Mahlako a Phahla, founded by sisters Makole Mupita and Meta Mhlarhi, is named after our mother Mahlako to pay homage to her pioneering and entrepreneurial spirit in building a successful family business at a time when it was difficult for many black people to do so.
Mahlako is an African women-owned social infrastructure group in advisory services, financial services and alternative investment management, focused on the delivery of effective socio-economic developmental assets and implementable solutions that deliver sustainable impact and superior risk adjusted return profiles over the long term. Innovation has been one of Mahlako’s key guiding principles in our journey from developers, advisors to investors.
Mahlako’s female-led team holds a track record of capabilities, commitments and excellent industry insights. With a robust leadership team, Mahlako remains prominent and influential across the industry, with a strong network that share our values. The company has an actively empowered innovation hub that develops and promotes brilliance in the energy, financial and infrastructure sectors.
Having been at the forefront of the renewable energy sector since 2009, Mahlako invested in Round 1 and Round 2 projects in South Africa’s Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPPP), being part of the first asset in the REIPPPP that successfully concluded a refinancing.
In April 2021, Mahlako in its endeavour to continue to tackle, disrupt and transform SA’s energy sector, launched the Mahlako Energy Fund – a first of its kind Energy Fund which is 100% black women owned and managed, with a mandate that expands beyond Renewable Energy, to include Gas and Energy Services sectors, a key feature that sets it apart from existing Energy Funds.
True to Mahlako’s pioneering spirit, in November 2015, the Energy Fund announced its investment in South Africa’s first large-scale operational wheeling project where it holds a 45% stake. This project demonstrates the potential for independent power generation and one of the ways that private sector can work with government, the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA) and Eskom to bring about new models for renewable energy generation in South Africa.
Within the advisory space Mahlako continues to rise above expectations, leading the transaction advisory for the Integrated Renewable Energy and Resource Efficiency Programme (iREREP), the innovative and official national government Programme for Resource Efficiencies and Renewable Energy for Government facilities in a bid to meet sustainability targets of Government and South Africa at Large.
” Growing anything requires balance. We cannot develop the world without investing in it, We cannot invest in it without managing it, We cannot manage it without inclusivity, And it will be short lived if we don’t sustain it. For one thing to grow all things must grow. This is our contribution…
Balancing Growth. ~ Mahlako ~
With the growth Green Hydrogen and Ammonia, Mahlako is developing a landmark Green Hydrogen and Ammonia Plant in South Africa, Prieska Power Reserve with 50% stake. The company was recognised by President Cyril Ramaphosa as a key emerging player that’s going places in the development of the sector that’s going places, led by the women of our country. Mahlako’s Co-Founder, Meta Mhlarhi was also appointed on the Green Hydrogen Panel by the Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition.
Mahlako takes environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors as imperative drivers of performance. The company adheres to the UN Sustainable Development Goals – fully integrated into its investment and business process.
As we move into the future, Mahlako’s mission remains driving sustainable development and offering enhanced returns to our stakeholders through provision of innovative solutions to the public sector and investing across alternative financial services asset classes. Mahlako aims to be recognized as a trusted African infrastructure advisory firm delivering innovative and implementable solutions to the public sector and as a trusted alternative fund manager providing profitable investments with a socio-economic impact. An organisation that is African women-owned, managed and inspired, that promotes African and women empowerment, entrepreneurship and excellence.
Mahlako’s work has been widely covered by media sources from CNBC Africa, Engineering News, Business Day, MoneyWebSA to name a few.
Mahlako Financial Services has announced a first of its kind R1.75 billion energy fund – CNBC
