Future 50 - Powered by FNB Business and East Coast Radio!

Luminex Technologies is a KwaZulu-Natal-based LED screen solutions company Founded during the COVID-19 pandemic by Ashveer Ramdheen and Simeon Kistensamy. Their journey began when both founders faced challenges sourcing reliable LED displays, encountering poor service and limited after-sales support from existing suppliers. Recognising an opportunity to address this gap, they set out to establish...

What began as a modest garden supply business in Durban in 1980 has developed into a trusted name in horticulture across KwaZulu-Natal. Grovida was established by Vincent Lourenco Snr out of a passion for gardening and a desire to provide reliable, quality products to both home gardeners and the wider agricultural sector. In its early days, the business offered just three items—compost, potting so...

BTL Engineering & Project Management, a KwaZulu-Natal-based business founded and headed up by Andrew Cunningham, has grown from modest beginnings into a specialist in structural steel fabrication and installations. The company’s work underpins essential infrastructure, from bridges and industrial facilities to commercial buildings across the province.

Africa Alternate Energy Solutions (AAES), an independent KwaZulu-Natal-based business headed up by Muhammed Suleman, was established out of a growing interest in renewable energy and a drive to make sustainable power more accessible to South African businesses. What began as a technical passion soon developed into a full-scale operation offering long-term energy solutions tailored to local needs.

Akili Timber, a sawmill based in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands town of Richmond, is steadily building a name for itself in South Africa’s timber industry. The business processes raw logs into planks, poles, and custom timber products, serving clients across various sectors. Located just one hour from Durban Harbour, Akili Timber is well placed to deliver quick turnaround times and reliable service to...

In the latest KZN Future 50 feature on East Coast Radio, powered by FNB Business, the focus turned to something many local business owners are quietly facing — burnout. Business strategist Pavlo Phitidis spoke candidly about what he’s seeing across the country: entrepreneurs who haven’t given up, but who are simply exhausted. Years of pushing through COVID, load-shedding, water cuts, red tape, and...

The Gold Bar, a proudly South African business headed up by Sholain Perumal, has grown from experience earned on the ground to a steadily expanding network of gold recycling stores in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng. Today, it operates from six locations in leading shopping centres, offering customers a secure, transparent, and accessible way to exchange their old, broken or unwanted gold jewellery for...

Saikav Foods, under the leadership of Pregasen Francis, specialises in the production of pre-cooked legumes such as split pea dhal, sugar beans, and chickpeas. Since being featured on KZN Future 50, the business has secured a retail listing with Food Lover’s Market, significantly increasing its product visibility and access to consumers. In addition, Saikav Foods has entered into discussions with...

AV Company, headed up by Craig Browning, has continued to play a key role behind the scenes in South Africa’s events industry. Known for delivering lighting, video, live streaming, staging, and event technology for concerts and large-scale productions, the business built on the momentum of the KZN Future 50 spotlight to grow its presence. Since then, the team has expanded operations into Johannesb...

Bedrock Group, a specialist concrete construction business based in Westmead, Durban, has become a leading name in KwaZulu-Natal and beyond. Founded and led by David and Greg Kitching, the company has built its reputation on innovation, precision, and a commitment to quality in the niche sectors of tilt-up and pre-cast concrete construction.

After being highlighted in the KZN Future 50, Energywise Systems has focused on strengthening its internal strategy to better position the business for long-term growth. The company specialises in energy-efficient lighting solutions that help commercial, and retail clients reduce electricity consumption while also improving lighting design for productivity and sales performance.

Since being featured on the KZN Future 50, FleetCam SA has continued to focus on improving safety on South Africa’s roads. The company specialises in vehicle camera systems and telematics that use artificial intelligence to monitor driver behaviour and detect fatigue. A 24/7 command centre is on hand to respond to alerts, helping fleet operators take action when drivers require support or further...

Hall’s Retail, a proudly family-run business in Pietermaritzburg, has steadily grown over the past three decades from a small adhesive supplier into a trusted name in industrial coatings and chemical solutions across KwaZulu-Natal and beyond. But its success didn’t happen overnight—it’s a story of perseverance, innovation, and a strong belief in doing things properly.

