Biography
Sisa Ngebulana (born in 1966) is a South African businessperson, entrepreneur, and attorney. He is the founder and CEO of Billion Group, a commercial and retail property developer. He also founded Rebosis Property Fund Ltd.
The entrepreneur has held several leadership positions. He was the Independent Non-Executive Chairman at Ascension Properties Ltd. Sisa was also the Non-Executive Chairman of New Frontier Properties Ltd.
Rebosis Property Fund Ltd got listed on the JSE in 2011. It became the first black-managed and held property fund to be listed.
Early Life
| Sisa Ngebulana | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Full Name: | Sisa Ngebulana |
| Born: | 1966 (age 56 years old) |
| Place of Birth: | Mthatha |
| Nationality: | South Africa |
| Education: | LLM, LLB |
| Alma mater: | Natal University |
| Spouse: | Ayanda Ngebulana |
| Occupation: | Businessperson, entrepreneur, attorney |
| Company: | Rebosis Property Fund Ltd |
| Net worth: | R400 million |
Sisa Ngebulana was born in 1966 in Mthatha. His father died in a trucking accident. His grandfather assumed the responsibility of raising him.
Their home had about twelve and fifteen people, including cousins, sisters, and brothers. His grandparents made sure they were all working. His grandmother would wake them up very early and give them an errand to run.
Growing up under such conditions made him learn time management. He spent time too at his grandfather’s dealer store in the village. His father also had a brick-making factory, where he helped to make plans and budgets.
Sisa and four other grandchildren headed off to the university. His grandmother had saved to pay only a year for each of them. After entering the university, they were to score high in school to get bursaries or loans.
Education
Sisa Ngebulana obtained an LLM at the former Rand Afrikaans University. He holds an LLB from the former Natal University and a B Juris degree at Fort Hare. He studied accounting and economics correspondence at the University of Cape Town.
Career
Attorney
Sisa worked for Mick Dower, among South Africa’s best attorneys, and handled top cases. Ngebulana’s first case was Master-bond, which dealt with property. He is an admitted attorney of the High Court of South Africa and practised with Jan S de Villiers Attorneys in commercial litigation.
Business
Sisa Ngebulana spent seven years at Eskom. Working at the energy company gave him the exposure and experience that he uses to date. His specialty was at providing financial and legal counsel.
The entrepreneur learned about industrial relations, governance, management, HR, treasury, and delegation. He started to trade in capital markets, money markets desks, and foreign exchange.
Sisa is the Chief Executive Officer and founder of Rebosis Property Fund Ltd. He founded the construction company Afcon in 1999. It specializes in constructing upmarket homes in Dainfern and other golf estates. He single-handedly developed many regional shopping malls in South Africa, including Hemingways Mall, Forrest Hill City, Mdantsane City, and B.T. Ngebs City.
The business was not as it is now for Sisa, who almost went bankrupt in the coal business. He decided to try out and develop new strategies to start afresh. He then steered the course and focused on property.
The Billion Group created approximately 13 000 temporary and permanent jobs following the development of the Mdantsane and Hemingways shopping centers in the Eastern Cape from 2007 to 2009.
Sisa was the president of the South African Council of Shopping Centres (SACSC). He was director of the Attfund group, Truworths International, and the Construction Industry Development Board.
Property
Sisa started investing in the property while he was still with Eskom. In 2011, he listed Rebosis Property Fund, making it the first black-managed and substantially held property fund on the JSE.
The entrepreneur is the Chief Executive Officer and founder of the commercial and retail property developer Billion Group. He faced many competitors and has paid back debts worth millions.
Some industry collusions attempted to freeze him out and halt his projects, but he remained.
Philanthropy
Sisa Ngebulana gives back to the community. He allocates funds to support homes of senior citizens and orphanages. He also distributes blankets in winter and provides shoes to underprivileged children.
Ngebulana celebrated his 51st birthday by donating more than R1 million for the construction of classrooms with a computer lab at Ntaphane Junior Secondary School‚ in Corhana village near Mthatha‚ along with food parcels for the underprivileged.
Personal Life
Sisa married Ayanda Ngebulana in June 2023. The memorable ceremony happened in Paris, France. Close friends flew to witness the glamourous affair at Château de Challain-la-Potherie, a castle in France.
The wedding venue offers elopement and all-inclusive wedding packages for 30 guests starting from R639 260.
Awards
Ngebulana is a recipient of many awards. Many top companies have recognized him for excellence and leadership.
- Entrepreneur of the Year Award, SA, in 2006.
- Property Developer of the Year Award, SA, in 2009.
- Pioneer Award, SA, in 2014.
- African Business Excellence Award, UK House of Lords, in 2014.
- Global Leadership Excellence Award, Global Leadership Congress, in 2016.
Net worth
Sisa Ngebulana has a net worth estimated to be around R400 million. He drives one of the best cars and lives in one of the best houses.
