Leadership . Entrepreneur
Based: Johannesburg
Sbusiso Leope, popularly known as DJ Sbu, is a media personality and businessman; he’s also a philanthropist who thrives on giving back to the youth of SA. He gives 3 talks a week to disadvantaged schools around SA, gives bursaries and offers mentorship to learners. He’s currently enrolled at Henley Business School for an MBA Programme.
The brand, DJ Sbu has shaped youth culture and their thinking in South Africa over the past 15 years since 2001. Despite his tough upbringing in Tembisa, he has overcome obstacles on his journey and made a name for himself using his media talents on national television and radio. Over the past decade Sbusiso has worked on national platforms exposing his brand and personality to 25 million people per week. Sbusiso first made a name for himself in the music and entertainment industry. His company TS records of which he is a co-owner has produced and continues to produce hit music and popular artists in South Africa with continental appeal. His most recognized projects are his Y-Lens DJ compilations, Mzekezeke – a masked Kwaito character, the ‘late’ Brown Dash’ & the current success story that is Zahara.
He is the founder and chairman of SLEF, ‘The Sbusiso Leope Education Foundation’ which has given away over 500 bursaries to pupils throughout 300 schools nationwide. He also personally mentors and supports young students who show an appetite for education. The SLEF team, led by Sbusiso visit 3 schools a week to motivate learners. Recently, Forbes Africa recognized Sbusiso as 1 of 13 young Africans to watch. Sunday Times named him one of the ‘Coolest Brands’ in SA
. Mail & Guardian named Sbu one of 200 brilliant Young South Africans and he has also been listed as one of 100 Most Influential Africans alongside Nelson Mandela, Thabo Mbeki and Desmond Tutu.
Sbusiso is the executive chairman of Leadership 2020, a future leader company that inspires and teaches leadership to entrepreneurs. He has published a best selling book under Leadership 2020 entitled ‘The Beginning’ with over 20.000.00 copies sold, his followers remain anxious for the follow up title – Billionaires Under Construction. Under Leadership 2020 the company creates conferences, runs a leadership curriculum, and provides jobs, mentorship and coaching to the community.
He is the co-founder of the first 100% black owned energy drink brand entitled MoFaya. The challenger drink is making its way onto the shelves of the South African consumer environment. Leope has used non-traditional methods of marketing and brand building to follow the dream of The Mo Faya Beverage Company. He is a proud African industrialist and has a riveting story to tell around the growth of this hugely well known competitor brand in South Africa.
Leope is the host of a weekly entrepreneurship show on CNBC Africa called Kicking Doors. The show is designed to showcase Africa’s entrepreneurial talent and profile the success stories of entrepreneurs who have a proven track record, experience and stories to tell. The show also interviews female CEO’s inside their C-Suite and provides real-time coaching and teaching through its various segments. He also anchors his own brand of morning breakfast radio called The DJ Sbu Breakfast which is a daily syndicated product in partnership with the Times Media Group.
Sbusiso supports various charity organisations and ensures that not only him, but also other celebrities in South Africa establish mechanisms, no matter how big or small, to give back to their respective communities. Some of his humanitarian efforts also include food and clothing distributions in many of our disadvantaged communities, Hospice visitations, and much more. Sbusiso Leope is an epitome of popular culture, and is described by some people as a philanthropist and a person who has a heart to give.
