THE LAUNCH:
Was held in Johannesburg, on May 16. “Humility. Ethical leadership. Courage. Wisdom. Integrity.” These were words repeatedly spoken as Kagiso Trust marked the start of its 40th anniversary celebrations with the launch of a biography of its former CEO Molobi.
Former president Kgalema Motlanthe, businesswoman Cheryl Carolus and Kagiso Trust trustee Hylton Appelbaum were among those sharing memories of Molobi, who passed away in 2006, in a packed auditorium at Gibs Business School in Johannesburg on May 14.
After eight years of imprisonment on Robben Island, a key role in the formation of the United Democratic Front (UDF) and leadership of the National Education Crisis Committee in the 1980s, Molobi joined Kagiso Trust as CEO in 1990. He launched Kagiso Trust Investments (KTI), which quickly became one of SA’s biggest investment companies. Today, investments fully fund the work of Kagiso Trust, one of the country’s leading development agencies.
Recalling the launch of KTI, trustee Thabiso Ratsomo said it was a game-changer for the trust.
“And it was largely due to Eric’s unwavering commitment to ensuring Kagiso Trust could survive beyond donor funding.”
Ratsomo said one of Molobi’s key traits was ethical leadership, and he trusted the people he appointed to stand against corruption.
“He was deeply committed to our motto at the time of overcoming poverty. He was a master networker, politically and in the corporate world.”
Infinite possibilities
Molobi’s daughter, Naomi Ratsheko, who attended the launch with her mother, Martha, said when her father started chemotherapy for lung cancer his family wanted to make recordings of him talking about his life.
“His response was, ‘What is there to talk about?’,” she said.
“We did not know who he was. We just knew a goofy, funny papa who adored mama.
“He had a gift for seeing people fully, not only for who they were but for the infinite possibilities of what they could become.”
Dean Zwoitwaho Nevhutalu, a trustee of Kagiso Trust, said he was one of many people “thrown into the deep end” by Molobi.
“I was lost but I also knew he was mentoring me as a young leader,” he said.
The same had happened to JJ Njeke and Fani Titi, Molobi’s picks to lead KTI.
“They had no experience, but look what they have done today,” he said.
Titi, CEO of Investec, spoke about the formative role Molobi played as one of his key mentors, while Njeke, chairperson of Momentum Metropolitan Holdings, said when he met Molobi “I was just an accountant and Eric thought I could count”.
He added: “Eric taught us the business must be built on integrity. Black excellence was one of the things that was drilled into our minds, not to be run-of-the-mill but to be excellent at what we did.”
Carolus, a founder of the UDF alongside Molobi, said the world was facing similar challenges to those Molobi navigated during apartheid.
“It’s a time when we need to reach deep and live in the way Eric would have,” she said.
“We need to look at the courage, wisdom, vision, the ability to pivot, and Bra Eric’s ability to read moments and act decisively.”
Great heart
Motlanthe said he met Molobi as a schoolboy.
“He was at a vocational training centre in Dube, I was at Orlando High. When Eric went to prison [in 1974 at the age of 27] it was a great loss and also a great message that even such an upright, law-abiding citizen could be involved in the struggle against the obnoxious system of apartheid,” he said.
“One of the lessons of imprisonment was never to stoop to the level of your oppressors.”
Something else Motlanthe learned from Molobi was that people in public office need two hearts: when the first one runs out of patience, the bigger one kicks in.
“Eric was a man with a great heart and great patience,” he said.
Kagiso Trust chairperson Mankone Ntsaba said Molobi had played a key role in ensuring the trust could look back with pride on 40 years of impact in education, civil society, socioeconomic development and local governance.
“Honouring Bra Eric on our 40th birthday reminds us of the values he and the trust stand for, things like courage, integrity and service,” she said.
“By revisiting his story, we recommit ourselves to the principles which have sustained us for four decades, and which will continue to guide us into the future.”
Article provided by Swanepoel on behalf of the Kagiso Trust.
Eric Molobi: A Legacy of Resolute Leadership, by Gaongalelwe Tiro, is published by Juta and available here as a paperback and e-book.
Eric Molobi biography launches Kagiso Trust’s 40th anniversary celebrations
Image: Supplied
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Eric Molobi: A Legacy of Resolute Leadership reflects on the life of a man who helped shape SA’s transformation with quiet determination and unwavering resolve.
From his early activism in the Black Consciousness Movement to his imprisonment on Robben Island alongside Nelson Mandela, his journey was defined by his commitment to social justice and empowerment.
