with the Saartjie Baartman Centre, its women entrepreneurs, partners and supporters to strengthen the Entrepreneurship Hub and create even more opportunities for women.

We say: Welcome! Welkom! Wamkelikile!