Entrepreneur . Business
Based: Johannesburg
Entrepreneur, Turnaround Strategist, Business Speaker and Dragon Investor on SA’s Dragons Den TV Show – known as the “The Breakthrough Entrepreneur”
Mr. Lebo Gunguluza joined the professional speaking fraternity in August 2011 due to the demand created by his inspirational story of overcoming tremendous odds to succeed. By December 2011 he was chosen as one of the Top 3 new motivational speakers of 2011 in South Africa by a leading speaker bureau.
Mr. Gunguluza was chosen among many to be a Dragon on South Africa’s first Dragon’s Den TV Show, an internationally acclaimed TV Show started in the UK, which started broadcasting on DSTV’s Mzansi Magic from 23 September 2014.
At the age of 27, he became one of South Africa’s self made black millionaires, without any funding or tenders from government, and over the years he built a mulitmillion rand empire where he had to overcome tremendous odds on his entreprenuerial journey. He is one of the key founders of the South African Black Entrepreneurs Forum to address issues facing black entreprenuers in South Africa. Gunguluza adapted the title of “‘The Ültimate Breakthrough Entrepreneur” and was awarded with the “Africa Heritage Youth Entrepreneur Award” five years later. He also became a resident millionaire youth entrepreneur on a youth TV programme called “Take 5”, where he guided, motivated and inspired aspiring youth entrepreneurs who are starting or running their own businesses. He was honoured by the Millionaires Club with the Leadership Award in May 2010, and later received the Bethesda Business Award for his contribution to the development of Entreprenuership in South Africa.
Hounder and Group Chairman of the Gem (Gunguluza Enterprises and Media) Group established in 2002, an integrated media and hospitality group with interests in companies that serve in the media, communications, hospitality and IT spheres.
Mr. Lebo Gunguluza, the President of SABEF, has an extensive experience in communication and media having consulted as National Director of Media Communications for membership-driven organisations such as Nafcoc and the Institute for Local Government Management. Mr. Gunguluza’s career started at SABC where he was responsible of promoting the African Language stations, and later Metro FM. He then left for a broadcasting course in the US, and came back to join Herdbouys Advertising. That is where he gained strong understanding of the media and advertising business. His journey as an entrepreneur started in entertainment through his first company Gunguluza Entertainment and later refocused his businesses towards corporate communication and media spaces.
He then later founded the Gem Group which has diversified to various portfolios within the media, leisure and hospitality space which include publishing, television, media technologies, restaurants, hotels and resort properties. He is also the Chairman and Principal Consultant of the Local Government Business Network (LGBN). Having an interest in Uhuru Communications, has had him oversee the Commercial Direction of Uhuru Publishing, which published Sawubona – SAA’s inflight publication, Metro Live – Metro FM’s new publication, and currently publishing government related publications such as Municipal Focus, distributed to all municipalities in South Africa, and published Public Sector Manager (PSM) which is distributed to all Government Directors in the country and SEO Review, which is distributed to all State Owned Entities.
One of his entities Izani Media and Distribution is the first 100% black owned magazine publishing and distribution agency in South Africa, which produces contract publications on behalf of corporate, special events and government. This entity also publishes the SMME Opportunities Journal on behalf of the SMME Opportunities Network, co-founded by Mr. Gunguluza and his associates to highlight developmental and business opportunities for entrepreneurs in South Africa. He is also the Founder and Chairman of GovNet South Africa, a specialist government relations and communications agency, which helps government and its agencies communicate their plans and programmes to their stakeholders and profiles companies to government that want to partner or do business with government. He is partner at Gem Driven and Pastrascor, South Africa’s leading VIP and Diplomatic Transportation companies that provide and manages Executive, VIP and Diplomatic transportation from providing Air Charters, Yachts, Armoured and Luxury Vehicles to both government and private sector.
He also a Director of Municipal Property Management (MPS) which specialises in helping municipalities manage their land and property better and enhanc their revenues. In expanding his hospitality portfolio, Mr. Gunguluza recently launched the Izani Luxury Hotel Network, administered by Izani Hotels which provides corporate and government access to forward thinking luxury hotels that provide a great guest experience through the Izani Hotels support programme, as well as Izani Executive Travel, which provides and manages executive travel solutions, hospitality and holiday packages for corporate, VIPs, government and high-end consumers. The Izani Enterprises are part of an entrepreneurship developmental and mentorship initiative that Mr. Lebo Gunguluza launched on 12 December 2012 called 12-12-12, where he committed to recruiting 12 Entrepreneurs, every 12 Months to start 12 Enterprises. To date he has managed to successfully launch 7 enterprise through this programme that has to date supported more than 20 very dynamic young black entrepreneurs and will be hosting the 4th Anniversary of this programme on 12 December 2016.
