Beneficiaries

The Foundation of Worker Empowerment

Born out of the democratic labour movement in South Africa, the National Education, Health and Allied Workers' Union (NEHAWU) was officially established in 1987, marking a pivotal moment in the struggle for workers' rights and unionised representation within the public sector. As NEHAWU grew in reach and influence, so too did its understanding that political and workplace victories must be underpinned by economic empowerment.

To give form to this insight, Tshedza Trust was established in 1997 as a strategic vehicle to hold and manage investments on behalf of NEHAWU's members. This trust would become the anchor for future endeavours to consolidate wealth, ensure intergenerational benefit, and structure economic participation aligned to the union's values.

Tshedza Trust.

Built to Preserve and Multiply

Tshedza Trust functions as the protective engine for NEHAWU's long-term vision, its purpose is to safeguard the economic interests of members and ensure that union-derived value is converted into sustainable, community-centred investments. In order to scale and manage this portfolio efficiently, NEHAWU Investment Company (NIC) was founded as the operational arm responsible for executing commercial activities in line with the Trust's mandate.

By 2008, in response to growing complexities, regulatory shifts, and the desire to centralise strategic oversight, the union restructured its investment framework. This led to the creation of NEHAWU Investment Holdings (NIH) as the official Group Holding Company, under which NIC was subordinated as a wholly owned subsidiary. This restructuring enabled a more agile, transparent, and strategic governance model, capable of balancing commercial growth with the union's social and ethical imperatives.

From Beneficiaries to Builders: The ETI Mandate

Today, NIH stands not only as an investment entity, but as the catalyst for The Akwande Generation, a future-facing Employee Targeted Investment (ETI) designed to empower NEHAWU members, invest in their development, and secure their economic participation beyond the traditional labour space. The transition from NIC to NIH was not merely a structural evolution, it was a purposeful repurposing of mandate: from capital managers to impact architects. Through its beneficiaries, NEHAWU and Tshedza Trust, NIH ensures that every investment made is a step toward collective dignity, economic inclusion, and long-term empowerment.