Local businesswoman, entrepreneur and The Herald Citizens of the Year 2025 Business Category winner Brenda Moduka has died.
The founder and owner of Atlega for Women Project Enterprise died on May 2 after a short illness. She was 50.
Moduka is survived by her son, Tebogo, 31, and a one-year-old grandson.
Born and raised in Rocklands, Bloemfontein, she moved to Gqeberha in 2006 where she built a career defined by resilience, skills development and women’s empowerment.
Tebogo paid tribute to his mother, reflecting on her values, achievements and the lasting impact she had on her family and community.
“My mom believed in women empowerment and always encouraged us to go after our dreams. She used to say you can be anything you want to be.
“She was a God-fearing woman with a pure heart; strong, ambitious and intelligent, and she always saw the good in people.
“She inspired me to start my own company and was an inspiration to all of us, giving us hope that anyone can do it if they put their minds to it.
“One of my special memories is when she won the business award because it reminded me that diamonds can be found in a dusty place.”
He said his mother’s greatest legacy was the impact she made on women and communities, offering people hope and a way to put bread on the table by empowering and training them with sellable skills.
She was best known for founding Atlega for Women Project Enterprise, a skills development and training organisation established in 2016 and based in Gqeberha.
The initiative focused on empowering unemployed women and youth through practical, accredited training in sewing, upholstery, welding, shoemaking and entrepreneurship development.
Through Atlega, Moduka guided trainees on business registration, financial literacy and pathways to small business creation, helping turn skills into sustainable income opportunities.
Ntombizikhona Qandashe, an IT specialist who worked closely with Moduka at Atlega, said she was more than a boss — she was like a parent.
“She made my life easier. She was a thoughtful person and very understanding.
“She was a people’s person who made it so easy for others to reach out when they were going through a hard time.
“She played the role of a mother, especially since I had no family here.
“She stepped in, and I did not feel that gap. I have learnt so much from her,” Qandashe said.
In 2025, Moduka was named the business category winner in The Herald Citizens of the Year Awards, in recognition of her contribution to tackling youth unemployment through skills development and enterprise support.
Beyond her professional achievements, she was widely regarded as a mentor and advocate for community upliftment, particularly for women and young people seeking economic independence.
Her legacy lives on through the hundreds of trainees who passed through Atlega’s programmes, many of whom have gone on to start their own small businesses or secure sustainable employment.
Local businesswoman Michelle Brown paid tribute to Moduka.
“I knew Brenda for many, many years and she was always the epitome of a businesswoman with heart, someone who always wanted to give back and be involved in community initiatives.
“She was always about the upliftment and upskilling of women, and I loved her for that.
“This city has lost a very, very special person and it has made me really, really sad,” Brown said.
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