Phumla is the founder and managing director of Lehumo Women’s Investment Holdings, a women-owned investment holding company. Prior to this she spent most of her career working for the Tongaat Hulett Group and Deloitte. Phumla is chairperson of the boards of the Tolcon Group and Gold Circle, and is a director of Spar.
She is chairperson of the Siyazisiza Trust, established to benefit rural women, and served as chairperson of the University of KwaZulu-Natal Council from 2011 to 2015.