Apiwe Nxusani-Mawela stands as a groundbreaking figure in South Africa’s brewing industry. The 41-year-old master brewer has achieved what many thought impossible. She owns Tolokazi Brewery, making her the first Black woman to own a craft brewery in South Africa.
Her mission extends far beyond personal success. Nxusani-Mawela actively works to transform the male-dominated brewing industry. She trains young women and men through her innovative academy. Her goal is simple yet powerful: ensure she’s not the first and last Black female brewery owner in the country.
Breaking Barriers in South Africa’s Craft Beer Industry
The brewing industry in South Africa generates massive economic impact. According to Oxford Economics, the beer sector creates over 200,000 jobs nationwide. The industry contributes approximately $5.2 billion to South Africa’s gross domestic product. These numbers highlight the lucrative opportunities available in brewing.
Nxusani-Mawela recognizes the potential for Black women in this profitable sector. She wants to ensure women can benefit from these economic opportunities. Her brewery serves as both a business venture and a platform for change. The facility operates just outside Johannesburg, where she welcomes students eager to learn.
Brewsters Academy: Training the Next Generation of Female Brewers
Brewsters Academy represents Nxusani-Mawela’s commitment to industry transformation. The academy currently trains 13 dedicated students in brewing techniques. These students already hold degrees or diplomas in STEM fields including chemical engineering, biotechnology, and analytical chemistry.
The academy offers additional certification in brewing to complement existing qualifications. Students gain hands-on experience while learning from a master brewer. This practical approach ensures graduates enter the workforce with real skills. The training program focuses on both traditional and modern brewing methods.
Preserving African Brewing Traditions Through Innovation
Nxusani-Mawela teaches various brewing styles while preserving African beer-making traditions. Her Wild African Soul beer exemplifies this approach perfectly. The brew represents a collaboration with Soul Barrel Brewing, blending traditional African Umqombothi beer with modern craft techniques.
Umqombothi, a creamy brew made from maize and sorghum malt, forms the foundation. The beer incorporates fruity notes that appeal to contemporary tastes. Wild African Soul Beer won the 2025 African Beer Cup, proving traditional methods can create award-winning products.
“Umqombothi is our African way, and everybody should know how to make it, but we don’t,” Nxusani-Mawela explained. She believes modern beer styles should reflect African heritage. Her approach brings ancestral brewing wisdom into the future.
Women Reclaiming Their Historical Role in African Brewing
Historical context reveals women once dominated beer brewing in many African regions. Twenty-four-year-old Lehlohonolo Makhethe, a Brewsters Academy student, acknowledges this important history. She notes that women traditionally held brewing responsibilities across the continent.
“How it got male-dominated, I don’t know,” Makhethe observed. “I’d rather say we are going back to our roots as women to doing what we started.” This perspective highlights the academy’s deeper mission beyond individual success.
The return to traditional roles represents cultural reclamation rather than innovation. Women are rediscovering skills their ancestors possessed for generations. This movement strengthens both cultural identity and economic empowerment for Black South African women.
Building a Legacy of Transformation and Inclusion
Nxusani-Mawela’s vision extends five to ten years into the future. She wants Black people and women to become normal sights in brewing facilities. Her academy serves as the foundation for this transformation.
“I wanted to make sure that, being the first Black female to own a brewery in South Africa, I’m not the first and the last,” she told the Associated Press. “Brewsters Academy, for me, is about transforming the industry.”
The academy creates a pipeline of skilled, diverse brewers ready to enter the workforce. These graduates will eventually start their own breweries or lead existing operations. This multiplier effect ensures Nxusani-Mawela’s impact extends far beyond her own success.
