Phaahla's rooted and rising

A tea visionary based in heritage, she brews boldness, legacy and innovation into every cup — and the future of African enterprise

- Lesego Chepape

n a crisp Johannesburg evening lit by candlelight, champagne bubbles and ancestral whispers, Retang Phaahla stepped onto the Veuve Clicquot Bold Woman Award stage with the quiet poise of someone who has carried a vision through soil and storm.

Her acceptance was tender, unforced. She did not shout her victory. Instead, she let it rise like the steam from a freshly brewed cup of her signature Tepane tea.

The award, established in 1972, is not just a global celebration of female entrepreneurship, it's a mirror to Madame Clicquot herself, a pioneering widow who, in the early 1800s, took over her late husband's wine business and turned it into a champagne empire.

It recognises contemporary women who, like Madame Clicquot, lead with audacity, innovation and purpose. In South Africa, where history and heritage run deep, Phaahla's win was more than a nod to her business acumen. It was a triumph of legacy, community and reclamation.

Phaahla is the co-founder and CEO of Setsong Tea Crafters, a purpose-led company rooted in the indigenous knowledge systems of the Bapedi people of Sekhukhune in Limpopo.

Together with her mother, and now her brother, she has transformed ancestral know-how into a global-facing wellness brand and done so with radical reverence for the land and the people who have always known its value.

"I'm still soaking it all in," she says, her voice soft yet unwavering. "To take that brave step as an entrepreneur, to build something out of Indigenous knowledge ... this award is validating. It reminds me that the work we're doing is not just important, it's necessary."

For Phaahla, boldness is not loudness. It is not ego. It is choosing to lead with purpose, especially when the path is uncharted.

She did not set out to build a tea empire. In fact, she thought she was simply helping her mother formalise a small idea, a humble act of service from daughter to mother.