Kaya 959 Kaya Biz

PIVOT POINT: Monalisa Zwambila, the owner of Riverbed

Loading player...
Monalisa Zwambila owns and manages what is probably South Africa’s largest independent, black-woman-owned advertising agency. Over the last decade, R\VERBED (Riverbed) has emerged as a medium-sized agency with revenue well above R50m and 40 employees, placing the agency in league with similar-sized agencies, such as Grey Africa, Saatchi & Saatchi and Net#work BBDO. Year-on-year revenue growth in 2015 stood at 26%, 13% in 2016 and is projected to hit 35% in 2017, pushing it into to the R70m–R100m revenue tier. Zwambila studied accounting but her passion had always been music. She was a member of jazz band Basadi and music allowed her to access her creative side. Her first business was a recording and production studio, where she was fortunate enough to record the late, great Nana Coyote and, in doing so, was exposed to the marketing side of the business. At this point, she moved into P
3 Nov 2022 2PM English South Africa Business News · Investing

Other recent episodes

How Currency Volatility Is Hitting South African SMEs

A new Verto report warns that currency volatility is now a bigger threat to SME margins than logistics. Rumbi Shoniwa from Verto SA explains how FX swings erode profits and the practical steps SMEs can take to protect themselves.
29 Apr 3PM 11 min

Engineering Through Headwinds: Leoka’s 10‑Year Growth Story

Leoka Engineering founder Katlego Makgata reflects on a decade of building a 100% Black‑owned EPCM firm in one of South Africa’s toughest sectors. We discuss OR Tambo’s mission‑critical operations and the digital innovations shaping the next era of African engineering.
29 Apr 3PM 18 min

The New Rules of SME Resilience in 2026

Merchant Capital CTO David Reynders joins us to unpack how South African SMEs are navigating a volatile economy. We explore cash‑flow discipline, cost‑cutting without damaging growth, and why “cash buys you time.”
29 Apr 3PM 13 min

South Africa’s Fuel Relief Extended

The government has extended the temporary fuel levy cut—but what does this mean for inflation, household budgets, and the Reserve Bank’s rate path? PSG Chief Economist Johann Els explains.
29 Apr 3PM 11 min

Easter on a Budget: How South Africans Navigated the Fuel Spike

Lightstone Retail’s Mohit Narotam breaks down new mobility data showing how South Africans re‑engineered their Easter travel plans to beat one of the biggest fuel hikes in years. From early departures to shorter trips and smarter refueling
29 Apr 3PM 12 min
All episodes