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Mohale has worked hard, but he says enough is enough. It’s time to spend time with his wife, writes Riana de Lange
Bonang Mohale: Leader, respected businessperson, activist, patriot, avid photographer, jogger, the embodiment of integrity and justice, and passionate about transformation, the development of people and quality education.
In person, he’s smaller than one expects, with a calm voice.
But it’s a voice that, in Mohale’s capacity as CEO of Business Leadership SA (BLSA), has increasingly spoken out against state capture, poor management, corruption and cheating.
This was especially so during the time of lickspittles who did not tolerate any criticism of former president Jacob Zuma and his government.
The Black Management Forum (BMF), which recently honoured Mohale for his lifetime contribution to the business environment, said that through his activism he brought hope to the country at a time when it was on the verge of collapse.
Last month the Free Market Foundation awarded Mohale the Luminary Award for the exceptional courage and integrity he showed through difficult times, by strengthening the business community and defending the rights of all South Africans.
Mohale, the 10th recipient of the award, said he felt humbled and very grateful for this.
“It’s something that comes from the angels. And now I’m among all these big names, like Reuel Khoza, Thabo Mbeki and advocate George Bizos.
“Maybe they gave it to me because they want to bring some youth into the group,” the 57-year-old joked.
These are not the only awards he has received.
There have been a raft of others in the past 18 years and they fill almost an entire page of his 10-page CV.
Mohale initially planned to retire at the age of 55 in 2017. This was after a long corporate career at, among others, Sandoz, Otis SA, Sanlam and Shell. But BLSA convinced him to serve as its CEO.
During this time, he appointed a strong team and identified his successor, Busisiwe Mavuso, who was meant to take over the reins in July last year.
But Mohale said that, at the time, the country was still caught up in a crisis of state capture, corruption, bribery and theft, and BLSA wanted to keep the momentum he created going.
He agreed to stay on until last month.
Under his leadership the business community got its voice back, CEOs of companies visited Alexandra and saw the utter poverty of the place from which some of their colleagues came.
State capture was kept in the spotlight.
“Although BLSA does not get involved in party politics, we cannot remain silent when political decisions harm the economy, such as when Zuma recalled Pravin Gordhan from an overseas investment tour, dismissed him and then appointed Malusi Gigaba. Business leaders in suits and ties marched to the Union Buildings to object.”
He calls state capture “absurd, large-scale plundering”, which saw the country lose an estimated R100 billion a year to Zupta families during the nine Zuma years.
“If our democratic institutions weren’t as strong as they are … there are few countries that could have survived this sort of systematic plundering.
“Bell Pottinger is dead and its narrative of white monopoly capital and radical economic transformation no longer dominates discourse. They were smart, because the face of poverty in South Africa is still black and 25 years after democracy most South Africans have not yet personally seen the benefits.”
“The term ‘white monopoly capital’ antagonises and belittles; it’s false and utterly inappropriate because business is business. There is no business, no leadership and no ownership that does not include ‘blackness’.”
The tragedy is that the top 10% still own more than 60% of wealth, and 80% of South Africans still own no assets, he said.
“But here we are now, with the new dawn of President Cyril Ramaphosa.
“Close your eyes and think where we would be if Ramaphosa wasn’t elected leader of the ANC in 2017. You don’t even want to imagine the consequences.
“Ramaphosa is not our second chance, he is our last chance. If we don’t get it right this time, we will just be another failed African state.”
This is the most business-friendly administration South Africa has ever had; Ramaphosa is pro-labour and pro-business.
He involves business leaders in every visit by heads of state to South Africa and includes them in delegations that travel overseas, Mohale said.
A true professional person seldom gets, or expects, a second chance. Ramaphosa realises this and knows what has to be done – but it’s not easy, said Mohale.
The world is impatient with South Africa.
“We have lost our mojo. Investors aren’t going to come here because they feel sorry for us. They want returns on their investment and equity, regulatory security, stable policy and want to be able to take their profits out of the country more easily.”
And South Africans are frustrated when they see the “usual rotten apples”, implicated in irregularities before commissions of inquiry, still being appointed as chairs of parliamentary portfolio committees.
“It sends mixed messages about our intention to get rid of state capture.
“We are disappointed that the president did not get rid of all the thieves in his present Cabinet. The Cabinet was reshuffled and downsized, but it’s as if we take two steps forward and one step back. Still, it’s progress – because the alternative is unthinkable.”
Mohale said Ramaphosa knows what is needed to get the economy going, but his own party is holding him back.
It must be painful not just having the enemies at the gate, but knowing that they are in bed with you.
Mohale has worked with pharmaceutical products, elevators, oil and was even as a director of the Western Cape Cricket Union.
“If you can manage a business you can govern, run a nongovernmental organisation, a sport union. You can learn the product; the principles of corporate management, leadership and duty remain the same.”
Mohale and his wife, Susan, a social worker, have been married for 38 years and have two daughters.
Although he has worked two years longer than he planned to, he is only 57.
“I want to do something else while I still have enough strength in my hands and legs to chase horses, goats and cattle. It’s also good to know when enough is enough. I worked too hard, my whole life.
“When I looked again, my daughters were grown.
“Susan does not need money, just love.”
