The true life Story of Philisiwe Sibiya

Philisiwe Sibiya: Professional Background

• Founder and CEO: She is the founder and CEO of the Shingai Group, an investment holding company with interests across various sectors, including food and beverages, mining, real estate, and financial services.
• Executive Leadership: Sibiya is a seasoned executive with nearly two decades of experience. Notably, she held senior roles at MTN, where she was the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) for MTN South Africa and made history as the first woman appointed as a CEO within the MTN Group, leading MTN Cameroon.
• Other Directorships: Her extensive experience has led to her serving as a non-executive director on the boards of major companies like AECI, the Investec Group, and Gold Fields. She is also a qualified Chartered Accountant (CA)(SA).
• Previous Ventures: She previously founded “African Basket,” a business focused on bringing African food ingredients and cuisine to a wider market, which supplied products to major retailers.

Shingai Itai Consortium’s Vision for Jwayelani

The consortium’s strategy for the Jwayelani chain goes beyond simply being a value retailer. Their key objectives include:

• Revitalizing the Brand: The primary goal is to bring the Jwayelani brand “back to its roots” by reconnecting with its loyal customer base, particularly in the KwaZulu-Natal and Eastern Cape regions.
• Empowering Black-Owned Suppliers: A core part of their strategy is to create a food platform that empowers black-owned producers, farmers, and suppliers. By giving them direct access to consumers through the Jwayelani stores, the consortium aims to promote broader economic empowerment.
• Operational Transformation: The consortium has assembled an experienced management team to transform Jwayelani into a leading value grocery retailer in South Africa. The acquisition includes the meat processing factory, which is considered vital to the brand’s offering.

The deal, which received support from the Shoprite Group, is seen as a positive development, bringing a new, black-owned business to the retail sector and offering a sustainable future for the Jwayelani stores.