Raymond Ackerman
After investing extensively in the growth
of the Checkers brand, at the age of 35,
Raymond Ackerman was unfairly dismissed
for being a ‘lazy worker’. Using his severance
pay and a bank loan, he bought and started
the retail chain we now know as Pick n
Pay. Under his leadership, and exceptional
business prowess, Pick n Pay has grown from
only four stores in Cape Town to one of the
largest retail chains in Africa. With more than
124 supermarkets, 14 hypermarkets and 179
franchised outlets, it boasts an extensive
turnover of R37-billion. Since its humble
beginnings, Pick n Pay has become one of
the most recognised brands in SA today.
And even with the long journey of ups and
downs, Ackerman remained steadfast – only
stepping down from his directorship in 2010.
This is when the “lazy worker” was voted
79th in the Top 100 Great South Africans.
Bheki Kunene
In the early years of his life, Bheki Kunene
was barred from school education and
spent years in and out of juvenile detention
centres. However, he gathered his life
together, finished his matric and furthered
his studies with a degree in Graphic Design.
After realising the scarcity of Jobs in his
area, he founded Mindtrix Media. A web
development company which specialises
in the development of Apps. Kunene had a
rough start to his entrepreneurial journey,
days after signing with his first client he was
wrongfully accused of murder. This did not
deter him from dreaming and finding the
courage to act. After being cleared of all
charges, Mindtrix started the journey that
many respect today. He has since received
many accolades which include an Acacia
Global Award, catching the attention of
Forbes Africa who profiled him in 2014.
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IMBO/ ISSUE 32/ '14