The Businesswomen's Association of SA's 2017 Businesswoman of the Year Awards organisers announced the 13 finalists at a luncheon held at the new Sasol head office in Sandton on Wednesday afternoon.
The 2015 Businesswoman of the Year in the government category, Tembela Kulu, said: "We should not be modest. When we introduce each other as women, we must do it boldly."
This year's winning categories will recognise participants involved in social entrepreneurship, the corporate environment, education and entrepreneurship on September 6 at the Sandton Convention Centre.
The nonprofit's president, Farzanah Mall, said this year's theme – Women with No Filter – was chosen to help focus the spotlight on women's "internal and external light".
"It doesn't matter who we are or where we come from, we all have this light that shines through us, and this is what we need to focus on as women," she said.
Italian artist Fabiana Vizzani Reis donated a painting reflecting the femininity, power and light of women, which will be auctioned on the night of the awards.
