Zandile Mkwanazi

Zandile Mkwanazi

Guest Blogger

Zandile is the Founder and CEO of GirlCode, a social enterprise aimed at empowering young girls and women through technology. Over the past 8 years, GirlCode has grown to be the largest women in tech lead educational organisation in South Africa impacting over 60 000 girls and women. GirlCode is solely dedicated to bridging the gender gap within the tech industry. Through her leadership the organisation has grown immensely from a hackathon to running coding clubs for primary and high school girls across South Africa as well as Skills programs training unemployed Graduates to become Software Developers. Zandile is one of the Mail and Guardian Top 200 Young South Africans class of 2020. She was awarded Social Entrepreneur of the year by the Santam woman of the Future Awards in 2021. She was named one of 50 Women of Power by Mail and Guardian in 2022. Zandile is an esteemed speaker and social entrepreneur, having shared the stage at the Standard Bank Women in Technology Conference, the Africa Women In Tech Conference and the South African STEM Conference. She has also been featured on local South African TV shows and major tech publications. Zandile is also the Founder and CEO of EmpowerXx, a women in STEM focused tech recruitment startup whose focus is to accelerate women in leadership positions within corporate South Africa.