Cape Town - The wealthiest women in South Africa are invested in diverse sectors and over the years have made a name for themselves as Wonder Women of SA.
These powerful women have increased the total of wealth within SA and have shown that men do not need to dominate the South African economic landscape.
Meet South Africa's wonder women!
In honour of not only Women's Day but also Women’s Month, we are bringing you the top five wealthiest women in South Africa and how they attained their wealth.
1. Wendy Appelbaum - Net-worth> R2.6 Billion
File Image: IOL Wendy Appelbaum
In 2006, Appelbaum was awarded one of the leading female entrepreneurs in the world and in 2012 she was listed as one of the richest women in South Africa and across the continent.
Wendy along with her husband Hylton Appelbaum, are the owners of Chair De Morgenzen Wine Estate, which is ranked highly among the top Cape Town wine farms.
She loves charity and is a member of a number of charity organisations within South Africa.
Her generosity is so overwhelming: at one point she donated R150 million to establish the Gordon Institute of Business Science and the Donald Gordon Medical Centre.
2. Wendy Ackerman - Net-worth> R1.9 billion
File Image: IOL Wendy Ackerman
Wendy Ackerman mainly made her money through the Ackerman Family Trust, which is the half owner of Pick ‘n Pay the biggest retail establishment in South Africa.
She is not just a woman bound to one title as she is also known as trustee, life governor and board member.
Ackerman is also known for her achievement and contribution to environmental conservation and has received awards like "Woman of the Year", a Humanitarian Award, as well as a Paul Harris Fellowship Award.
3. Irene Charnley - Net-worth> R1.5 billion
File Image: IOL Irene Charnley
Charnley first made her mark co-ordinating the sub-units as South Africa's National Union of Mine workers negotiator.
She currently holds many director positions at companies like Johnnic Communications Limited, Time Media Limited as well as MIH Limited and banked an award for businesswoman of the year.
4. Bridgette Radebe - Net-worth> R1 billion
File Image: IOL Bridgette Radebe
Bridgette Radebe, the older sister of the South African billionaire, Patrice Motsepe, was awarded International Business Person of the Year in 2008.
She holds top positions in a number of companies, but is mainly known for her position as founder and executive chairperson at Mmakau Mining Limited. She was last rated as having a net-worth of R1 billion.
5. Sharon Wapnick - Net-worth> R443 million
File Image: IOL Sharon Wapnick
Sharon Wapnick is a practicing attorney and is a founding and named partner of TWB - Tugendhaft Wapnick Banchetti and Partners. She is the daughter of billionaire Alec Wapnick, who in 1968 started City Property, a residential and commercial property management company. Wapnick has been actively involved with Octodec Investments initially as a non-executive director since 1994 and now as chairman since her appointment in October 2011. Prior to Premium Properties’ merger with Octodec in September 2014, which was spearheaded by Ms Wapnick , Ms Wapnick fulfilled the role of non-executive director of Premium Properties from 1992 until October 2011 when she became chairman of the company.