Trailblazer: SA pays tribute to black business visionary Sam Motsuenyane

Bruce Whitfield talks to African Bank board chair Thabo Dloti, Business Unity SA CEO Cas Coovadia and Bongi Kunene, MD of the Banking Association of SA.

South Africa is paying tribute to business visionary Sam Motsuenyane, one of the founders of African Bank and the National African Federated Chamber of Commerce (NAFCOC).

Motsuenyane died on Monday at the age of 97.

Beyond his contributions to business, Motsuenyane's impact transcended into the political and diplomatic arenas said Business Unity SA (BUSA) in a statement.

"From serving as a Senator during the pivotal post-apartheid era to his role as Ambassador to the Gulf States, he exemplified statesmanship and diplomacy at its finest. His dedication to human rights was further evidenced through his leadership of the Motsuenyane Commission of Enquiry, which investigated human rights abuses."

Business Unity SA

Bruce Whitfield speaks to business leaders about Motsuenyane's legacy on The Money Show.

African Bank chairperson Thabo Dloti traces the dream of a black bank, and what it took to realise this during apartheid rule.

Dloti notes that Motsuenyane and his colleagues conceived African Bank in 1964, but were able to actually launch the bank only in 1975, given the challenges they faced.

"One of the things he used to stress hard in dealing with us, was that African Bank was designed and was envisaged to support the small businessperson.. and his belief was, that is really what drives the economy."

"If black business is not supported meaningfully to participate in the broader sector we will really not be able to address the fundamental issues we're dealing with in the country... and we've taken it on board the Bank can truly succeed if we truly address that issue."

Thabo Dloti, Chair -  African Bank Board

Motsuenyane is a man who will be remembered as a visionary, says Bongi Kunene, MD of the Banking Association of South Africa.

"To start a bank in 1975... and move the bank to all corners of South Africa shows that he had a vison of the ability of an entrepreneur, to fund their businesses and grow them step by step." 

Bongi Kunene, MD - Banking Association of South Africa

Trailblazers like Motsuenyane and his peers have taught us that you can build a business in any environment you face if you work hard and honourably, says Cas Coovadia.

The BUSA CEO highlights that, as real trailblazers, they learned on their feet and innovated as they went along.

Scroll up to listen to the tributes on The Money Show