Al-Qalam 
From left to right, Standard Bank's Rishaad Webster, Executive Head: Business Banking, Client Coverage, Kwazulu Natal, Carl Henriksen , Head Commercial Banking Suite KZN, Ebrahim Patel, President of Minara and Solly Suleman, Chairman of the Awards Committee
By Ismail Suder
Excitement is building up for the upcoming Minara Chamber of Commerce 2026 Business Recognition Awards in partnership with Standard Bank.
Al-Qalam recently attended the media launch of the Minara Business Recognition Awards held at the Standard Bank auditorium at Kingsmead, Durban.
Now in its 14th year, the Minara Business Recognition Awards have become a hallmark of achievement, recognising businesses, professionals and community leaders who continue to set new standards and inspire progress across the country.
The Minara Business Recognition Awards Gala Dinner will take place on Friday, October 23, at the NMJ Conference Centre, bringing together South Africa’s leading business figures, entrepreneurs and changemakers for an evening of celebration and recognition.
Nominations are now open and awards will be handed to achievers in various categories, including Businesswoman of the Year; Business Person of the Year; Professional Achiever of the Year; Young Entrepreneur of the Year; and Community Builder of the Year.
Back at the launch, a major highlight was the reaffirmation of Standard Bank as the 2026 Diamond Partner, continuing a valued 13-year partnership with the Chamber. Minara pointed out that this longstanding collaboration reflects a shared commitment to business empowerment, sustainable growth and creating meaningful opportunities for South African businesses.
Speaking at the launch, Solly Suleman, Chairperson of the Awards Committee, welcomed guests and media partners. He said: “These awards continue to celebrate excellence, innovation, resilience and leadership within our business community, while recognising individuals and organisations making a meaningful impact in South Africa. We sincerely thank Standard Bank for its valued partnership over the past 13 years. Strong partnerships such as this are essential in building a thriving economy and creating platforms that deliver real value and success for our businesses and communities.”
He announced that Fatima Vawda, CEO of 27four Group, will be the keynote speaker for the 2026 Awards Gala Dinner, where she will share her leadership insights and perspectives with guests.
Standard Bank was represented by Rishaad Webster, Executive Head: Business Banking, Client Coverage, KwaZulu-Natal and Carl Henriksen, Head Commercial Banking Suite KZN and Ms Fikile Msiza, Regional Head of Business Banking, KZN.
Representatives of Standard Bank KZN echoed the similar views of this partnership, indicating the value of this partnership and are honoured to work alongside the Minara Chamber in supporting businesses and creating meaningful opportunities for growth and recognition and further mentioning the valuable partnerships create lasting value. Recognition plays an important role in building business resilience and growth, and we are proud as a provincial team to support initiatives that help businesses flourish. Our partnership is focused on meaningful impact and deliberate recognition of excellence within our communities.
President of the Minara Chamber of Commerce, Ebrahim Patel, reiterated the significance of the awards:
“The Minara Business Recognition Awards provide a prestigious platform for businesses and professionals to showcase their achievements and gain distinguished recognition among peers and industry leaders.
He pointed out that participation enhances credibility, visibility and inspires others to pursue excellence and such a platform is important, especially in the current turbulent economic climate caused by the war between Israel and the United States against Iran.
He told Al-Qalam that the economy in South Africa, and across the world, has taken a hit, and it might take a long time, possibly years, before business recovers.
