Zulu, who scooped a top sector award a fortnight ago at a prestigious ceremony at Emperors Palace, is, however, not known to many people outside the construction business.
“I got more confident and, back at work, I would also mimic the other kids who were fluent,” she says, adding that this self-learning habit helped her in the long run. There has never been a single 100% black-owned contractor that has made R1 billion in this country, and there never will be unless things change.
“Outside of football, that man was a dreamer and that’s what connected us. We both had a vision of changing the world in our own little way. We did a few innovative building projects together,” she says. “Getting into this male-dominated industry, there were several challenges, including being a woman. But I love a challenge because it gives you an opportunity to disappoint the perception,” Zulu says.