The Guma executive committee consists of a team of highly skilled individuals who boast a plethora of knowledge and expertise in the diverse disciplines of entrepreneurship, management, finance, corporate accounting, commerce, legal, marketing and sales. The Guma team is committed to sound corporate citizenship, an unassailable societal conscience and unimpeachable corporate governance.

Robert Matana "Mr. G" Gumede
(Executive Chairman)

Robert Gumede hails from the picturesque town of Nelspruit, Mpumalanga Province, South Africa. One of seven children born to a single mother, Robert’s humble beginnings allowed his natural entrepreneurial skills to thrive. Robert began working at the tender age of seven as a golf caddie, gardener and later as a petrol attendant after school and on weekends, to supplement his mother’s meagre income as a domestic worker allowing his siblings to eat regularly and attend school.

Robert’s beloved late grandmother, Memede and adored mother, Keni, installed a solid work ethic in the young man that has remained and flourished in the wiser adult that he has become.

Robert proved his ability to turn things around when he undertook to manage a football team in which he had invested. Within a short space of time, the Dangerous Darkies had won the league in four different divisions and were competing in the Professional Soccer League (PSL). The team produced a number of star players who went on to represent South Africa in the World Cup. David Nyathi is one such player who has played for the FIFA World team on two occasions alongside legends such as Romario, Ronaldo, Zidane, Beckham etc.

In 1992, Robert moved to Johannesburg where he assumed several key positions: Business Development Director for Africa at Sukhulu Holdings (Proprietary) Limited (1992-1994), Business Development Executive at LTA Limited and Director of LTA Building (Proprietary) Limited and LTA Housing (Proprietary) Limited (1994-1996), before realising a dream with the establishment of Gijima. Robert used the opportunity of working with several multinational companies to learn about the corporate world to prepare for the launch of his own empire.

In addition to being the Executive Chairman of Guma, Robert is the Chairman of JSE-listed Gijima in which Guma Group owns 36.6% shares and manages the company. Guma engineered the turnaround of the ailing AST Group by injecting unencumbered businesses, a strong balance sheet, cash and a choice client base. Within two years, the company divested itself of long term debt and began to operate profitably.

The business industry and its leadership acknowledged Robert’s remarkable ability as a strategist, salesman and entrepreneur by nominating and voting him as the South African Chapter runner-up candidate for the World Entrepreneur of the Year 2005.

Robert is a devoted father to his three sons and one precious daughter and is a dedicated and loving husband.

Carlos Ferreira
(Chief Financial Officer)

Carlos holds a B Comm. (Hons) degree and an MBA from Manchester Business School and has worked in the corporate and merchant banking arena for 12 years for institutions including ABSA, Standard Bank Group Limited and TA Bank Limited. He is experienced in not only traditional financial accounting, but also in corporate banking, corporate finance and private equity. Carlos is also a director and shareholder of Sheshisa who holds equity in the Guma Group.

Carlos was appointed at Guma to head up group finance and to assist in corporate finance activities, including the assessment of potential merger and acquisition opportunities. He was appointed the financial director of Gijima in 2005 and was instrumental in the financial turnaround of the company.

Carlos is also responsible for the merger, acquisitions and finances of the Guma Group.

Carlos has played a major role in the development and growth of Guma bringing prudence and financial discipline.

Dudu Mahlalela
(Director)

Dudu acquired her National Diploma in Human Resources Management from the Technikon of Northern Gauteng and further enrolled for a B.Tech degree. She holds a number of certificates in marketing, project management and sales.

Dudu worked in the tourism industry and later joined Comparex Afrika (now BCX) as a Senior Consultant.

Dudu is also a director of a number of companies and sits on the Board of various organisations, including Sechaba Valuations and Spectrum. Dudu has the soul of an entrepreneur and owns a successful corporate catering business and an events management and corporate clothing business.

Kalaa Mpinga
(Non Executive Director)

Kalaa, who is a Democratic Republic of Congo national, holds the following qualifications: BSc(Agricultural Economics) McGill University, Canada; MSc (International Agricultural Development), The university of California at Davis (UCD).

Kalaa worked for Bechtel Corporation in San Francisco. He then joined LTA Limited, owned by the Anglo American Corporation in 1991. Kalaa was accredited with achieving the expansion of LTA outside South Africa into the rest of Africa. He joined the New Mining Division of Anglo American Corporation of South Africa in 1997 as an executive director.

In 2001, Kalaa started Mwana African Holding, a consortium of African investors from Kenya, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Angola and South Africa. He also serves on the board of Group Five Limited, one of the largest construction companies listed on the JSE Securities Exchange, and its audit, corporate and social investment committees.

Over the past 20 years, Kalaa built a considerable network in Africa in the areas of Finance, Mining, Engineering and Construction.

Kalaa owns and manages the London Stock Exchange listed mining company, Mwana Africa.

Deon Van Der Walt
(Corporate Finance Executive and In-House Legal Counsel)

Deon holds the following qualifications: BCOM, LLB, LLM (RAU), MCOM (Univ. of Johannesburg) and was admitted as an attorney in 1996. Since then, he has specialised in corporate and commercial work. He joined Lindsay Keller & Partners during 1997 where he honed his skills providing professional services to German multinational companies.

During 1999, he joined Afrox Limited as a legal advisor. Since 2001, Deon has been intrinsically involved with the Guma Group. With his qualifications in the supporting and complimentary legal and financial disciplines, Deon has been appointed as an executive in the Corporate Finance Division of the Guma Group.

Here he is instrumental to the Guma team in pursuance of the Guma Group's business strategy and corporate goal to create synergies and a competitive advantage.

Thembi Kunene
(Non Executive Director)

Thembi holds the following qualifications: BA Communications – Fort Hare University, as well as a Management Development Program (University of Pretoria), Finance for non-Financial Management Certificate (Wits) and ‘Building High Performance Boards” (IMD, Geneva).

Thembi started her career in the tourism industry in 1997 with Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) where she managed an airport and has since built a strong profile within corporate South Africa. Thembi later joined the Bidvest Group as the Commercial Director of Bidfreight.

Thembi is currently CEO of the Tourism Grading Council of South Africa.

Thembi is also owner and Non-Executive Director of her company Siyazi Investment Holdings. She also sits on the boards of Tourvest and that of Cape Town Routes Unlimited, the Western Cape Tourism Authority. Thembi is the management trustee of the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund and a Non-Executive Director on the board of the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC).

Andrew Mthembu
(Non Executive Director)

Andrew holds the following qualifications: BSc (Chemistry – Univ. of Botswana, Biology – Univ. of Swaziland, Civil Engineering – University of Calgary, Canada), MSc (Construction Management - Univ. of Reading, UK) as well as an Advanced Management Programme (Wharton) – Philadelphia, USA and Executive Management Programme – Univ. of Chicago Graduate School of Business, USA.

Andrew over the years has specialised in the ICT telecommunications field and has worked in various roles for Vodacom, South Africa as a Managing Director of Vodacom International and Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Vodacom Group. Andrew also acted as a Special ICT Advisor to the South African Minister of Public Enterprises and has been currently appointed by the Minister of Public Enterprises as Non-Executive Chairman of Infraco Broadband (Pty) Ltd, whose sole purpose is to sell broadband capacity to the greater South African economy on behalf of the Department of Public Enterprises.

Andrew, since 2005, plays a key strategic role as a non-executive director in Guma’s ICT flagship, Gijima. Andrew is the owner and Executive Chairman of Imphandze Investment Holdings (Pty) Ltd and holds board positions in various companies.