National award for renal unit founder

IT’S official. The woman behind establishing two kidney dialysis treatment centres in rural Zululand, where thousands of people were in desperate need of medical attention, won the Judges Prize in the 2015 Sanlam/Business Partners Entrepreneur of the Year competition.

Zululander Ncamisile Maphumulo happily accepted the award on Wednesday in Johannesburg.

She will receive R50 000, as well as valuable mentorship support, networking opportunities and associated marketing and national media exposure to drive her fast-expanding business forward.

Maphumulo opened the Coastal Nephrology Centre in Ulundi and in August branched out with another renal unit in Nongoma.

The Judges Prize was introduced last year to acknowledge an entrepreneur that may not yet be at the same level as winners in other categories such as ‘Medium Business of the Year’,‘Innovator of the Year’ and ‘Job Creator of the Year’ in terms of size and turnover, but impressed the judges with a positive entrepreneurial outlook.

‘I was not expecting it. Just the exposure in itself is amazing,’ said Maphumulo.

‘Being recognised means the world to me as it shows that the judges believe in my business and the hard work I have put into it thus far.

‘It will also help boost business growth, allowing me to open many more clinics across KZN.

‘There are so many people suffering in rural areas with no option but to travel hours to get dialysis treatment.’

‘I want to thank my family, Sanlam and Business Partners, particularly Business Partners Richards Bay’s Area Manager Thula Mkhwanazi and Investment Manager Gerhard Snyman, without whom I never would have succeeded.’

Maphumulo is currently preparing to launch her third centre next month in Greytown.

‘People in this area have to commute all the way to Pietermaritzburg for renal care.’