Zinhlezonke Zikalala

Youth in Business and Entrepreneurship

Nominee's Province:
Kwazulu-natal

Age:
29

Project Name/Description:
Sibizi Media

More info:
https://www.instagram.com/isibizi_magazine/

Zinhlezonke Zikalala, 29, is an innovator and change-maker from rural KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) who is fast making a name for herself in digital publishing through her sheer determination and boundless vision to tell youth-focused stories. She is the co-owner of Sibizi Media, a digital publishing outfit that produces Sibizi Magazine, Sibizi News and Known Magazine. “All our publications aim to put the spotlight on youth-owned businesses and young professionals, and to promote the entrepreneurial culture within black communities,” Zikalala explains. “We tell real stories of real people in South Africa.” Sibizi Media is KZN-based with staff across Durban, Johannesburg, and Cape Town, and all of them work remotely. “We currently have a team of 20 people across all three publications, with Sibizi Magazine, the flagship publication, comprising of 10 people,” she adds. The digital media company, which initially operated as a digital marketing agency, was established in 2017. The shift to publishing happened in 2019. A journalist by profession, Zikalala burns with a passion for storytelling. “Youth stories were not documented enough nor were they told in their voices. And that’s what I wanted – for our stories to be told by us. In 2019, we started with a news site, Sibizi News, and through that platform, we released our first issue of Sibizi Magazine in 2020,” she concludes.