About
Romeo Kumalo is a South African entrepreneur who moved from radio and television to the sharp end of big‑ticket investment. Born on 25 February 1972 in Johannesburg, he first became known as a broadcasting executive—yet he has spent most of the last decade funding African start‑ups through his private‑equity vehicle Washirika and the $200 million tech fund LLH Capital. His résumé includes a seat on Vodacom’s board, a stint on its Group Executive Committee, and in 2016 a turn as a “Shark” on Shark Tank South Africa, where his plain‑spoken advice won fans across the country.
Before Fame
Romeo’s route to the boardroom started behind a studio microphone. After school he earned a Diploma in Business Management at Damelin (1996‑97) and later completed management programmes at Wits Business School, INSEAD and Harvard. Armed with fresh credentials, he joined Metro FM and by 1997 had become its General Manager. Three years later he took the same role at SABC TV, steering the public broadcaster’s flagship channel until 2004. His big corporate break arrived in 2007 when Vodacom named him Executive Commercial Director; he remained in the group’s top circle until 2015, gathering the telecom insight that later informed his tech‑investment strategy.
Trivia
- Pitch‑side mentor: On Shark Tank South Africa Romeo looked at more than 60 pitches. He invested in app‑based logistics and renewable‑energy gadgets, often insisting on a clear social upside before signing a cheque.
- Serial learner: Despite decades in business, he still signs up for short executive courses—“classrooms keep me curious,” he told a 2017 entrepreneurship workshop.
- Voice for lower data costs: After leaving Vodacom he publicly backed the #DataMustFall campaign, arguing that cheaper mobile internet would unlock township entrepreneurship.
- Court‑room detour: In 2019 he and partner Gil Oved were briefly embroiled in a contract dispute tied to a Vodacom deal; the matter spotlighted the high stakes of corporate supply chains.
Family Life
Romeo married former Miss South Africa and media mogul Basetsana Makgalemele on 9 December 2000 after three years of dating. The couple have three children—Nkosinathi Gabriel (2004), Bontle ba Morena Jasmine (2007), and uShaka Kgositsile Emmanuel (2012)—and run the Romeo & Basetsana Kumalo Family Foundation, which supports school‑age orphans. When they celebrated their 18th anniversary, local press dubbed their Johannesburg home “a paradise,” noting Romeo’s preference for backyard braais over black‑tie galas.
Associated With
- Basetsana Kumalo – life partner, co‑founder of their family foundation, and a media powerhouse in her own right.
- Gil Oved – fellow Shark Tank investor and co‑founder of LLH Capital, the $200 million tech fund backing African growth stories.
- Marnus Broodryk & Dawn Nathan‑Jones – colleagues on the Shark Tank panel, often debating valuation methods on air.
- Vodacom – the telecom giant where Romeo honed his commercial instincts and built the network that still underpins many of his deals.
