BISHOP PETER RABALI
A true business revolutionary of note has taken his last breath. Although his immortal remains lies here in front of us, his entrepreneurial spirit and soul will continue to live with us. Let us therefore celebrate the life well lived and join in spirit the other celebration taking place in heaven as they welcome the ascending soul of our humble, loving and selfless child of God.
The Eagle has landed. He was a great NAFCOC Stalwart, has served in various important portfolios such as Deputy Secretary General and the Deputy President to mention few. Bishop Rabali has made tremendous and significant contribution within the black business chamber movement in general and NAFCOC as well as NAFTO.
We wish his family more comfort and his soul to rest in eternal peace.
DR. ARCHIE SIPHIWO NKONYENI
Indeed a great tree has fallen as NAFCOC mourns the passing of Dr. Archie Siphiwo Nkonyeni a beacon of black business and one of the distinct NAFCOC’s former Presidents. Dr Archie Siphiwo Nkonyeni joined NAFCOC in 1981 and served as Senior Vice President from 1988 to 1990, Deputy President from 1990 to 1992 and National President of NAFCOC from 1992 to 1994. He has been a successful entrepreneur in a wide variety of businesses, from the 1960s to date.
Dr. Nkonyeni has served on several boards of companies and committees, including Tiger Oats Limited, SA Post Office, Eskom, The Decentralisation Board, Committee of the JSE and Transkei Development Corporation. Dr. Nkonyeni was an accountant by qualification and training with a Bcom Hon and DCom (honorary), an Independent non-executive chairman of Resilient Property Income fund amongst many of his roles, he was also an empowerment champion and mentor to many young businesspersons, an author and writer who wrote his books, Black Property Pioneer and a Capitalists without Capital.
Dr. Nkonyeni was an influential business leader with many business interests, his two passions being property development and agriculture. Dr .Nkonyeni was a giant, one of the best brains South Africa and NAFCOC ever had. He was regarded as one of our leaders who ‘thought out of the box’ and who like Dr Richard Maponya started from the humble beginning especially focusing on rural and township economies. He is known within NAFCOC as very enterprising and a resilient person.
Our sincere condolences to his family and the broader black business community within which he has created sustainable wealth and many jobs.
May his Soul Rest in Eternal Peace and Rise in Glory
Mr Daniel Alex Mabotsa
Mabotsa Daniel Alex Mabotsa joined NAFCOC in the early 1970. He was elected the Chairperson of the Northern Cape in 2010. A Member of the National Industrial Chamber executive since 1990. Chairperson of NIC Northern Cape since 1994 until he met his untimely death. He Served in the Strategic planning Committee with NIC.He established NIC offices and NAFCOC in the Northern Cape, NIC and NAFCOC stalwart. Served in the NAFCOC Fund raising committee. He was also a Trustee of NAFCOC Northern Cape. He was a dedicated Family man and high Christian values.
Mr Jabulani Nxumalo
Mr Jabulani Nxumalo was a member of NAFSEC and later became the Acting Chairperson of the organization. In 2018 he was elected as a NAFCOC KZN Snr Vice Chairperson and was still holding the said positions when he met his untimely death on the 15th of January 2021.He has been a valued member of our team and will be dearly missed by all.
Mr Sipho Tanana
NAFCOC former Deputy President and Chairman of the former Tsogo Sun . Mr.Sipho Tanana, widely regarded as a champion of black rugby, was born on June 3, 1932.Mr. Tanana was secretary of the Border Rugby Board in 1969 and general secretary of the South African Rugby Board. A true business patriot and a principled leader. A mobile archive of NAFCOC and an intellectual par excellence. It is no exaggeration to suggest that Tanana embodied the complex nexus between sport and politics in apartheid South Africa. He was appointed secretary-general of the Ciskei National Independent Party (CNIP) with Lennox Sebe as president.
Mr Churchill Kambule Mrasi
NAFCOC and National Tourism and Hospitality Association honours the President of SALTHA (the South African Leisure Tourism and Hospitality Association), former deputy President of NAFCOC (National African Federated Chamber of Commerce and Industry) and member of the Gauteng Liquor Forum, Mr Churchill Mrasi.A former Board Member of Jozi FM .To the liquor industry and business formations on which he served, Bra Churchil as he was affectionally known ,his passing has left a massive void and big shoes to fill.
DR RICHARD MAPONYA
NAFCOC Founding President, Property Mogul and an Organic and hardworking Entrepreneur par excellent.
Richard John Pelwana Maponya was born in the then Northern Transvaal (Limpopo) on 24 December 1926. A trained teacher by proffesion. He engaged himself in business around 1956, Maponya was living in Soweto. In 1957, he went for legal advice to Nelson Mandela and Oliver Tambo, who then ran Johannesburg’s first black law firm, but they were unable to help as their own conditions were too restrictive . He became a member of Johannesburg African Chamber of Commerce in the mid-1950s when it was formed and finally become its president. In the early 60s the Johannesburg African Chamber of Commerce under Maponya initiated the drive to unite small businessmen nationally. This initiative led to the formation of National African Chamber of Commerce (NACOC) in 1964. Maponya became the founding president of NACOC from 1964 to 1966.In 1979 the government of the day required NACOC to disband and re-establish itself along ethnic lines. The leadership of NACOC refused, stood their ground and opted for a federation, becoming the National African Federated Chamber of Commerce (NAFCOC). For 26 years Maponya’s dream has been to build a shopping mall, Maponya Mall. When completed, the 65 000-m squared complex will be Soweto’s largest. Dr.Richard Maponya’s career highlights include being a trustee of The Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund and founder and first president of the National African Federated Chamber of Commerce.