From invasive plants to award-winning design, Tumi Mphahlele is turning environmental challenges into opportunity. As the winner of the inaugural Ventures Foundation programme, the founder of Thekga Movement transforms alien plants into sculptural textiles, while creating work for female artisans.
Through the programme, Tumi is gaining the commercial clarity to scale sustainably. Her next step is Paris, where she will experience Maison&Objet, one of the world’s foremost showcases of design and innovation.
Tumi Mphahlele is the designer and founder of Thekga Movement – a business built on one of the most unexpected raw materials in South Africa: invasive alien plants. By harvesting water hyacinth and other alien plant species, Thekga Movement transforms an ecological challenge into a commercial and creative one, producing tactile, sculptural textiles that are as beautiful as they are purposeful.
The Ventures Foundation programme gave Tumi the business framework to match the vision she already had. Brand strategy, financial modelling, pricing, target market definition and the discipline to set measurable goals and execute against them. Her prototype, manufactured by Rugalia, embodies the language of quiet luxury: refined craftsmanship, superior materials, and a sense of lasting value.
Tumi's business model is as considered as her craft. Thekga Movement trains and works with a growing network of female artisans across communities, encouraging them to formalise as cooperatives and convert into micro-manufacturing partners. Each product is graded to an agreed standard, and every maker is paid a fair rate. The result is a production model that scales community wealth alongside the brand itself.
Tumi has spent years building relationships with local municipalities, creating mutual benefit between her supply chain and the landscapes it draws from. She describes herself simply as the 'alien lady' – and she is quick to point out that there are a lot of aliens out there and a lot of work still to do.
Tumi's prototype, alongside those of her fellow finalists’, was exhibited at 100% Design Africa and will be on display at the Alice Lane Gallery located on the ground floor, 11 Alice Lane, Sandton, from September. After the exhibition, these one-of-a-kind rugs and wall hangings will be auctioned, with all proceeds going to the Ventures Foundation to continue supporting and investing in the next generation of South African creative entrepreneurs.
ABOUT THE VENTURES FOUNDATION
The Ventures Foundation by Sanlam Private Wealth is dedicated to discovering and developing South Africa’s next generation of creative entrepreneurs. Through mentorship, business training and international exposure, we empower emerging entrepreneurs to refine their craft, build sustainable businesses, and share their vision with the world.
THEESAN MOODLEY
Sanlam Private Wealth CEO
Application
HOW IT WORKS
Application
More than 150 submissions were received from South African creative entrepreneurs looking to elevate their craft, business skills and creative vision. Applicants designed a luxury textile piece – prototyped as a rug – to reimagine what luxury means in Africa today.
Selection
Selection
From a highly competitive pool, 12 finalists were shortlisted. They took part in a focused entrepreneurship programme of mentorship, masterclasses and commercial development, refining both their concepts and their growth potential. From this group, five finalists progressed to the next phase.
Mentorship
Mentorship
The five finalists worked with leading mentors across design, business and market development, including experts from Sanlam Private Wealth. Sessions were tailored to each finalist’s goals, covering brand strategy, production, pricing, marketing and market access. They also partnered with manufacturers to turn their designs into fully realised prototypes that were exhibited at 100% Design Africa.
Paris winner
Paris winner
In September, the winner will travel to Paris to experience Maison&Objet ,one of the world's leading design showcases. While this is an incredible milestone, it's only part of the journey. Through the Ventures Foundation programme, the winner will continue working alongside industry-leading mentors, gaining business guidance, strategic support and invaluable exposure to help grow her business beyond this moment.
THE VENTURES FOUNDATION PROGRAMME RETURNS IN 2027.
TRACY LEE LYNCH
LENTSOANE LEKALAKALA
LAURIE WIID VAN HEERDEN
MPHO VACKIER
ZIZIPHO POSWA
CHARL EDWARDS
CLAUDE MORRIS
TRACY LEE LYNCH
(CREATIVE DIRECTOR AND DESIGN CURATOR)Tracy Lee Lynch is the visionary creative director at Clout/SA where she champions South African designers and makers through bold, culturally grounded interior projects, curated collections and design showcases. Tracy brings together aesthetic, community and impact to elevate South African voices and build bridges between local designers and global audiences.
LENTSOANE LEKALAKALA
(FINANCIAL EXPERT)Lentsoane Lekalakala heads up Sanlam Private Wealth’s Johannesburg region. As a seasoned investment professional, he brings a pragmatic, long‑term lens to evaluating opportunities. He leads multidisciplinary teams and has spent years helping clients turn good ideas into sustainable growth. Expect clear judgement, straight talk and dependable follow‑through.
LAURIE WIID VAN HEERDEN
(DESIGNER AND MAKER)Laurie Wiid van Heerden is the founder and lead designer of Wiid Design, a renowned studio defined by craftsmanship, material innovation and sustainability. Combining African authenticity with global appeal, Wiid Design crafts original, enduring designs for residential, commercial and bespoke projects worldwide. Each piece explores form, tactility and longevity through materials such as cork, which is a defining element in Laurie’s work.
MPHO VACKIER
(FURNITURE DESIGNER)Mpho Vackier is the founder and creative force behind TheUrbanative™, a studio known for pushing the boundaries of contemporary furniture design in South Africa. Her work rethinks form and function with bold shapes, material exploration and an eye for sculptural presence.
ZIZIPHO POSWA
(CERAMICIST)Zizipho Poswa is a Cape Town-based ceramic sculptor whose monumental hand-coiled forms celebrate African womanhood, drawing on her roots in Xhosa ritual and the life of rural women. Her work bridges abstraction and figuration, often referencing rituals like umthwalo (the load), as well as traditional hairstyles in her Magodi and uBuhle boKhokho series. Her pieces are held in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, LACMA, and the Philadelphia Museum of Art among others.
CHARL EDWARDS
(EDITOR-IN-CHIEF AND CREATIVE DIRECTOR)Charl Edwards is an all-round creative with a strong aesthetic sensibility for imagery, branding and editorial language. As the co-founder and creative director of Lookbook Studio and editor of House and Leisure, Charl brings together visual storytelling and narrative direction to help shape and curate distinctive local identities and stories.
CLAUDE MORRIS
(BUSINESS MENTOR)Claude Morris is a business strategist and coach dedicated to helping entrepreneurs grow, sustain and evolve their businesses with clarity and confidence. Drawing on extensive experience across creative and commercial sectors, he equips business owners with the insight, structure and accountability needed to achieve lasting profitability and impact. Through Claude Morris Coaching & Consulting, he partners with clients to unlock their full potential and build sustainable, thriving enterprises.
Our mentors are leaders in design, business and creative entrepreneurship. As a finalist, you’ll gain direct access to their expertise and networks through workshops, one-on-one sessions and real-time feedback, customised to your craft, business goals and vision. The ultimate prize: one finalist will travel with a mentor to Maison&Objet Paris, immersing in the world’s leading design event, meeting global brands and drawing inspiration to shape a lasting creative future.
