Sweet changes ahead for Ilembe Chamber

Xolani Gumede has been elected the new president of the Ilembe Chamber of Commerce, Industry & Tourism at a board meeting that took place last week.

Xolani takes over the reins from Dominic Collett, who will continue his involvement with the organised private sector, among others as a board member of the Ilembe Chamber, as chairperson of the KZN Business Chambers Council (KBCC) and as the business representative on the KZN Economic Council.

Xolani has been a member of the Chamber’s board and vice president of the Chamber for the past two years.

Phil de Sylva has been elected as vice president while Brigitte Vorster is the new treasurer.

Xolani is the founder and CEO of Cappeny Estates, South Africa’s largest 100% black-owned commercial strawberry farm. Over the past 18 years, Xolani has managed various businesses in the retail, construction and the agricultural sectors.

He is chairman of Gumede Development Group, a project management and property development company with offices in South Africa and Mozambique. Xolani holds a masters degree in project management from the University of Southern Queensland, Australia.

He studied international business and management at CDG in Germany (1995-97) and has previously been employed by Siemens in Munich (Germany), Grinaker Projects & Properties (South Africa) and Nokia Networks (Finland).

Xolani is married to Yoliswa and the couple have two teenage children. Yoliswa was a judge in the Ilembe edition of The Entrepreneur Competition.

Phil holds the position of senior vice president operations (African & Indian Ocean) for IFA Hotels & Resorts. He was educated at Durban High School and has tertiary qualifications in Engineering Surveying, Property Valuations and Real Estate.

Phil is a registered fellow and a past president of the South African Institute of Valuers. He is a founder board member of the Ilembe Chamber of Commerce, Industry & Tourism.

After a stint with Marriott Properties, Phil acquired PDS Property Consultants CC, and build the business up into the largest privately owned property valuation company, specialising in mass appraisal in KZN.

In his role with IFA, Phil has overseen IFA’s world class investments into our region, including Zimbali Coastal Resort, Zimbali Vacation Club, Fairmont Zimbali Hotel & Resort, Fairmont Heritage Place, Zimbali Suites and the Zimbali Office Estate.

Phil’s roots are firmly imbedded in the region, having grown up on Hopewell Farm, bordering Driefontein, and his family’s cottage in Sheffield Beach. He is married to Elaine and they have a teenage son. Phil is a keen golfer and passionate about promoting golf tourism into the region.

Brigitte Vorster, a newly elected member of the iLembe Chamber board, holds the position of senior manager (Accounting and Financial Advisory) with Deloitte & Touche, KZN.

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