Nobody pays to be listed●Today's poll is open●Know a good one? Tell us●Independent, founder-led, South African●Nobody pays to be listed●Today's poll is open●Know a good one? Tell us●Independent, founder-led, South African●Nobody pays to be listed●Today's poll is open●Know a good one? Tell us●Independent, founder-led, South African●Nobody pays to be listed●Today's poll is open●Know a good one? Tell us●Independent, founder-led, South African●

05 October 2026 · Monday In Cape Town 04:49

GOOD FOUNDERS Businesses Listed 29

Stories

Founder interviews, visits and round-ups

The people behind the businesses, the places they work, and round-ups of the good ones in one place.

No. 04Founder storiesPieter Steyn wore glasses at seven. Now he makes his own framesAn optometrist who found frame shopping clinical built a shop in De Waterkant, then a studio in Paarden Eiland that cuts frames from Italian acetate and names them after Cape Town streets.Read the story →No. 03Founder storiesFrom origami swans to baskets woven from old water pipeMo and Michelle Mokone began with paper swans at a market stall. Now their Pretoria factory weaves reclaimed PVC pipe into baskets sold to retailers abroad.Read the story →No. 02Founder storiesAfter two serious injuries, a Cape Town trainer plans around yoursJason Jeffcote's sports career ended when a truck broke both his legs. Rehab became his work, and today he builds each client's programme around their injuries.Read the story →No. 01Founder storiesThe Bree Street spot Daniel Sher waited five years to open inAn auditor with a clothing label on the side wanted one address on Bree Street. When it came free in 2020, he filled it with other designers' work too.Read the story →

Nominations are always open

Know agood one?

The bakery you'd queue for. The plumber who came back to check. Tell us about them, and we'll go and see for ourselves.

Nomination slipNo. ____ Business Where Why they're good Is it your own? Yes No Fill in the slip→