When news of the death of Jabu Mabuza broke on June 16, the business fraternity was gutted by the loss of this dedicated leader at the age of 63. Looking back at his achievements, the gap that his passing leaves across industries and in the development of SA is evident.
In recognition of his achievements, Mabuza has been posthumously honoured with the lifetime achiever award in the Sunday Times Top 100 Companies.
A self-made businessman and an economic empowerment activist, Mabuza’s enterprising journey began as a taxi driver in the mid-1980s. Always outspoken, he seized opportunities to advance himself and others, ensuring that voices of black business were heard.
President Cyril Ramaphosa said in a tweet after Mabuza’s death from Covid-19 complications: “Jabu Mabuza was a monumental figure on so many terrains of our national life. He provided inspiration and leadership to many, from Daveyton, where he started his illustrious career as a taxi driver, to Davos, where he made his presence and values felt in global debates.”
Mabuza put his skill for organising people to good use and contributed to the formation of business groupings such as the Foundation for African Business and Consumer Services. His leadership prowess shone during his tenure with Tsogo Sun, where his negotiating skills secured casino licences for the JSE-listed group.
During his illustrious career, Mabuza held the role of chair on various boards, including Telkom, SA Tourism, Unisa Graduate School of Business Leadership, AB InBev and Sun International, where he was credited with building shareholder value.
On his death, captains of industry offered heartfelt tributes in honour of Mabuza’s legacy and dedication to the growth of the South African economy.
Being the amicable man that he was, he restored Telkom’s relationships with humility and humour
— Outgoing Telkom CEO Sipho Maseko
Among his many achievements, Mabuza was bestowed with a Lilizela Tourism Lifetime Achievement award in 2013.
Sipho Maseko, the outgoing Telkom CEO, described Mabuza as his “boss, a mentor and a friend”. The two worked together closely during Mabuza’s tenure as chair of Telkom from 2012, where he was credited with turning around the once-ailing telecom company.
“Being the amicable man that he was, he restored Telkom’s relationships with humility and humour. He brought a more collaborative spirit, and a willingness to negotiate, to Telkom’s stakeholder interactions — an about-turn for a company that had previously been considered combative.
“He instilled the philosophy of ‘treat your internal business like you would your external competitors’. He was sincere and authentic and never afraid to step in, take responsibility and make a difference. He held the line fearlessly and gave everything his best. He will be sorely missed,” Maseko wrote.
Away from the spotlight, Mabuza expressed his love openly, says his son, Lwazi Mabuza.
“Dad’s No 1 principle was to celebrate his family, celebrate his children’s different traits, and all our relationships with him were personal. He made time for his family and loved and treasured us. More than anything, he taught us real love from how he loved our mother,” says Lwazi.
He instilled strong leadership values in his three children, hoping they would follow in his footsteps as doyens of black business.
One of Lwazi’s abiding memories of his father was the emphasis he placed on punctuality and relationships as the cornerstones of success.
“He described his job as generating shareholder value and creating relationships. He said in business you work with people you don’t like and you don’t have to like them, but you have to respect them. ‘If I set a time with you, if you are not there five minutes before the agreed time for the meeting, you are late. Respect my time and I’ll also respect your time,’” says Lwazi.
Dad’s number one principle was to celebrate his family, celebrate his children’s different traits, and all our relationships with him were personal
— Jabu Mabuza’s son Lwazi
Mabuza, who had to abandon his law studies at the University of Limpopo in the 1980s due to lack of money, went out of his way to support initiatives to provide education for underprivileged youth.
One such initiative was the National Education Crisis Forum, a multidisciplinary committee of elders convened by former deputy chief justice Dikgang Moseneke in response to the #FeesMustFall crisis in 2016. While Mabuza was not one of the official nine conveners, he was always ready to help in any way possible.
Obtaining a university degree was a non-negotiable goal he and his wife Siphiwe set for Lwazi and their other children, Sakhiwo and Mbali.
“When I failed econometrics at UKZN [University of KwaZulu-Natal] for the third time in my third year of varsity in 2009, I was ready to quit. I didn’t know what to do and I did not want to pursue the degree any more. I had failed for the third time. My father was supportive and patiently listened to me declare that I was not going back to university. He calmly reminded me that he was successful despite not having an education, but emphasised that I was not going to make it without a degree.
“He told me to get a part-time job so I could self-fund my degree and, through his networks, he helped me get a job as Johann Rupert’s personal assistant. He pushed me every day to finish my degree through Unisa. I was studying on planes while travelling and also in between meetings, making sure that I succeeded, as he expected. However, Johann did not mince his words. He said if I failed a single course, he was going to fire me,” recalls Lwazi.
Bonang Mohale, former CEO of Business Leadership SA, who served alongside Mabuza in the business organisation, praised his tenacity and drive and his dedication to the development of SA.
In a moving tribute, Mohale wrote: “Thank you for being a testament that having witnessed both the economic struggles of our forebears and the birth pangs of a new nation, there is truly real value in building our South African nationhood, for it gives expression to a fundamental truth in our national life.
“I will forever be grateful to you for being such a great teacher, amazing and good, quality human being. Teaching me, and many more, that if we wait for someone else to fix things, we are doomed to further despair. Thank you for touching my life in such a meaningful way and impactful manner.”
At the time of his death, Mabuza was lead independent nonexecutive director on the board of MultiChoice, as well as being responsible for the overall strategy of his family’s businesses.
Always a mentor to his children, he took his role as a grandfather just as seriously as his board roles, and particularly enjoyed going shopping and on ice-cream dates with his two grandchildren.
The Sunday Times Top 100 Companies is sponsored by BCX.
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