The Lebelo Team
Our team consist of experienced entrepreneurs and deal makers that have significant experience across a wide range of industry sectors. We have a strong presence of women in the financial services sector and offer a broad-based representation and participation by rural, poor communities through the Amampondo Trust. We are all passionate about creating value by providing access to networks and markets. We don’t just stand by. We add value to our investments through being active partners to support management when required, ensuring better returns for all.
Meet Our Team

Lindani Mthwa
Chairman, Lindani Mthwa completed his NHD Metal Mining studies at Wits Technikon. His further studies included a Management Development Programme at Stellenbosch Business School, a Senior Management Program at Henley (UK) and a MBA at Demontfort (UK).
Lindani was one of the first two black individuals to receive a Mine Manager's Certificate in South Africa's gold industry in 1992. He worked 10 years in Anglo Gold where he gained extensive experience up to Sectional Manager level.
This was followed by a further 6 years at Anglo Platinum where he gained experience up to Production Manager level.
He served briefly on the Minerals and Petroleum Resources Development Act Panel formed by the Minister and served as a Co-Head of Entrepreneurial Team in the New Mining Fund. Lindani is a board member of South African Chapter of African Renaissance and Executive Chairman of Siyanda Resources. He is a Member of SAIMM, AMA and AMMSA.

Sibongiseni Ngundze
Sibongiseni is a well-qualified corporate executive and have obtained a number of qualifications including a Diploma in Credit, B Com (Unisa), AMP (Duke), SEP (Stanford ), during the course of his career.
He is the co-founder of Mahogo Holdings Group of Companies with interests in Retail and Chemical Manufacturing industries. He was also previously Head of Retail and Business Banking at- Standard Bank South Africa where he was responsible for managing a R13,0 Bn Headline earnings business, employing around 14 000 employees.
Whilst at Standard Bank, Sibongiseni was also responsible for strategy development, business transformation and innovation., as well as industry leadership, together with leadership and human capital development. Before Standard Bank, he was the Head of Retail Relationship Banking division at Nedbank where he was responsible for managing a R1,0 Bn Headline earnings business, employing around 2 000 employees.
Prior to Nedbank, Sigongiseni was the Corporate Relationship executive at FNB Corporate where his main objective was to provide clients with integrated services of commercial, legal and traditional corporate finance services as well as managing key corporate client solutions teams and driving balance sheet and revenue growth.

Nohlanhla Mjoli-Mncube
Ms Nonhlanhla Mjoli-Mncube has a B.A degree from the University of Fort Hare, as well as a Masters Degree in City and Regional planning from the University of Cape Town. She also completed modules in Management at the Washington State University, USA ,a Fellowship in Urban studies, (SPURS) from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), USA, a Certificate in Finance from the Wharton School of Business, USA, a Senior Executive Leadership Programme at Harvard University(SEP), USA and a post-graduate certificate in Technology Management from Warwick University, UK. She an Aspen Global Leadership Fellow.
She has founded and manages her own companies Mjoli Development Company (Pty) Ltd and Eziko Investments, and The Alpha Network for Women. She is the ex-economic advisor to the Presidency in South Africa, has been an executive at Murray and Roberts subsidiary(BDA), has worked as a manager in the USA, town planner in KZN, as well as chairperson and executive director, of NURCHA, a guarantee fund for housing. She is the ex-chair of Rural Housing Loan fund, South African Women entrepreneurs and the deputy chair of the Construction Industry Development Board. She has been a winner of SABC's Lebone Business woman of the year award, and several other awards in South Africa for business leadership and social entrepreneurship, She has served on several JSE listed boards including: Cadiz financial service, Capitec Bank , Etion, Tongaat Hulett, Pioneer Foods, WBHO construction among others. She is currently on the board of Zeder Investments and ABSA Bank.

Martin Van Der Poel
Martin qualified as a chartered accountant in 1997. After serving his articles at KPMG he joined their corporate finance department and gained experience in forensic accounting, mergers & acquisitions, privatisations, valuations, due diligence reviews, stock exchange compliance work and financial modelling, both with local and international clients.
In 2001 Martin joined a listed ICT company where he headed up the mergers & acquisitions, legal, risk management and internal audit departments. He concluded a number of acquisition opportunities, negotiated large ICT outsourcing agreements and established the group risk management function and group internal audit functions. In 2007 Martin joined attorney firm Routledge Modise Inc. as Director of the Corporate Finance Department.
In 2008 Martin founded Fuller Choice Investments, a proprietary Investment business that focuses on investing in the SME market. In February 2010 Martin founded SamuelKennedy as a niche Mergers & Acquisitions and commercial legal advisory services business.
In 2019 Martin founded Sakhisizwe Private Equity Fund with Rashaad Sujee and Nthabiseng Mojela and in 2022 he also founded The Sakhisizwe Insurance and Tech Fund. He acts as principal on both Funds.

Mahlatse Mokwatlo
Mahlatse Heads up the Lebelo Business Development team. He is an entrepreneur at heart, an innovator, a visionary, and a leader. At the youthful age of 26, he established his first engineering consultancy and advisory company. He had expanded the business to deliver on assets with a value of almost R1 billion at the time of his successful exit. The SADC region, which includes South Africa, Namibia, and Zambia, was the focus in the fields of infrastructure development, mining, petrochemicals, and energy.
Mahlatse got an academic excellence scholarship to study civil engineering at the University of the Witwatersrand when he was 16 years old. At the age of 20, he earned his degree in record time. He received his training at Grinaker-LTA, where he deputized as a site agent on a Phase II Sishen Expansion Project. Later, LB Engineers (LBE) bought him out of his work-back agreement with Grinaker-LTA and he joined them as an engineering manager. At SASOL, he oversaw LBE's initiatives with prestigious firms like Thyssenkrupp and Air Liquide. Mahlatse later transferred to Aurecon SA, where he worked as a structural engineer on water projects in Botswana and Mozambique.
Mahlatse, a structural engineer by training, combines a special set of abilities that include a systems approach and a flair for entrepreneurship in the real world. He is the founder of the Opele Group, a strategic investment and ESG-focused business with a focus on the infrastructure, energy, and water sectors. His practical and well-rounded approach makes it possible to implement sustainable development strategies for the benefit of the environment, the community, and investors.
Mahlatse has collaborated closely on several transactions over the past four years as a deal maker and investor with the Lebelo Capital team. The automotive, manufacturing, engineering, mining, and fintech industries are all represented in the deals. Dealmaking has been streamlined by his ability to combine and package technically and financially feasible opportunities while also relating well to possible partners.