Need A Tool, a well-known family-run business in KwaZulu-Natal, began with a practical idea: provide good-quality equipment to people who need to get things done. Founded in 1986 by the late Bob Moore — a respected figure in the tool hire industry and one of the founding members of the Contractors Plant Hire Association (CPHA) — the business has become a trusted name for equipment hire in the prov...

The KZN Future 50, powered by FNB Business in partnership with East Coast Radio, highlights businesses that are helping shape KwaZulu-Natal’s economic landscape. The initiative offers more than just airtime — it serves as a launchpad for small and medium-sized businesses to grow their visibility, customer base, and market reach. Many featured businesses have reported tangible benefits, including i...

Since being featured on the KZN Future 50, Papini Trading — founded and headed up by Rasheed Patel — has refined its approach to strategic marketing. The business, which supplies curtain fabrics and accessories to independent window dressing fabricators, has used the exposure to increase brand visibility and improve customer engagement. This shift has enabled the team to connect more effectively n...

La Vita Spas and Hair Studios, based in KwaZulu-Natal, has grown into one of South Africa’s recognised names in wellness, beauty and self-care. The business began in 2002 when Rioma Cominelli opened the first branch in Musgrave under the name Cellu-Beauty. Her brother, Valerio Cominelli, later joined her to help grow the brand. Together, they laid the foundation for a national network of spas focu...

Since being featured on the KZN Future 50, Food Sock—run by Mike Nel—has continued to grow its footprint across KwaZulu-Natal and further afield. The business produces affordable, long shelf-life meal packs that can feed a family for around R10, making a real difference in areas where access to nutritious food is limited. Over the past year, Food Sock has grown its sales by 10%, despite tough econ...

Since being featured on the KZN Future 50, Livecopper—founded by Alf Allingham and Andrew Davies—has continued to grow its presence as an online retailer of electrical and lighting products. Based in KwaZulu-Natal and serving customers across South Africa, the business has remained focused on making specialist products easily accessible through its e-commerce platform. The recognition from the Fut...

Big Five Accident Repair Centre, a proudly family-run business in Durban, has built a solid reputation in the automotive repair sector — not through gimmicks or grand claims, but through consistent workmanship and a genuine passion for vehicles. Founded by Mano Nayager, a seasoned professional with over 36 years of experience, the company has grown into one of the city’s most respected panel shops...

Based in Durban, Alute SA is making a difference in workplaces across KwaZulu-Natal. The company provides training, consulting, and equipment in the areas of health, safety, fire, and security—helping businesses stay compliant and, more importantly, safe. From factories and warehouses to construction sites and engineering firms, Alute SA works with industries where safety really matters. Their tea...

Following their feature on the KZN Future 50, Sparesboyz has focused on building a stronger foundation to support long-term growth. The business, headed up by John Hunt, supplies quality used and new non-original vehicle parts by salvaging usable components from accident-damaged vehicles. Since being featured, the company has restructured its leadership and appointed experienced managers. This has...

Steelco, a family-run business supplying steel products and roofing solutions to the construction and industrial sectors, was previously featured on the KZN Future 50 for its growth and contribution to the local economy. Since then, the company has made meaningful progress—both in how it operates and in how it serves its customers. They have added key individuals to their leadership team, includin...

I-Tech Solutions, based in Pietermaritzburg, has been helping businesses stay connected and secure since 2002. Founded by Clyde Langley and Brett Precious, two passionate tech enthusiasts, the company has grown from a small start-up into one of the trusted names in IT services across KwaZulu-Natal

In this episode of Where Are They Now?, we kick things off with Frozen Brands, the local frozen food company making big moves. Led by Blake Edy, they’ve expanded into the Mauritian market, scaled up production, and are moving into a larger facility to meet demand—all while continuing to innovate with their nutritious frozen vegetable range. Carmen and Pavlo unpack how they’ve turned exposure into...