Awards are made in the corporate, social, entrepreneur and emerging entrepreneur categories.

Four of the Border region's leading businesswomen were celebrated this weekend at this year's Regional Business Achiever Awards in East London.

Nedbank and the Businesswomen's Association (BWA) named Ayanda Ramncwana of the East London IDZ; Tracy Jayne King of African Angels; Lynne Corby of Sculptures and Dierdre Freeman of DNF Waste and Environmental Services as the region's foremost businesswomen.

The categories for the awards were corporate, social, entrepreneur and emerging entrepreneur, with Ramncwana, King, Corby and Freeman named winners in these categories respectively.

Saturday's awards ceremony was held at the Premier Hotel Regent and was a "grand evening", according to Corby.

She said yesterday she had been in business since 1994, and it was because of her passion for her work that she won the award.

"The love for what I do becomes quite tangible (at Sculptures) from the client's point of view," she said, adding that she did not feel as if she was actually working because she loved what she did so much.

Judges at this year's event were Xoliswa Tini from Xoliswa Tini Properties, Terry Taylor from Transnet, Les Holbrook of the Border-Kei Chamber of Commerce, Steve Haynes from S Hayes Chartered Accountants, Wendy du Bruyn from Healthcor and Judge John Smith.

The judges chose the four winners from 11 finalists, and it was a difficult decision, according to BWA chairperson Lizelle Maurice. "Especially in the social entrepreneur category where all three women in that category do such remarkable work in their communities," she said.

"The competition was closely contested," agreed Holbrook. "It wasn't easy to choose the winner."

He felt the winners were worthy of their accolades and commended the women on their courage for entering the competition. "It takes a lot of courage to nominate yourself for such an award," he said.

Maurice said yesterday that the event was "absolutely fantastic" and that the BWA hoped to "actively identify, acknowledge, showcase and celebrate the achievements of remarkable women at the top of their field".

"Women face many challenges, so when they achieve, we need to showcase them to inspire the many other women who need encouragement.

"The Regional Business Achiever Awards is a platform to empower women. None of those 11 finalists will ever be the same again," she said.

The four winners each get a weekend away for two, courtesy of Southern Sun Hotels; a jewellery voucher from Bell's Diamond and Design Jewellers; and other cosmetic and stationary products courtesy of Johnson and Johnson, Skin Care Clinic, Juvenex, Old Mutual and Nedbank.