WeeklySA_AdminRESTART: Icebolethu Group’s annual “Flourish Women’s Day” picnic brought women together for conversations about financial wellness, mental health, safety, healing, faith and purposeful leadership…
By Phumela Ngomane
Flourishing and thriving took centre stage in Howick, KwaZulu-Natal, on August 9, as women gathered for a stylish Women’s Day picnic hosted by Icebolethu Group.
Founded by group chief executive Dr Nomfundo Mcoyi-Zondo, Icebolethu Group organised the event through Flourish, its women-focused platform.
Against the scenic KwaZulu-Natal Midlands backdrop, the celebration offered a day of connection, wellness, inspiration, reflection and sisterhood. It embodied Flourish’s mission to give women an opportunity to pause, breathe and invest in their own wellbeing.
At the heart of the occasion was Mcoyi-Zondo, whose leadership has helped establish platforms that place women’s wellbeing, purpose and leadership firmly on the agenda.
As a woman leading at the highest level of business, she represents the growing influence of female leaders who are not only breaking barriers but also creating opportunities for other women to thrive.
Her message through Flourish is simple but powerful: women cannot continue pouring from an empty cup.
She describes the platform as an opportunity for women to “put themselves back on the list”, recognising that many spend their lives serving as mothers, wives, daughters, leaders, businesswomen and caregivers while forgetting that they also need care and renewal.
The 2026 Flourish experience was anchored in the theme “Reset. Restart. Refocus.” — three stages representing personal renewal and growth.
“Reset” focused on healing, wellness and restoration. “Restart” encouraged women to give themselves permission to begin again, while “Refocus” challenged them to reconnect with their vision, purpose and leadership.
A diverse line-up of speakers brought the theme to life by addressing some of the challenges women encounter in their everyday lives.
Thembisa Luthuli led a conversation on financial wellness, while Qaqamba Nodada facilitated the Reset session, creating space for women to reflect on healing, restoration and the possibility of starting afresh.
Mental wellbeing was placed firmly on the agenda during a session led by Lile Ngobese, while Advocate Hlengiwe Mkhasibe facilitated an important conversation about gender-based violence.
The programme culminated in a Refocus session led by Pastor Lungi M before moving into live music and entertainment, allowing the occasion to end on a note of celebration, connection and joy.
Together, the sessions reflected Flourish’s broader message that women’s empowerment is multidimensional. It encompasses financial wellness, mental health, personal safety, faith, purpose and leadership—as well as the simple but powerful ability to pause and breathe.
The Howick picnic was more than a beautifully styled Women’s Day celebration. It provided an intentional space in which women could step away from the demands of everyday life and invest in themselves.
For Mcoyi-Zondo, that investment is essential. “Sometimes you need to heal, sometimes you need to begin again, and sometimes you simply need to remember your purpose and find your direction again,” she said.
As Flourish continues to grow, Icebolethu Group has reaffirmed its commitment to hosting the platform annually—extending a standing invitation to women to show up for themselves, not just once, but every year.
On August 9 in Howick, women did exactly that: they showed up, dressed up, connected, reflected and flourished in style.
