Johannesburg, South Africa – 24 July 2025 — VEA Road Maintenance & Civils (VEA Roads) is proud to be recognised as a double finalist in the prestigious 2025 Oliver Top Empowerment Awards, hosted by Nedbank and Topco Media. This recognition places VEA Roads among the most impactful and transformational companies in South Africa, highlighting its unwavering commitment to inclusive growth, empowerment, and leadership in infrastructure development.
VEA Roads has been shortlisted in two highly competitive categories: Top Empowered: Business Leader of the Year, recognising the remarkable leadership of Managing Director Thoko Tshabalala-Shandu, and Top Empowered Company: Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the Workplace of the Year. These accolades affirm both the strength of the organisation’s internal transformation journey and the visionary woman driving it forward.
Thoko Tshabalala-Shandu’s leadership story is one of courage, resilience, and deep-rooted purpose. From her humble beginnings in Balfour North, Mpumalanga, to becoming the Managing Director of a nationally recognised civil infrastructure company, Thoko’s journey reflects the very essence of empowerment. She leads not only with operational excellence but with a deeply personal commitment to uplifting women, youth, and emerging entrepreneurs. Her leadership has seen the company grow into a Level 1 BBBEE contributor with over 51% Black ownership, managing contracts valued at over R4 billion, directly employing more than 2,000 individuals, and empowering hundreds of small and micro-enterprises across the country.
Under her direction, empowerment has become more than a corporate objective—it is a daily practice. Through initiatives like the ‘Mentorship for Growth’ programme, which has helped elevate 30% of its participants into higher roles within the company, Thoko has ensured that transformation is felt at every level of the organisation. Her advocacy for bias-free hiring, inclusive leadership, and transparent promotion pathways has helped VEA Roads exceed industry norms and set bold new standards. She leads from the front, whether in the boardroom or on construction sites, making her one of the most influential voices for equity in the sector today.
Equally significant is the company’s recognition for its outstanding commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the workplace. VEA Roads has embedded inclusion into every facet of its culture. The results are tangible. Women now make up more than a third of the company’s management, with senior leadership aiming for 40% representation by 2026. The company has maintained over 90% retention among women employees and has committed more than R2 million to formal DEI programmes in the past year alone.
VEA Roads’s impact extends beyond the company walls. Through partnerships with organisations like SANRAL and various provincial governments, VEA Roads has brought hundreds of Black-owned subcontractors into national infrastructure projects. By providing fair procurement, early payments, CIDB grading support, and mentorship, the company is building a new generation of empowered contractors—many of whom are now bidding for their own government contracts with confidence.
In a field historically defined by steel, concrete, and male leadership, VEA Roads is forging a new blueprint—one where empowerment is not an ideal, but a proven strategy for national transformation. These finalist nominations reflect years of hard work, purpose-driven leadership, and a relentless belief in the power of inclusive growth.
READ: VEA Road Maintenance & Civils Named Double Finalist in the 2025 Oliver Top Empowerment Awards
“As a Black woman in steel-toe boots, I knew I’d have to lead differently. Not louder, but bolder,” says Thoko Tshabalala-Shandu. “This recognition is not just about our achievements—it’s about the future we’re building every day, for everyone.”
For media enquiries, contact:
Candace Laubscher
Chief Marketing Officer, VEA Group
[email protected]
www.vearoad.co.za
