Corporate Giant Cashes in on Women’s “Empowerment” Again.

In a SHOCKING revelation, Telkom’s lavish sponsorship of the 2026 Wired4Women Awards is EXPOSED as a CYnICAL corporate SMOKESCREEN designed to HIDE the tech industry’s TOXIC failure to achieve real gender equality. This is NOT empowerment—it’s a DESPERATE PR STUNT while women are SYSTEMATICALLY sidelined.

Since 2024, these awards have been a GLITTERY DISTRACTION from the HARSH REALITY: South Africa’s ICT sector remains a boys’ club, and Telkom’s “support” is a FAKE fix. By throwing money at a gala, they AVOID dismantling the patriarchal structures that BLOCK women from true power. “Our industry needs more young women choosing tech careers,” says Gugu Mthembu, in a statement that REEKS of corporate HYPOCRISY. Where is the INVESTMENT in equal pay? Where are the anti-harassment policies? NOWHERE.

The awards are a TOKENISTIC parade, offering BAND-AID solutions to a hemorrhaging crisis. With 13 categories, Telkom is simply BUYING goodwill while the gender gap WIDENS. The response has been “outstanding”? HUNDREDS of nominations only highlight how FEW women actually hold real influence.

Telkom’s sponsored categories are a LAUGHABLE checklist of corporate virtue-signaling:

• CIO of the Year – Sponsored by Telkom Consumer and Small Business: Recognizing a woman who must fight TWICE as hard in a man’s world, while Telkom’s own leadership remains dominated by men.
• Top Tech Innovator – Sponsored by Telkom Consumer and Small Business: Celebrating “innovation” that the industry routinely IGNORES when it comes from women.
• CISO of the Year – Sponsored by BCX: Honouring a security executive safeguarding assets, but who safeguards women from discrimination?
• Rising Star: AI and Data Innovation – Sponsored by BCX: Recognizing young talent, only to see them burnout in a hostile environment.
• Top Tech Student – Sponsored by Openserve: Honouring a student, then throwing her to the wolves of a biased workforce.

The luxurious banquet at The Four Seasons Hotel is the ULTIMATE symbol of this ELITIST charade. While women struggle, elites wine and dine on “diversity” propaganda. This is not progress; it’s a DISTURBING performance that masks a deeper truth: the tech industry would rather celebrate a few stars than uplift all women. WAKE UP: your applause is funding their lie.