Before Herman Mashaba became one of South Africa’s best-known public figures, he was an entrepreneur taking significant risks in an economy shaped by apartheid.
In 1984, Mashaba approached chemist Johan Kriel with an ambitious business proposition: to build a company together. At a time when racial separation shaped virtually every aspect of South African life, the partnership became the foundation of what would grow into Black Like Me, one of the country’s best-known hair and cosmetics brands.
Mashaba started the venture with a R30,000 loan from a friend at 31% interest, which he repaid within seven months. The business would go on to become a defining chapter in his entrepreneurial journey.
His route to entrepreneurship was far from conventional. Mashaba lost his father when he was two years old and was raised by his mother, who worked as a domestic worker. His university studies were interrupted during the struggle against apartheid, after which he turned his attention to business.
“I was born and brought up in an area where we had no role models. I lost my dad at age two,” Mashaba has said of those early years.
Before building Black Like Me, Mashaba explored a number of sales opportunities, including selling crockery, linen and insurance from the boot of his car.
His entrepreneurial career subsequently expanded beyond cosmetics into construction, real estate, retail, energy and financial services. His business achievements were later recognised with an Honorary Doctorate in Business Administration from the Central University of Technology in 2013. His story is also documented in his autobiography, Black Like You, co-written with Isabella Morris.
On 21 September, Mashaba extended that story into a new format, launching a podcast, also titled Black Like You, on his personal YouTube channel. Episodes are broadcast across 13 community radio stations, giving Mashaba a fresh platform to unpack the lessons behind his business journey with a wider audience.
More than four decades after the launch of Black Like Me, Mashaba’s entrepreneurial journey offers a distinctive perspective on building a South African business during apartheid, navigating limited opportunities and capital, and creating an enduring brand.
