- A viral list placing Vusi Thembekwayo among South Africa's wealthiest individuals has been circulating widely online
- The venture capitalist has publicly addressed the staggering figures attached to his name, and his reaction is not what you might expect
- Financial analysts have weighed in with their own estimates of his net worth, and the gap is significant
Source: Getty Images
A widely shared internet list ranking South Africa's wealthiest individuals has placed venture capitalist and motivational speaker Vusi Thembekwayo at number 13, citing a net worth of approximately R8 billion, equivalent to somewhere between $430 million and $600 million. The list has gone viral, sparking considerable conversation about where exactly Thembekwayo stands among the country's business elite.
What makes the story particularly interesting, however, is Thembekwayo's own response to seeing his name on it. Rather than celebrating the recognition, the CEO of My Growth Fund VC has spoken openly about the figures in public addresses and social media video updates, calling them flatly incorrect. He acknowledged, with some humour, that he would very much like the numbers to be true, but confirmed they are not. More seriously, he revealed that the viral coverage of the R11 billion and $600 million figures triggered a full audit from the South African Revenue Service (SARS), which is hardly the kind of attention anyone wants.
Thembekwayo’s estimated wealth falls short of viral claims
Local financial analysts put his actual personal wealth at somewhere between R530 million and R550 million, which translates to roughly $30 million to $36 million. That is still a remarkable achievement, placing him among a very small group of successful South Africans, but it is a considerable distance from the billions the viral list suggests.
For context, the names sitting above Thembekwayo on that same list represent some genuinely staggering fortunes. Johann Rupert leads the pack at an estimated $19 billion through his involvement with Richemont and the luxury goods sector. Ivan Glasenberg follows at $13.7 billion, with Nicky Oppenheimer close behind at $10.6 billion. Further down, household names like Patrice Motsepe ($3.5 billion) and Christoffel Wiese ($1.8 billion) appear, before the list reaches the $600 million to $800 million range where Thembekwayo is placed.
Below his ranking, the list also includes President Cyril Ramaphosa at number 14 with an estimated $500 million, and tech entrepreneur Mark Shuttleworth at the same figure in 15th position.
Thembekwayo's story is a reminder that viral content, particularly anything involving celebrity wealth, does not always reflect verified or accurate information, and that for the person named, the consequences can be very real indeed.
Vusi Thembekway shared his life journey
Vusi Thembekwayo opened up about one of the most painful chapters of his life during a recent stage appearance.
The motivational speaker revealed his father was brutally murdered when he was just 13 years old, and the case docket vanished twice.
Source: Briefly News
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