On his release, Molobi played a crucial role in education during the turbulent 1980s, navigating political repression with strategic foresight. At the end of apartheid, he transitioned into business, championing black economic empowerment, not as a tool for personal gain but to cultivate talent, support socioeconomic reconstruction and ensure economic involvement. He served on the boards of major corporations and influenced the economic landscape while avoiding the limelight.
Written by acclaimed journalist Gaongalelwe Tiro, the biography explores Molobi’s impact across politics, business and social development. It is essential reading for business leaders, activists, educators and history enthusiasts drawn to stories of resilience and purpose-driven leadership. Through the institutions, careers and initiatives he helped build, Molobi’s legacy continues to shape SA’s future.
THE LAUNCH:
Was held in Johannesburg, on May 16. “Humility. Ethical leadership. Courage. Wisdom. Integrity.” These were words repeatedly spoken as Kagiso Trust marked the start of its 40th anniversary celebrations with the launch of a biography of its former CEO Molobi.
Former president Kgalema Motlanthe, businesswoman Cheryl Carolus and Kagiso Trust trustee Hylton Appelbaum were among those sharing memories of Molobi, who passed away in 2006, in a packed auditorium at Gibs Business School in Johannesburg on May 14.
After eight years of imprisonment on Robben Island, a key role in the formation of the United Democratic Front (UDF) and leadership of the National Education Crisis Committee in the 1980s, Molobi joined Kagiso Trust as CEO in 1990. He launched Kagiso Trust Investments (KTI), which quickly became one of SA’s biggest investment companies. Today, investments fully fund the work of Kagiso Trust, one of the country’s leading development agencies.
Recalling the launch of KTI, trustee Thabiso Ratsomo said it was a game-changer for the trust.
“And it was largely due to Eric’s unwavering commitment to ensuring Kagiso Trust could survive beyond donor funding.”
Ratsomo said one of Molobi’s key traits was ethical leadership, and he trusted the people he appointed to stand against corruption.
“He was deeply committed to our motto at the time of overcoming poverty. He was a master networker, politically and in the corporate world.”
Infinite possibilities
Molobi’s daughter, Naomi Ratsheko, who attended the launch with her mother, Martha, said when her father started chemotherapy for lung cancer his family wanted to make recordings of him talking about his life.
“His response was, ‘What is there to talk about?’,” she said.
“We did not know who he was. We just knew a goofy, funny papa who adored mama.
“He had a gift for seeing people fully, not only for who they were but for the infinite possibilities of what they could become.”
Dean Zwoitwaho Nevhutalu, a trustee of Kagiso Trust, said he was one of many people “thrown into the deep end” by Molobi.
“I was lost but I also knew he was mentoring me as a young leader,” he said.
The same had happened to JJ Njeke and Fani Titi, Molobi’s picks to lead KTI.
“They had no experience, but look what they have done today,” he said.
Titi, CEO of Investec, spoke about the formative role Molobi played as one of his key mentors, while Njeke, chairperson of Momentum Metropolitan Holdings, said when he met Molobi “I was just an accountant and Eric thought I could count”.
He added: “Eric taught us the business must be built on integrity. Black excellence was one of the things that was drilled into our minds, not to be run-of-the-mill but to be excellent at what we did.”
Carolus, a founder of the UDF alongside Molobi, said the world was facing similar challenges to those Molobi navigated during apartheid.
“It’s a time when we need to reach deep and live in the way Eric would have,” she said.
“We need to look at the courage, wisdom, vision, the ability to pivot, and Bra Eric’s ability to read moments and act decisively.”
Great heart
Motlanthe said he met Molobi as a schoolboy.
“He was at a vocational training centre in Dube, I was at Orlando High. When Eric went to prison [in 1974 at the age of 27] it was a great loss and also a great message that even such an upright, law-abiding citizen could be involved in the struggle against the obnoxious system of apartheid,” he said.
“One of the lessons of imprisonment was never to stoop to the level of your oppressors.”
Something else Motlanthe learned from Molobi was that people in public office need two hearts: when the first one runs out of patience, the bigger one kicks in.
“Eric was a man with a great heart and great patience,” he said.
Kagiso Trust chairperson Mankone Ntsaba said Molobi had played a key role in ensuring the trust could look back with pride on 40 years of impact in education, civil society, socioeconomic development and local governance.
“Honouring Bra Eric on our 40th birthday reminds us of the values he and the trust stand for, things like courage, integrity and service,” she said.
“By revisiting his story, we recommit ourselves to the principles which have sustained us for four decades, and which will continue to guide us into the future.”
Article provided by Swanepoel on behalf of the Kagiso Trust.
Eric Molobi: A Legacy of Resolute Leadership, by Gaongalelwe Tiro, is published by Juta and available here as a paperback and e-book.
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