Africas Billionaires

A masterclass in becoming a wealth-generating entrepreneur! Do you have what it takes to become a billionaire? Written by the founder of Forbes Africa, this is a masterclass on how the brightest and most successful entrepreneurs across Africa made their fortunes, as well as a timely look at how the work of entrepreneurs can influence lives in Africa and create the jobs that empty state coffers can no longer afford. Chris Bishop gets up close and personal with the biggest names in business on the continent: Aliko Dangote, Patrice Motsepe, Nicky Oppenheimer, Christo Wiese, Wendy Appelbaum and Stephen Saad, among others. These are the stories of how they not only survived, but thrived, in the fast and furious world of African business: Narendra Raval, the penniless priest who became a steel baron; Tim Tebeila, the barefoot apple-seller who turned into a mining millionaire; Herman Mashaba, the ‘knocksman’ who went from running dice games and dealing drugs to running a city; Pascal Dozie, the economics student who studied with Mick Jagger ... This is a rich tapestry of stories about the super-wealthy and the qualities that make them so spectacularly successful, in arguably the most challenging economic arena in the world.

About 50km outside of Cape Town lies the beautiful town of Stellenbosch, nestled against vineyards and blue mountains that stretch to the sky. Here reside some of South Africa's wealthiest individuals: all male, all Afrikaans – and all stinking rich. Johann Rupert, Jannie Mouton, Markus Jooste and Christo Weise, to name a few. Julius Malema refers to them scathingly as 'The Stellenbosch Mafia', the very worst example of white monopoly capital. But who really are these mega-wealthy individuals, and what influence do they exert not only on Stellenbosch but more broadly on South African society? Author Pieter du Toit begins by exploring the roots of Stellenbosch, one of the wealthiest towns in South Africa and arguably the cradle of Afrikanerdom. This is the birthplace of apartheid leaders, intellectuals, newspaper empires and more. He then closely examines this 'club' of billionaires. Who are they and, crucially, how are they connected? What network of boardroom membership, alliances and family connections exist? Who are the 'old guard' and who are the 'inkommers', and what about the youngsters desperate to make their mark? He looks at the collapse of Steinhoff: what went wrong, and whether there are other companies at risk of a similar fate. He examines the control these men have over cultural life, including pulling the strings in South Africa rugby.

Red-hot chemistry is sparking with the boss in this sizzling South African romance by Harlequin Presents author Joss Wood. “If I kiss you, there’s no going back…” Hosting South Africa’s wedding of the year at his exclusive safari lodge is Radd Tempest-Vane’s ticket to restoring his family’s empire. As long as he finds a new florist, fast! Brinley Riddell is the perfect candidate. She’s also an immediate distraction. For Brin, this lucrative job is her chance to be free of the family who never thought her good enough. Radd may be proud and strictly off-limits, but he’s the sexiest man she’s ever met! Surely one impossibly steamy encounter won’t upend their simple business deal… From Harlequin Presents: Escape to exotic locations where passion knows no bounds. Read all of the South Africa’s Scandalous Billionaires books: Book 1: How to Undo the Proud Billionaire Book 2: How to Win the Wild Billionaire Book 3: How to Tempt the Off-Limits Billionaire

DJ Sbu is not your ordinary entrepreneur. He was born to be great and refuses to settle for less. Have you ever wondered what goes on in the mind of a successful entrepreneur? How they come up with their ground-breaking ideas, how they turn them into flourishing businesses, how they deal with failure, and what drives and motivates them? Billionaires Under Construction answers these questions, and more, as it charts the rise and rise of Sbusiso Leope, one Africa's most dynamic entrepreneurs. From his childhood in Tembisa to the global stage as a world-class musician and DJ, from music mogul and co-owner of TS Records – the label behind some of South Africa's brightest young stars – and, more recently, as the force behind the country's first black-owned energy drink, Sbu's story is one of courage, resilience, inspiration and a refusal to let failure stop him. In his own words, you just can't stop his go. Billionaires Under Construction is a blueprint of Sbu's success; an honest and direct account of the setbacks he's encountered, including his high profile dismissal from two of South Africa's most prominent radio stations and his equally notorious run-in with Forbes magazine. The way in which Sbu handles adversity reveals the triumph of his entrepreneurial spirit and the tenacity of a man who does, indeed, consider himself a billionaire under construction – and he won't stop until his goal has become a reality. So, if you have aspirations to join the Billionaire Generation, there is no better starting point than reading this book.

