Mthobisi Thobela on how SMT Group Pty is Contributing to South Africa’s Mining Sector

Mthobisi Thobela is a South African Attorney and entrepreneur who was inspired to go into the mining business after observing two of his role models – billionaire businessman Patrice Motsepe and South Africa’s current President Cyril Ramaphosa. In this exclusive interview with Business Elites Africa, he tells us about his mining company SMT Group Pty Ltd, how he self-funded the company, and about the opportunities the company is currently prospecting, both within and outside of South Africa. Enjoy the read.

BEA: Nice to finally talk to you Mr Thobela! May we meet you, Sir? 

MT: My name is Mthobisi Thobela and I am South African. I’m an Attorney by professional training. I also recently ventured into the mining sector through the establishment of SMT Group Pty Ltd in 2015. At SMT Group, we specialize in underground mining in different parts of the country. We employ over five hundred people, thereby helping in our own little way to reduce the rate of unemployment in South Africa. We are also working towards doing business outside the country very soon.

BEA: For the benefit of some of our readers who may not have heard of SMT Group, could you tell us more about what you do?

MT: Like I mentioned earlier, SMT Group offers underground and open cast mining services. We do white area mining, trackless mining, and wire mesh & lacing/long anchors. We also offer mining support services, including sweeping and vamping in the mines, haulage maintenance, etc. So, basically, we mine different solid minerals such as platinum, gold, and any other mines that we are contracted to mine.

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BEA: How did your entrepreneurship journey begin?

MT: Initially, it was just a big dream. While I was at the University of Limpopo studying for my LLB Law degree, I always had the dream that one day I will venture into mining and make a huge difference there.  I was also greatly inspired by people like Patrice Motsepe and Cyril Ramaphosa, two successful South Africans who have excelled in the mining sector. Knowing that these individuals also studied law at the university made me believe that I too can go into the mining sector and excel. So, that is how I ventured into entrepreneurship. I started small and five years down the line, we are growing fast. But there is still a lot we need to accomplish.

BEA: South Africa is full of very big players in the mining sector such as Glencore and Anglo American. How do you compete with these big names?

MT: Indeed, the South African mining sector is a very big one, with lots of companies offering the same services that we do. But as a company, we always strive to differentiate ourselves and stand out from the crowd. And it has a lot to do with how we market our brand and how much we advertise. As a business that wants to succeed, getting your name out there is very important. I always tell people that a businessman who does not advertise his products/services is like a man who stops his watch to save time. 

 Also, I realized that nobody ever successfully achieves anything reasonable in the society without having a certain degree of madness. So, that is why we like to take big business risks every now and then. So yes…we spend big on marketing and make bold business decisions. Most importantly, we do our work well and we make sure we mine safely. The customers just want their job done well. And once you can do that, it won’t be long before your name will be on everybody’s lips and you will be getting referrals. That way, you will get more business opportunities and generate more revenue. 

BEA: Tell us how the COVID-19 pandemic affected your business last year and how you navigated the challenges.

MT: The pandemic affected almost everyone in business. We were part of the people who were affected. South Africa was placed on lockdown sometime in March last year. As a result, we had to all leave the mines and go home.  I was deeply worried about my staff and their welfare. That is why we decided that regardless of the pandemic and lockdown, we must do everything possible to ensure that the staff continued to receive their salaries. After all, our people still have to feed their families. At the end of the day, it was not their fault that the pandemic happened. 

Thankfully, as time went by, the lockdown was relaxed and the mines partially reopened for 50% operation. What this meant is that only 50% of our workforce were permitted to return to the mines, while the remaining 50% remained at home and continued to receive salaries, by the way. This is how we kept managing until the restrictions were finally lifted and all of our staff returned to work.

BEA: During the lockdown, did the government offer you any economic palliative to help you cope?

MT: Yes, there were certain funds that were allocated to companies. The funds weren’t just enough for most companies, although it’s still better than nothing at all.

BEA: With the pandemic still lurking around, what are your projections and expectations for 2021?

MT: It’s very difficult to really make any meaningful projections this year with the pandemic still posing a serious threat. So, to be quite honest with you, we really don’t know what may happen tomorrow. These are uncertain times. But that notwithstanding, we will continue to practice safety measures like we currently do at the mines. We conduct thorough COVID tests to ensure that anyone going underground does not go there and infect others. And we will continue to do that. We are also constantly disinfecting our offices, making sure that we don’t hold meetings in large numbers, and basically doing everything possible to minimize the chances of infections. 

EDITOR’S NOTE: Read the rest of the interview on page 46 of our latest magazine edition: 25 Entrepreneurs and Brands to Watch in 2021.