For 36-year-old Neo Tlagadi, becoming the 2026 winner of the Micro Business Category at the Artisans of Mzansi competition is about far more than taking home an award. It is a powerful recognition of 15 years spent building a career in a trade where women are still frequently underestimated.
Neo Tlagadi.
Supplied by the South African National Artisan Awards 2026
The Johannesburg-born artisan plumber is the founder and sole shareholder of Zuri Structures, based in Soweto. Over the course of her career, Tlagadi has had to navigate an industry in which she has often found herself having to prove that she belongs.
Now, after 15 years in the plumbing trade, she has emerged as one of the country’s recognised artisan entrepreneurs through the Artisans of Mzansi competition, hosted by Allan Gray Makers.
For Tlagadi, the win is an affirmation of a journey marked by persistence, resilience and a determination to keep learning.
“Winning means so much to me because it is recognition of the 15 years I have spent building myself in an industry where women are still often underestimated. There were many moments when I had to prove that I belonged on a construction site and that being a woman did not make me any less capable of doing technical work,” she says.
“There were difficult moments, but I kept pushing, learning and showing up. To have that journey recognised in this way makes me incredibly proud. It reminds me that all those years of hard work were worth it.”
Tlagadi’s achievement also carries a deeper significance for her. Having experienced first-hand what it means to enter and establish herself in a traditionally male-dominated industry, she hopes her story will encourage more women and young girls to consider careers in the trades.
“I hope my win shows other women and young girls that there is nothing wrong with choosing a trade, working with your hands and building a business from your skills. You do not have to fit into a particular idea of what a woman’s career should look like. If you have the passion and determination, you can build something meaningful with your hands and your knowledge.”
While the award is a significant personal milestone, Tlagadi is already looking beyond the recognition towards what it can make possible for her business.
For her, the next chapter is about transforming Zuri Structures from a traditional plumbing business into a more specialised and innovative player in the sanitation and waste-management sector.
“My vision has always been bigger than traditional plumbing services. I want to grow Zuri Structures into a stronger and more innovative business within the sanitation and waste-management space. Winning this award gives me an opportunity to move closer to that vision,” she says.
One of her key ambitions is the establishment of NeoSanTech, a specialised sanitation and industrial waste-management solution. To bring the concept to life at the scale she envisions, Tlagadi is working towards acquiring a vacuum and jetting truck, which would significantly expand the type and scale of work the business can undertake.
The equipment would enable her to pursue opportunities across commercial, industrial, mining, agricultural and property sectors, while creating opportunities for employment and skills development.
“The equipment would completely change what we are able to do as a business. It would allow us to take on larger opportunities and provide more specialised services, while also creating jobs and practical skills-development opportunities for other people. That is the kind of growth I want to achieve.”
Tlagadi’s ambitions extend beyond acquiring equipment and expanding her service offering. She also sees technology as an important part of the future of the business.
As Zuri Structures grows, she wants to incorporate artificial intelligence and data-driven systems into its operations to improve areas such as fleet management, preventative maintenance, efficiency and service delivery.
“I want to build a business that is not only technically strong but also innovative. Technology gives us an opportunity to work smarter, manage our resources better and improve the service we provide to our clients. I want to explore how AI and data can become part of how we operate as we grow.”
For Tlagadi, the convergence of artisan skills, entrepreneurship and technology represents an opportunity to build a business that can respond to changing needs within the sanitation and waste-management sectors.
Her journey also illustrates the potential that exists when skilled artisans are given opportunities to develop their businesses and turn technical expertise into sustainable enterprises.
“Winning has given me a renewed sense of confidence, but it has also made me think even bigger. I do not just want to be known as a plumber who won an award. I want to build a company that creates jobs, develops skills and provides solutions that people and businesses genuinely need.”
Ultimately, Tlagadi sees the Artisans of Mzansi recognition as a starting point rather than a destination.
“I am incredibly grateful to Allan Gray Makers and the Artisans of Mzansi competition for recognising my journey. But for me, this is not the end goal. I want to use this opportunity to build something that lasts. I want to grow Zuri Structures, establish NeoSanTech and create something that can have an impact beyond my own career.”
After 15 years of working with her hands and carving out her place in the plumbing industry, Tlagadi is now looking towards a future where her expertise can translate into a much larger enterprise.
Her message to aspiring artisans is simple: skills can be the foundation for much more than a career.
“You can start with a trade and build from there. Your skills can become a business, your business can create opportunities, and your vision can become something much bigger than you initially imagined. That is what I want my journey to represent.”
Source
Supplied by the South African National Artisan Awards 2026
