Bonang Mohale: Trading a stethoscope for a suit

Seen as a change agent, social justice activist and a defender of democracy, president of Business Unity South Africa (Busa) and chancellor of the University of the Free State Bonang Mohale continues to be at the wheel of leadership.

At 62, Mohale has impacted on some of the biggest and wealthiest business corporations in South Africa.

He has headed multinational companies like Shell South Africa, Swiss Re and Otis and served in numerous leadership positions in both the public and private sectors.

“At the moment, I’m blessed with some truly amazing opportunities as president of Busa, an apex organisation where we have got 40 organisations and 27 companies. I also chair the three boards, two of which are listed – the Bidvest Group Limited, ArcelorMittal and SBV Services, which is owned by the four major national banks,” he said.

“In my spare time, I try and make myself useful, so I teach global MBA students where I’m a professor at the Johannesburg Business School in the College of Business and Economics.”

Mohale was born and raised in the old township known as Etwatwa in Benoni and attended school in Katlehong, East Rand.

“I still remember both my principals in primary and higher level. But the person who had the most impact on me was the late principal, Leepile Taunyane, at Katlehong Senior Secondary School. He came from Alexandra, ended up being a councillor there and then life president of the Premier Soccer League,” he said.

“Katlehong is important to me because that was not only my home, but that is where I met my lifetime partner, Ms Susan.”

Mohale said she played a significant part in his life and success. He married her at the age of 19 and pursued his education with her by his side.

Early on, Mohale initially wanted to become a doctor and began his studies at the University of Witwatersrand.

“Most of the doctors who are my role models were from Katlehong and graduated from the University of Natal. Even that early on, I knew that I was just as good as the rest and I wanted to compete with absolutely the best. That’s why I went to Wits,” he said.

“At that time, it was classified, like all the top five universities in this country, as a white university. And therefore you needed special ministerial permission to study there. I have very vivid memories of my interview with Professor Philip Tobias and I remember being asked why I wanted to study medicine, to which I replied: ‘I am looking for the shortest possible course that will give me the most amount of money so that I can look after my mother who’s brought us up as seven siblings because my father passed away in 1981.’ “They admired my honesty, so I was admitted.

”While having spent four years at Wits Medical School, Mohale’s interest in business management emerged when he heard an interview with the late Maduke Lot Ndlovu.

“I was quite intrigued about an African who’s so self-confident, factual and knowledgeable. I later learned he was a member of the Black Management Forum. At that moment, I knew I wanted to be a manager. I still went back to Wits but I felt like I had seen the light and decided to join the pharmaceutical industry, where I spent 11 years. I initially worked for Pfizer then Merck Sharp & Dohme,” he said.

While in the marketing department, he studied part-time for a marketing qualification. “I regard myself as a marketer by profession and really made my mark.”

Once Mohale joined Busa, he saw there was still a lot more work to be done in the business world.

“The 67 members of Busa asked me to come and be their president as an apex organisation. So when President Cyril Ramaphosa says he has consulted business, he means he has spoken to the apex organisation, which is Busa,” he said.

Mohale also believes that, after 1994, South Africans were so eager to be free and not enough time was spent to “profoundly think and reflect on what would be done once political freedom was acquired”.

“In hindsight, we are the only African country that has become free and did not substantially increase the quality of education for our own people and change the ownership of the economy.”

Apart from the business world, Mohale finds pleasure in running and spending time with his family, and is also an author of Lift as You Rise and Behold the Turtle, which depicts some of the things that he is passionate about and his drive for transformation.

“One of my personal joys is getting married to my wife at age 19. The best decision I’ve ever made. I am also unashamedly, unequivocally happiest when I’m with my family.

“One of my biggest fears is poverty because I know what it is like to be poor and I don’t ever want to go back there. There is no nobility in being poor.

“With leadership, it is a privilege to improve the quality of lives of the majority of people, not an opportunity for self-enrichment.

“Can I make a difference? That’s what I’m trying to do.