What do Walter Sisulu, Paul Xiniwe, Bertha Mkhize and John Tengo Jabavu have in common? They were all Black South African business people, and only a few of the names of the elite who were able to build successful enterprises against all odds in industries such as agriculture, media, financial services, retail, real estate, transport, hoteliering and more during the colonial and apartheid eras.

In many cases, they were also political activists as necessitated by the oppressive conditions of the time in order to fight for equal rights to enterprise and markets. Here their stories as entrepreneurs as well as political actors are profiled, showing the inexplicable relationship between the two.

The history of Black South African enterprise pre- and post-colonially in areas like mining is also explored, showing that this was nothing alien or unexpected and instead, that oppression curtailed the majority of enterprise that was possible and blocked out competition through dispossession.

Black Economic Empowerment has not had a positive image in the media. This is partly thanks to a few individuals who became mega-rich overnight, while the majority of black people, who were supposed to benefit, remained poor. One company that did things differently is Brimstone, founded in 1995 by an accountant and an insurance salesman who did not want to leave their community behind. This is an inspiring story of small beginnings, resilience and a social conscience in business.