In South Africa’s rapidly evolving information and communications technology (ICT) sector, estimated at more than R250 billion annually, women remain significantly underrepresented. Only 21 percent of the workforce is female, a stark reminder of how much work remains to be done to build inclusivity and unlock the full potential of the digital economy. Against this backdrop, entrepreneur Nomphomelelo “Mpumi” Mahlangu is leading the charge, demonstrating that transformation and performance can advance together.
Mahlangu is the founder and Managing Director of Synergy Trading & Projects, a 100 percent Black female-owned ICT company. Her career trajectory reflects a blend of technical expertise, entrepreneurial courage, and an unwavering commitment to inclusive growth. With a BSc in Computer Science and Computer Engineering from the University of Cape Town, she was one of only a handful of Black women in her class.
Over the years, she has held leadership positions at Vodacom, Sentech, Nokia, and Liquid Intelligent Technologies, where she oversaw network rollouts and infrastructure projects of national significance. At Nokia, she directed operations generating revenues exceeding R1 billion, while at Liquid she helped drive nationwide expansion programmes. In 2015, Mahlangu charted her own course by founding Synergy Trading & Projects.
What began as a provider of RF services has since expanded into systems integration, network installations and maintenance, consumable and material supply, energy solutions, and managed ICT services. The company’s achievements are noteworthy: it ranked among the top three in the Enterprise Development Top Achievers category for highest revenue in 2023/24 and earned the ED Pinnacle Award for business growth and leadership.
Yet for Mahlangu, financial success tells only part of the story.
“When women take their rightful seat at the table in ICT and telecommunications, we don’t just change boardroom dynamics , we change the trajectory of entire industries,” she explains. “Lifting others as I rise is not charity, it is strategy.”
Her philosophy has translated into deliberate action. Through structured mentorship and professional guidance, Mahlangu has supported young entrepreneurs and engineers, particularly women, helping them develop technical expertise, confidence, and professional networks. Several of her mentees now hold leadership positions in major telecommunications firms, while others have established their own ICT enterprises.
Globally, women remain at a disadvantage in digital access and participation. The GSMA Mobile Gender Gap Report notes that South African women are 14 percent less likely than men to use mobile internet, while the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) has flagged closing the digital gender divide as one of the most urgent development priorities of this decade. The World Bank has gone further, calling women the largest untapped reservoir of talent in emerging economies. Mahlangu’s leadership, therefore, speaks not only to local transformation but also to global development imperatives.
Her influence extends beyond Synergy. She has served as a non-executive director at Motheo Construction Group and VIT Academy, where her contributions to governance and transformation continue to make an impact. Her efforts have earned her multiple Women in Tech Awards, recognition as a Top Female Employment Creator, and a feature in the Gordon Institute of Business Science Alumni Spotlight for her role in advancing inclusive business growth.
“We are no longer asking for inclusion,” Mahlangu reflects. “We are creating ecosystems where the presence of women in ICT is not remarkable, but normal.”
As South Africa accelerates its digital transformation journey, the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) has reported 4.6 percent growth in the ICT market in 2022. Yet, as the Institute of IT Professionals South Africa (IITPSA) highlights, women are still underrepresented in technical and leadership roles. For Mahlangu, bridging this gap is not simply about representation but about reshaping the future of industries and communities through inclusive innovation.
Through Synergy Trading & Projects, mentorship, and active participation in governance, Mahlangu is demonstrating that transformation and growth are not mutually exclusive. Instead, they are complementary forces that, when strategically combined, have the power to redefine South Africa’s ICT landscape.
