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Celebrating Tsebo.

Thank you for half a century of uplifting society, as well as serving and developing people.

Celebrating Tsebo.

Imagine what we can achieve together in the next 50 years.
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50 years of Tsebo’s history

Fifty years ago, Tsebo started as a contract catering business. Since then, we have grown into an award-winning, multinational, integrated workplace management solutions provider, adding facilities management, protection, cleaning, hygiene, pest control, energy management and so much more to our suite of solutions.

For over half a century, we have been reimagining the world of work and building a legacy for the businesses and employees of the future. In this time, we have changed lives through tailoring our services to support our clients’ needs, our commitment to innovation, developing our people and sharing our knowledge with the communities in which we work across Africa – ultimately creating a brighter future for all.

Beneath our strategic efforts lies a robust dedication to sustainable development, transformation and equal opportunity employment. This foundation, which dates back to the 1980s, together with our company values, informs our ultimate destination as an organisation and has seen Tsebo Solutions Group surface as an African progressive corporate entity.

This is our story of building a legacy and inspiring the future. This is our story of pursuing our purpose to DEVELOP people, to SERVE people to UPLIFT society.

1971

  • Fedics is founded by Federale ICS and Trust Houses (UK) and becomes the first large-scale outsourced caterer in South Africa, creating an entirely new market segment.

1979

  • Trust Houses sells its shares to other shareholders.

1983

  • We implement our first affirmative action programme – indicative of its commitment to progressive management and transformation.
  • Sponsors the SA Chef’s Association to develop black chefs.

1987

  • Venture into airline catering after winning SAA’s in-flight catering tender and launching Air Chefs

1990

  • Purchase of 40% equity in Protea hospitality group.

1994

  • Awarded Sancorp’s Investor in People Award.
  • The Institute for Hospitality Studies (HIS), our in-house training institute, is established.

1995

  • Receives the Black Management Forum’s Most Progressive Company of the Year Award.

1996

  • Joint venture with Drake & Scull Engineering (UK) to offer holistic Facilities Management services.
  • We conclude our first BEE transactions with Nozala Investments, SIP and IPG as shareholders.

1998

  • The company is rebranded as Tsebo Outsourcing Group.

1999

  • We introduce an HIV/Aids programme to drive access to health.

2000

  •  Management, Nozala Investment Holding and Ethos Private Equity delist the company.

2001

  • Fedics is recognised as one of Impumelelo’s top 300 black empowerment companies.

2003

  • Tsebo successfully hosts the All-African Games in Lagos, Nigeria, which is our largest project to date.
  • We are recognised as one of Finance Week’s Most Promising Companies in South Africa.

2005

  • Tsebo Outsourcing Group becomes one of the first organisations to achieve ‘excellent’ BEE accreditation through Empowerdex.

2007

  • We achieve Level 3 BEE Contribution status.
  • Shareholders Ethos exit and Absa Capital enters with a cash injection of R1.2 billion; R331 million of this is allocated to empowerment shareholders.

2008

  • Equity Reef Services Catering joins the Tsebo Group.
  • Tsebo expands into the Middle East oil and gas sector through Karam Fedics Services.

2009

  • We achieve Level 2 BEE Contribution status.
  • We launch an aggressive Disability Awareness Programme, employing over 200 disabled people across several operating sites.
  • TsAfrika Catering joins the Tsebo Group.

2010

  • We reach 94.21 out of 100 BEE points, maintaining one of the highest Level 2 industry scores for a company our size.
  • The board approves a greater level of investment in job creation, franchising, skills and enterprise development.

2011

  • Tsebo celebrates its 40th anniversary by launching the Tsebo Foundation, a charitable vehicle to command Tsebo Group’s CSI in education and health improvement.

2012

  • We enter the energy management sector with a differentiated, yet complementary, offering.
  • We launch the Tsebo Hygiene Solutions Division.
  • Servco Catering Mozambique joins the Tsebo Group.
  • ECHS Cleaning, a major competitor, joins the Tsebo Group.

2013

  • We win our first pan-African contract with Barclays PLC, managing 2000 sites in 12 countries.
  • Ubunye Cleaning Services joins the Tsebo Group.
  • Absa is replaced by Rockwood Private Equity.

2014

  • Tsebo welcomes Backbone Management as project and move management specialists.
  • Callguard Security Services joins the Tsebo Group.
  • We merge with Allterrain Services Group (ATS) to create a pan-African multi-services group.

2015

  • Thorburn Security Solutions joins the Tsebo Group.

2016

  • Tsebo achieves a historic Level 1 Rating on the 2015 Amended BEE Codes in South Africa. 
  • Drake & Scull is rebranded as Tsebo Facilities Solutions. 
  • Rockwood Private Equity exits their shareholding and is replaced by Wendel SE as the lead investor, together with Capital Group and Women’s Development Bank. 
  • Super Clean joins the Tsebo Group.

2018

  • Rapid FM Nigeria joins the Tsebo Group.

2019

  • Tsebo expands into the Egyptian market.

2020

  • Wendel Group and Capital Group exit their shareholding.
  • A consortium of South African banks and financial investors, including Investec Bank, Nedbank Private Equity, Standard Chartered Bank, Ninety One and Khulasande Capital, conclude a transaction and enter as shareholders, together with management and the newly formed Tsebo ESOP (Employee Stock Ownership Plan) Trust.
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People are at our core; they are the reason why we exist. Through them and by partnering with them, we have changed so many lives and inspire so many futures. Our legacy lives on through them – the people who work with us, the people we serve, the people we help, the stories they tell and the experiences they have.

Without our people, our clients and our other stakeholders – 50 years of Tsebo wouldn’t have been possible. Experience the golden Tsebo journey and stories through the members of our Tsebo Family:

Nigel Ward: Toyota EVP, Manufacturing and Support

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Johan Hoogeweegen: Group Customer Service Director, Tsebo Solutions Group

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Hamid Khan: Management Consultant – Tsebo Catering Solutions

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Andrew St Clair-Laing: Management Consultant – Tsebo Solutions Group

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Jack Ferreira: Projects Executive – Tsebo Catering Solutions

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Mvikeli Hlophe, Investment Executive at Khulasande Capital

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Kamogelo Mmutlana, Divisional CEO of Barloworld Automotive & Logistics

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Brett Hoppé, General Manager: Sun City Resort

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Lydia Okunsanya: Operations Manager (Static Sites) Tsebo Rapid Nigeria

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Adri Marais: CEO of Christel House South Africa

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Renier Swart Partners with Africa’s Safest Estate, Val de Vie.

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Tsebo’s ESD & Community Development Plans More Inclusive & Diverse

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Tsebo Celebrates 50 Years Of Developing, Serving, & Uplifting Society

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Tsebo Partner’s With Elevated Hygiene Services’ Brian Zulu

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Tsebo Learning & Development Academy is about Growing Together – P Dalzell

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Tsebo’s Lenin Tshuma Shares Perfect Recipe for Success

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Tsebo’s Tech Whizz, Jacqui Mathebula, Says Grab All Opportunities

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