A comprehensive work based on personal interviews and insider knowledge - bound to become a classic.

South Africa is in the eye of a slow-building economic storm: junk status, political upheaval, civil unrest, spiralling unemployment, state capture and the fallout from Covid-19. There is no better time to assess the impact of one of the biggest economic experiments in Africa that began a quarter of a century ago: black economic empowerment, or BEE, the legislation-backed effort to transfer wealth to black people and to facilitate their broader participation in the economy to redress the inequalities created by apartheid. In The BEE Billionaires, Chris Bishop gets up close and personal with some of the biggest names in BEE: Sandile Zungu, Gaby Magomola, Sipho Nkosi, Richard Maponya, the Kunene Brothers, Gibson ‘Mr Gautrain’ Thula, Fred Robertson, Ipeleng Mkhari, Tshepo Mahloele, Tim Tebeila, Linda Mabhena-Olagunju and even President Cyril Ramaphosa. These are the people who made it, who carry the flag for black empowerment. By examining their struggles and the impact of BEE on their successes, Bishop seeks to uncover the ways in which BEE as an upliftment scheme has both succeeded and failed. Because, while BEE has made billionaires of some, it has ruined others and remains one of the most controversial policies born in those first heady days of democracy. There is also a debate over how long the BEE codes should remain. By examining those individuals who have been either shunned or burnt by BEE, as well as various deal facilitators and other key insiders – including the president of South Africa – Bishop hopes to answer one very complex question: Has BEE achieved what it was set up to do, or, in the long term, will it prove more of a hindrance than a help?

Their deal becomes more than either bargained for in this sexy forced-proximity romance by Joss Wood! Irresistible. Addictive. Out of bounds… Roisin O’Keefe has just discovered she’s an heiress. But along with the South African vineyard she’s inherited is the devastating knowledge of her birth parents’ rejection. Ro’s solution? Inviting superrich Muzi Miya-Matthews to acquire her tainted legacy. Her new problem? Their red-hot attraction! Muzi needs to keep his eyes on the business deal, not his best friend’s sister. Especially when her pain over her adoption hits far too close for comfort. He’s determined to keep his distance, yet their forbidden temptation leads to even more forbidden nights… From Harlequin Presents: Escape to exotic locations where passion knows no bounds. Read all the South Africa's Scandalous Billionaires books: Book 1: How to Undo the Proud Billionaire Book 2: How to Win the Wild Billionaire Book 3: How to Tempt the Off-Limits Billionaire

A look into the covert influence billionaires wield in American politics and the actions citizens can take to hold them more accountable. In 2016, when millions of Americans voted for Donald Trump, many believed his claims that personal wealth would free him from wealthy donors and allow him to “drain the swamp.” But then Trump appointed several billionaires and multimillionaires to high-level positions and pursued billionaire-friendly policies, such as cutting corporate income taxes. Why the change from his fiery campaign rhetoric and promises to the working class? This should not be surprising, argue Benjamin I. Page, Jason Seawright, and Matthew J. Lacombe: As the gap between the wealthiest and the rest of us has widened, the few who hold one billion dollars or more in net worth have begun to play a more and more active part in politics—with serious consequences for democracy in the United States. Page, Seawright, and Lacombe argue that while political contributions offer a window onto billionaires’ influence, especially on economic policy, they do not present a full picture of policy preferences and political actions. That is because on some of the most important issues, including taxation, immigration, and Social Security, billionaires have chosen to engage in “stealth politics.” They try hard to influence public policy, making large contributions to political parties and policy-focused causes, leading policy-advocacy organizations, holding political fundraisers, and bundling others’ contributions—all while rarely talking about public policy to the media. This means that their influence is not only unequal but also largely unaccountable to and unchallengeable by the American people. Stealth politics makes it difficult for ordinary citizens to know what billionaires are doing or mobilize against it. The book closes with remedies citizens can pursue if they wish to make wealthy Americans more politically accountable, such as public financing of political campaigns and easier voting procedures, and notes the broader types of reforms, such as a more progressive income tax system, that would be needed to increase political equality and reinvigorate majoritarian democracy in the United States. Praise for Billionaires and Stealth Politics “Incredibly important. The authors provide—for the first time—a clear sense of the politics and political activity of the top one hundred billionaires in America, matching what billionaires have said with what they’ve done and showing the troubling transparency gap that is critical to the evolution of policy. Billionaires and Stealth Politics is a key addition to understanding our current political reality, focused on it most significant lever.” —Lawrence Lessig, author of America, Compromised “The wealth held by American billionaires exceeds the Gross Domestic Product of dozens of countries. They exercise tremendous influence over society, the economy, and politics. Yet their impact is not well-understood. Page, Seawright, and Lacombe have given us a compelling and original piece of work on an important topic.” —Darrell M. West, Brookings Institution

