Thabo Mavundza

Full Name: Thabo Mavundza

Position and Company Name: MD: Operations Africa at Westfalia Fruit

Main Activity of the Company: Westfalia Fruit produces, processes and markets avocados all year round

Date and Place of Birth: October 31, Mavalani Village, Limpopo province

Schools and Tertiary Education: Pfuxetani Primary School; Samson Shivit Primary School; Mavalani High School; University of KwaZulu-Natal (BSc Eng in Agricultural Engineering)

First Job: Mechanisation engineer at the Agricultural Research Council’s Institute of Agricultural Engineering

Size of First Pay Packet: R114 000 a year

Career Path to Date: My career has taken me from the technical side of agricultural engineering to executive leadership. Today, I lead a team of 3 500 colleagues during peak season and manage assets valued at between R3-billion and R5-billion at Westfalia Fruit

Management Style: I believe in being soft on people but hard on standards. I trust my team to rise to the occasion, and I give them the space to do so. However, I hold everyone – including myself – to high standards of excellence because that’s what it takes to build something meaningful

Personal Best Achievement: Leading and positively influencing so many lives through the organisations I serve

Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Life: My grandmother, Sophi Mphephu Vukeya, whose wisdom has been a guiding light for me

Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Career: Sizwe Magagula, a mentor whose approach to leadership, which combines humility and ambition, has greatly influenced the way I lead today

Person You Would Most Like to Meet: If I could, I’d want to meet every poor child in Africa. I’d tell them that their circumstances don’t define them and that opportunity, while hard to come by, is within reach. I’m living proof of that

Businessperson Who Has Impressed You Most: Mteto Nyati – I admire how he’s stayed grounded despite having achieved so much

Philosophy of Life: Lift as you rise; you can only get what you give

Biggest Ever Opportunity: Studying agricultural engineering – it opened doors that I never imagined and gave me the skills and confidence to penetrate and make an impact in the private agricultural sector

Biggest Ever Disappointment: I dreamed of becoming a doctor, and when I did not make it into medical school, I felt like I was a failure

Hope for the Future: A world where everyone, no matter where they’re born or their circumstances, has an opportunity to realise their full potential

Favourite Reading: I love reading about the Law of Attraction; it’s a concept that speaks to me because I believe what you put into the world will find its way back to you

Favourite Food/Drink: Coffee, and Black Label beer when I want to relax

Favourite Music: Any good music, regardless of the genre, always lifts my spirits

Favourite Sport: Football

Hobbies: Giving back is my biggest hobby, whether through philanthropy or mentoring

Car: Toyota Hilux

Pets: Two dogs, Bella and Rocksy

Miscellaneous Dislikes: Dishonesty and a lack of commitment

Married: Yes, I am happily married

Children: A six-year-old son and a two-year-old daughter

Clubs: None