A new era for State-Owned Enterprises

IN A LANDSCAPE riddled with governance failures, Reimagined SOEs in Africa and Beyond emerges not from frustration, but from a profound sense of hope.

- MASHUDU SADIKE

Author Dr Nimrod Mbele, whose journey from the township of Thokoza profoundly shapes his perspective, presents a powerful diagnostic and blueprint for transforming State Owned Enterprises (SOEs) across Africa.

His inspiration is deeply rooted in a decade of firsthand observation — engaging with boardrooms, public institutions, and media, all while witnessing the persistent governance failures plaguing SOEs.

Yet, this experience didn't lead to despair. Instead, it ignited a conviction that reform is possible if governance is reframed "not as compliance, but as a leadership system rooted in public value."

“South Africa must shift from leader-centric to leadership-centric systems — where performance is not dependent on individual personalities but institutionalised within strong, accountable structures.