Doctor scores multibillion gas deal

Dr Anna Mokgokong. Picture Credit: Robert Tshabalala
Dr Anna Mokgokong. Picture Credit: Robert Tshabalala

Veteran entrepreneur and prolific dealmaker Dr Anna Mokgokong believes that a R14-billion gas project she is working on will propel her to greater heights.

Companies associated with the executive chairwoman of Community Investment Holding (CIH) employ more than 40000 people.

"For six years I've been working on this gas project and now I have to deliver on the project which has multiple stakeholders such as municipalities and communities.

"It's a black industrialist project of building infrastructure for gas as an alternative energy source," she says.

Mokgokong says gas will be sourced from African countries such as Botswana, Nigeria and Angola to supply the eastern part of South Africa.

Mokgokong's consortium, which includes British, Swiss and Korean investors, will see gas infrastructure being erected at the Port of Ngqura in Eastern Cape and create 8000 direct jobs.

"I want to move up to the mainstream of the industrial economy," she said.

The first black woman to sit on the board of Shoprite Group, Mokgokong also chairs Malesela Investment Holdings, and is a director at Jasco Electronics.

Her company CIH also has an interest in retail, energy, mining, electronic products, manufacturing, financial services, logistics and property development.

Mokgokong is concerned that private companies are slow to transform.

"We have a policy that empowers women but there are issues that retard transformation.

"Only 3% of JSE companies are lead by women, but compared to government, the numbers are looking good.

"Shareholders are not so keen to empower women, so women should be activists in the boardrooms to make it," she said.

Born in Soweto 59 years ago, the mother of two says she has adopted such a large number of children to a point that she has lost count of them.

"I pay for their education and general upkeep," she said.

The qualified medical doctor has also launched a bursary at her alumni Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, previously known as Medunsa.

"There are some other corporate social investment projects which my companies plan to support," she says.

She obtained her Bachelor of Science degree at the University of Botswana and did her medical degree at Medunsa.

Mokgokong is also a medical officer at the Hebron Medical Centre, a nonexecutive chairwoman of Tshwane International Convention Centre and a board member of Air Liquide Healthcare.

Her other roles include being Phambili Health Care's managing director, Malesela Hospital Group chief executive and executive director of MadMed Healthcare.

She also sits on the board of the Adcorp Group.

sibanyonim@sowetan.co.za

Would you like to comment on this article?
Register (it's quick and free) or sign in now.

Speech Bubbles

Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.