Whether it be a drill, hammer or sanding machine, a Gqeberha content creator and teacher has proven her prowess and talent with tools after being named as one of the three winners in the 2025 Brights Women in DIY Excellence Awards.
Cambridge IGCSE design and technology teacher, Ndandu Khavhadi, or “Just a Mom with a Drill” as she is known online, scooped the award and a R10,000 prize thanks to her practical, budget-friendly DIY projects and approachable teaching style.
The Central resident’s work blends everyday home improvement with a focus on creativity, confidence-building, and helping others — all qualities that caught the attention of 2025’s judges.
Brights Hardware chief executive Orlando Luis said Khavhadi’s work stood out for its hands-on practicality and her commitment to using DIY as a tool for upliftment.
“This year’s entries were truly exceptional,” Luis said.
“We saw women using DIY not only to beautify their homes but to empower others, build communities and promote sustainability.
“The passion, innovation and confidence of these women continues to raise the bar for creativity in South Africa.”
Luis said the awards celebrated women who were making a meaningful contribution to the DIY community through their ideas, projects, and the way they shared their skills with others.
“These women represent everything we hoped to celebrate when we launched the Women in DIY Awards,” he said.
“They’ve proven that DIY isn’t just about tools and timber — it’s about empowerment, imagination and community.
“We are proud to support their journeys and can’t wait to see what they build next.”
Khavhadi’s DIY journey began with a simple goal — learning to handle home repairs independently.
From there, she started sharing tutorials, tips and project walk-throughs that encouraged others — especially women — to try their hand at basic DIY without needing expensive tools or professional help.
Her work has reached audiences beyond Gqeberha as well.
She has been featured several times on international home and design platform Apartment Therapy and was a finalist in its DIY Awards.
The other two winners include long-standing DIY presenter and Garden & Home magazine contributor, Elle Franco, from Somerset West, who is the founder of DIY with Elle.
She is joined by Johannesburg-based digital creator and founder of DIY Princess Nkosazana Rulumeni-Mtshazi, who is focused on budget-friendly, sustainable projects and family-friendly creativity.
Each of the three Brights winners received a R5,000 voucher and a R5,000 product hamper to support their future projects.
The Herald
