In a colourful ceremony held in Pretoria, South Africa, on March 8, Salima Rhadia Mukansanga, a Rwandan international referee, was presented with the 2023 FORBES Women Africa Sports Award. This was during the FORBES Africa Women Leadership Summit’s presentation of the 2023 FORBES Africa Women Awards, where Mukansanga was among the exceptional women honoured.
The 34-year-old, who was the first African woman to officiate at the 2022 FIFA Men’s World Cup in Qatar, won the top honour in place of South African swimmer Tatjana Schoenmaker, who took home the award in 2022 after becoming the first woman to swim the 200-meter breaststroke in under 2 minutes, 19 seconds, winning a gold medal and setting a new world record at the Tokyo Olympics.
The Rwandan referee was also included in the BBC’s 2022 list of the 100 Most Important Women in Africa.
The FORBES Woman Africa Leading Women Summit, where Mukansanga was honoured, brings together the most influential women in business, politics, the arts, sports, civil society, and other fields. It is a rare gathering of female trailblazers who are unique in their thinking but unwavering in their commitment to creating a better, more equitable world.
Among the other honorerees include;
Nonkululeko Gobodo who won the Forbes Woman Africa Business woman award. She is the first black female Chartered Accountant in South Africa.
Funmi Adewara won the Forbes Woman Africa Technology and Innovation Awards.
The Forbes Woman Africa Lifetime Achievement Awards went to Gloria Serobe and Louisa Mojela.
Nomcebo Zikode won the Entertainment Category of the Forbes Woman Africa Awards.
The FORBES Women Africa Leading Women Conference has recognised March 8 as International Women’s Day ever since it began as an annual celebration honouring the accomplishments and tenacity of women all around Africa and the world.
Click here for more information on the winners.
