The Mhlobiso Group opened its doors in 2009 but has since grown to become a full house turnkey solution to the global construction community. We sat down with owner and founder, Tando Mhlobiso to speak about the growth of the company and what the future holds.
Mhlobiso Group hasn’t always been what it is today. Mhlobiso himself had to start from the ground up, learning the tricks of the trade before soaring in the industry. Today the group employes 150 people across the various companies, including Mantishe Construction, Mhlobiso Plant Hire, Mhlobiso Asphalt, Mhlobiso Transport and Mhlobiso Properties. The latest addition to the group is Mhlobiso Concrete.
That is a long way away from where it all began for Mr Mhlobiso with Mantishe Construction. “It took me a good 16 years to get to where I am. “All our permanent employees have pension fund savings and medical aid allowance to secure their livelihoods in retirement including their health needs, this is something I’m deeply proud of,” says the entrepreneur.
Today the group employs 159 people across the various companies, including Mantishe Construction, Mhlobiso Plant Hire, Mhlobiso Asphalt, Mhlobiso Transport and Mhlobiso Properties
The company specialises in Civil Engineering construction, Plant hire, Bulk Transport, Asphalting, the manufacturing, and supply of ready-mix concrete. The vision for the company is simple yet important. They strive for the highest compliance to the Occupation, Health, and Safety Act, enhancing the well-being of Mhlobiso Group’s employees and affected communities. Mr Mhlobiso was quick to admit that he knew very little about construction when he first joined the Coega Development Corporation SMME Programme. “The SMME training was aggressive and at times stressful because the site was live and there were timeframesoattached to the works, all these things I had to understand very quickly. When the project was done, I knew this was what I wanted to do, and I was ready to take on the world, I was determined to make this work,” claims Mr Mhlobiso. There is often great benefit that comes with a CEO who has had to start at the bottom and work for everything he has. It means he has an appreciation for the work that needs to be done, and thus knows how to treat everyone. The group from the inception has been built on a deeply rooted ethos that speaks to the continuous investment of all employees. Mr Mhlobiso has instilled values that ensure the company is always treating his workforce fairly and with respect.
This has led the company to further expansion from construction services to civil engineering, ready mix concrete, transport, and asphalt.
Mhlobiso Group is also recognised with numerous accreditations. This includes being accredited by the Construction Industry Development Board (cidb), SAFCEC and its employers by the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA).
Projects
The Mhlobiso Group has been involved in a number of important projects previously. This speaks to their commitment to providing clients with the very best turnkey operations. Moving the company towards being a full turnkey solution has many benefits as Mr Mhlobiso explains, “Having the full construction value chain available makes running projects cost effective, time optimised and convenient as we are an all-in-one turnkey solution for the needs of your company.”
The company specialises in Civil Engineering construction, Plant hire, Bulk Transport, Asphalting, the manufacturing, and supply of ready-mix concrete
Conclusion
In closing, the dynamic CEO has a word of advice for fellow entrepreneurs in South Africa.
“I registered Mantishe construction under the Coega SMME Development Programme in late 2009. Mantishe Construction is now grade 7CE and recently registered 6SB which is classified as highly specialised work. “Dreams without goals are just dreams. Without commitment, you’ll never start; without consistency, you’ll never finish. Sometimes, it takes certain things to fall apart for better things to fall into place and regardless of your circumstances, push to be the person you were meant to be. No one said it was going to be easy, but I promise, there is no greater satisfaction than turning nothing into something,” concludes Mr Mhlobiso.
