Tshaamano Mabuba, founder of education technology company Buddy Learning, has been named the winner of the 2026 edition of Jacaranda FM’s Her Perfect Pitch, the station’s flagship campaign dedicated to empowering and uplifting women-led businesses across South Africa, taking home a comprehensive prize package designed to help her business reach new audiences and accelerate its growth.
Mabuba stood out among hundreds of extraordinary female entrepreneurs for her innovative EdTech platform, Buddy Learning, which is actively breaking down financial and technological barriers to quality academic support.
As the winner, Mabuba will receive R500,000 worth of advertising on Jacaranda FM, including the conceptualisation, professional production and creation of a dedicated radio advert, as well as extensive digital amplification across the station’s platforms. She will also receive R20,000 in cash from First For Women and R5,000 cash from SPAR, along with tailored business support and mentorship covering a custom business model, research consultation, branding consultation and a digital strategy and PR consultation from The Platinum Club.
Mabuba’s winning business, Buddy Learning, is tackling barriers to academic support through a hybrid education model that combines human tutors with BuddyAI, a multilingual, curriculum-aligned AI tutor delivered through WhatsApp. The platform is designed to provide learners with personalised academic support without requiring expensive devices or unfamiliar technology.
Alongside its B2C tutoring and subscription offering, Buddy Learning also works with schools, NGOs, corporates and education partners, with the broader ambition of expanding access to quality education across South Africa and the continent.
Mabuba’s pitch stood out for its combination of innovation, accessibility and a clear understanding of the challenges facing learners who need additional academic support.
Vuyani Dombo, Managing Director of Jacaranda FM, says the station’s ‘Her Perfect Pitch’ campaign is ultimately about creating meaningful opportunities for women who are already making a difference through their businesses.
“Her Perfect Pitch is one of the initiatives we are incredibly proud of because it gives us the opportunity to shine a light on the incredible women building businesses and solving real problems in our communities,” Dombo says. “This year’s finalists demonstrated not only remarkable entrepreneurial spirit, but also the resilience, creativity and determination it takes to turn an idea into a sustainable business. Tshaamano and Buddy Learning are a fantastic example of this, and we’re excited to use the power of the Jacaranda FM platform to help take her business to an even bigger audience.”
Thandeka Ngcongo, founder of Orchid Medical, was named first runner-up, while Zulfa Nkosi, founder of Zulfa’s Glamour Girls Swimming Academy, took third place.
Orchid Medical is addressing gaps in preventative healthcare by bringing screening, early diagnosis and wellness services closer to the people who need them. The business combines mobile healthcare units, including mammography and cancer screening clinics, with telehealth services and corporate wellness programmes. As the first runner-up, Ngcongo receives R100,000 in Jacaranda FM airtime, R15,000 in cash from First For Women and an additional R5,000 cash from SPAR, providing the business with valuable exposure as it continues working to make preventative healthcare more accessible.
Zulfa Nkosi has built Zulfa’s Glamour Girls Swimming Academy to address the lack of accessible swimming education in township communities. Based in Ivory Park and Tembisa, the academy transformed a family home into a professional swimming facility featuring an indoor pool where children can learn in small groups with qualified instructors. Beyond swimming lessons, Zulfa’s Glamour Girls Swimming Academy focuses on water safety, confidence-building and employment creation, while giving township children the opportunity to develop their skills and potentially pursue swimming at a competitive level. Nkosi will receive R100,000 in Jacaranda FM airtime and R10,000 in cash from First For Women and R5,000 cash from SPAR as the second runner-up.
The seven remaining Top 10 finalists will each receive R100,000 worth of advertising on Jacaranda FM, as well as R5,000 cash from SPAR, giving even more women-led businesses an opportunity to build awareness, reach new customers and grow their brands.
The initiative highlights Jacaranda FM’s dedication to using its platform to champion South African women in business and create tangible opportunities for entrepreneurs to take their businesses to the next level.
For more information, visit www.jacarandafm.com.
