PBF people in business
Running and maintaining a business takes skill, courage and determination.
We asked six PBF business leaders about what drives them and how they
manage to rise above the rest
He’s a member of Versione Gente, What motivates you?
an exclusive boutique specialising in Working. I stress when I don’t do any
high-end ready-to-wear fully imported form of productive work.
goods for ladies and gents with
branches at Maponya Mall in Soweto, How do you relax?
The Firs in Rosebank and Waterfront I meditate and walk to cleanse my
Mall in Bloemfontein. He also serves mind and soul. Spending time with my
as a non-executive director of Letlapa family is part of my relaxation
First Park, a parking-management
company currently providing services What are your future plans for
at Montecasino. the businesses?
We’re planning to expand LetlapaCon to
What roles do you play in your other provinces and the private sector.
various business ventures? We currently have three Versione
I am responsible for strategic business Gente boutiques, and we hope to add
development and contract negotiations. more. Monyokolo & Associates plans
I also play a role in networking and to diversify into retail, provinces and
strategic direction. other sectors of the economy, while
the Letlapa Group is to acquire more
What challenges do you face in business in the respective sectors of
your industry? the economy.
We struggle with non-payment of
invoices by Government. Banks and What words of wisdom do you
state finance institutions failing to have for other business leaders?
finance Government projects out of lack Diversify. Don’t focus on one business,
of understanding of their complexity. client, province or sector. Ensure
Given the economic downturn and that you have enough cash reserves
other reasons Government is cutting to mitigate any economic downturn.
costs and unilaterally suspending Employ personnel with the right
contracts without following due process expertise and most importantly
this remains a huge challenge. We are attitude. And definitely, build a good
Ramateu Lefty Monyokolo
also dogged by abnormally high import relationship with your bank, customers
tariffs, currency fluctuations and cash- and service providers.
The Letlapa Group was established
flow issues. Recently this issue was
in 2000 and among its subsidiaries
raised with government at ministerial What would you like to say to
it counts Telesafe Security, which
level at one of the PBF interface Nelson Mandela?
provides guarding, National Key Point,
activities; and we are looking forward As an embodiment of the ANC you have
VIP and electronic security services;
to an improvement of the situation. contributed to the acquisition of the
Dormell Properties, which deals with
This is the sort of benefit that one freedoms that we are now enjoying.
property development and facilities
derives from participating in the PBF. You have contributed to the eradication
management; VSCAN, which supplies
of poverty through your charities and
the technology for vehicle testing; and
How did your businesses manage organisations. You have become an
Titima Technologies, a multi-sectoral
to cope? international icon and put South Africa
supplier of technology-based solutions,
Well, our retail business partially kept on the world map. For that and many
goods and services. Ramateu Lefty
us afloat, but we also tapped into our other contributions you have made,
Monyokolo serves as an executive
long-term investments to keep afloat. we are grateful. Our wish is that you
chairperson of LetlapaCon, a multi-
We used access bonds to finance legacy must live forever and influence
sectoral programme management
our business and unfortunately had all the world’s citizens, in particular our
company. He also serves as a non-
to retrench 90% of our personnel. political leaders in South Africa. We ask
executive director for his family
Our retail business was expanded to no more from you now. It’s your time
business, Monyokolo & Associates,
capitalise on the cash flows, and we to rest and enjoy the freedom you have
a project-management company.
intensified our marketing efforts. fought for. Re ya leboha, Madiba.
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