Bridget: Bullion Baroness - Billionaire Businesswoman

Who can forget the extravagant ensemble that she wore to the State of the Nation Address in 2014. That flower patterned red and green Marianne Fassler creation revealed that this baroness certainly understands and appreciates fashion and the importance of looking good, after all her sister in law is the Executive Chairperson of African Fashion International (AFI) Dr. Precious Moloi Motsepe.

Underneath her petite frame Bridgette Radebe is the most influential woman in mining in South Africa. She is the only woman to head a deep-level, hard rock mining company in South Africa. Bridgette carries a stirring story profiled by Good Girl Global as a source of inspiration for women all over the world.

After completing her secondary studies, she wished pursue a Law degree however at the hands of South Africa’s former regime was forbidden to do so. In the face of this restriction she pursued Bachelor of Arts degree majoring in Political Sciences and Social Economics.

This Gold Digger Digs her own Gold.

In the early 1980’s she began her career working for British Petroleum the oil and gas multimational. She then went into mining as what she describes as a “common miner”. Although she was physically mining these valuable minerals the wealth was not going into her pockets, she then embarked on a new strategy. Gold digging for herself. This is when she then founded Mmakau mining a company known for ‘Mining with a conscience’. Mmakau mining follows sustainable mining practices which empower local communities, wealth creation through empowerment procurement practice and entrepreneur development. Today, she is the wealthiest Black woman in South Africa with a net-worth of over one billion rand.

She is no GOLD DIGGER she is a GOAL DIGGER

In the late seventies her family was refused royalty payments for mineral rights leased to a Canadian company. In attempt to make right the wrong imposed on her family she was turned away through the use of intimidation and violence. At that very moment Bridgette decided that she would become a lawyer a representative of people who faced this sort of injustice to which as previously mentioned she was refused.

When South African legislation attempted to restrict her again, this time for wanting to enter the mining industry as a black woman not only did she think to herself “No way, not again” she

challenged legislation and entered the mining industry as the first black mining entrepreneur. Women at that time were prohibited by legislation from owning mining rights or working in mines. Regardless of this law, she soldiered on and her perseverance paid off, Mmakau mining was born and the rest is history. Although she never obtained her law degree she met her goal as a representative of fairness in an industry known to exploit laborers. As the President of the South African Mining Development Association she creates sustainable mining communities, businesses and infrastructure development in rural areas. This has contributed to the alleviation of poverty. This model proved so successful, it is being adopted and adapted by a handful of resource-abundant countries and mining chambers…. Inspiring…