Entrepreneurs, prepare yourselves: Dragons’ Den SA judges revealed

Looking super serious and full of criticism, Dragons’ Den South Africa has revealed its five judges. Local entrepreneurs will have to pitch their business ideas to Polo Leteka Radebe, Lebo Gunguluza, Vusi Thembekwayo, Gil Oved and Vinny Lingham.

Popularised by the British namesake, and sponsored by Telkom Business the Dragons’ Den TV show will start 23 September where participants will have the chance of getting funding or mentorship.

Radebe is CEO of business advisory group Identity Partners and Director of South African Venture Capital Association. “We talk big about SMEs but we have done nothing to address their funding issues in South Africa,” she says.

As reported by Destiny Connect, Gunguluza is in charge of Gunguluza Enterprises & Media which holds 12 print publications, stakes in numerous hotels and a car-hire business. “I had grown up so deprived that I was determined to make a lot of money and never experience poverty again,” says Gunguluza.

Often referred to as the Rockstar of Public Speaking, Thembekwayo is dubbed the youngest director on a JSE listed company. He is also the CEO of Watermark Pan-African Capital.

Lingham is no stranger to Ventureburn. The serial entrepreneur started incuBeta and the popular Clicks2Customers which is one of SA’s leading Search Marketing companies. With investments from the likes of Google Ventures, Lingham started gift card service Gyft in 2012 which recently sold for more than US$50-million.

Oved, together with Ran Neu-Ner, is responsible for one of South Africa’s biggest advertising groups, The Creative Counsel. Ever since, he’s been starting a variety of companies across the country.