MOSHOOD ADEMOLA FAYEMIWO was a newspaper publisher/editor in Nigeria where he grew up but now lives in Chicago. An alumnus of University of Lagos, Nigeria, University of South Florida, and State University of New York, he is author of Who's Who of Africans in America and four published books. His next book is; Jonathan; The Squandering of Good Luck. MARGIE MARIE NEAL is former university professor, education consultant, and reading coach in Chicago. An alumna of State University of New York, Chicago State University, American College of Education, and University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She is co-author, People Power in Africa: A Week That Changed Nigeria Forever, and author of; The Roles of Professional Organizations in the Effective Teaching of Reading in Chicago Public School-CPS: The IRA and IRC as Case Studies, (forthcoming). Praise For ALIKO MOHAMMAD ADNGOTE THE BIOGRAPHY OF THE RICHEST BLACK PERSON IN THE WORLD A highly recommended book to anyone who enjoys learning about how different people of all walks of life become rich and successful, and what it takes to get to the top---Readers Favorite Book (Starred Review), USA.A compelling book about a unique personality in Africa---Goodreads, USA. Flawlessly written, Dangote stands out as a hallmark of excellent artisanship and knowledgeable chronicling--- Bookplex Review of Books, Mumbai, India. Nigerian Aliko Dangote, the richest black person in the world, is a witness to the fact that success as a passionate entrepreneur is not limited by race, ethnicity or national origin---Congressman Jesse L. Jackson, Jr.-(D - IL), 2nd Congressional District, U.S. House of Representatives, Washington, DC, USA. In a land lacking a culture of independent biography, this is a starting point, and Dangote is a promising introduction to the fascinating and still largely unmapped universe of one of the world's richest men.---The Huffington Post, USA. Dangote has trumped long held assumptions, cultural archetypes and stereotypes, to become known as a respected business man, power broker and philanthropist---Hon Gloria Hyatt, Member of the British Empire (MBE), motivational speaker, education, coach and managing director, Teach Consultancy Limited, UK. This is a timely book on Aliko Dangote and the positive changes that are taking place in Africa, ---Prof.Vijay Mahajan, The John Harbin Centennial Chair of Business, McCombs School of Business, University of Texas, Austin USA. Publisher's website: http: //sbpra.com/MoshoodAdemolaFayemiwoandMargieMarieNea

NATIONAL BESTSELLER “The Social Network, the much anticipated movie…adapted from Ben Mezrich’s book The Accidental Billionaires.” —The New York Times Best friends Eduardo Saverin and Mark Zuckerberg had spent many lonely nights looking for a way to stand out among Harvard University’s elite, competitive, and accomplished student body. Then, in 2003, Zuckerberg hacked into Harvard’s computers, crashed the campus network, almost got himself expelled, and was inspired to create Facebook, the social networking site that has since revolutionized communication around the world. With Saverin’s funding their tiny start-up went from dorm room to Silicon Valley. But conflicting ideas about Facebook’s future transformed the friends into enemies. Soon, the undergraduate exuberance that marked their collaboration turned into out-and-out warfare as it fell prey to the adult world of venture capitalists, big money, and lawyers.