Iqbal Survé

Survé was born on 12 February 1963[6] in Cape Town, South Africa. Survé has two sisters and is the middle child. He grew up in the Cape Town suburb of Kenilworth. In 1985 Survé's father put the house on auction and the family moved to Lansdowne, a coloured designated area in Cape Town.

Survé claims a close relationship with Nelson Mandela,[7] and in 2014, a Leadership Platform article in Business Report (a paper owned by Survé's Sekunjalo group) stated that Survé had been Mandela's doctor "on and off Robben Island".[8] These claims have been disputed on various grounds,[9] such as Survé only having graduated after Mandela left Robben Island in 1982.[10]

Survé claims that he was among a group of doctors assigned to accompany Mandela upon his release from Victor Verster Prison in 1990 in the event that an assassination attempt was carried out while Mandela spoke outside the Cape Town City Hall following his release. Following this first meeting with Mandela, Survé says that he and Mandela maintained a close relationship.[11] Survé claimed that he was a confidant to Mandela, as well as all successive democratically-elected presidents of South Africa, and that Mandela would occasionally seek medical advice from him.[12] Survé became known as the 'Struggle Doctor' to comrades in the African National Congress for his role in treating anti-apartheid activists who were injured during protest action in the struggle against apartheid in South Africa.[11][13] These claims have likewise been disputed.[10][14][15]

Following media reports on these claims, Mandela's fellow prisoner and anti-apartheid stalwart Ahmed Kathrada confirmed in 2017 that he had known Survé for many years and that he accompanied Survé and his family to Robben Island a few years prior.[16]

Survé left medicine in 1997 to found Sekunjalo Investments, with the aim of investing and assisting Black-owned businesses, and in 1999 listed it on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange.[7][6] In 2013, Sekunjalo purchased a 55% stake in Independent News & Media SA, South Africa's second biggest newspaper group, from its international parent company, Independent News & Media.[17] The purchase was largely funded by a loan from the government-owned Public Investment Corporation which manages the Government Employees Pension Fund.[18] By 2018 a large proportion of the Public Investment Corporation's investment in Sekunjalo was reportedly written off[19] while Sekunjalo claimed that they had reached an amicable agreement with the PIC for a debt-for-shares swop.[20]

Several banks, including Absa, FNB, Nedbank, Investec, and Mercantile Bank refuse to do business with any company tied to Survé and his Sekunjalo Investment Holdings. 28 more banks and representative offices of foreign banks are boycotting Survé and his companies. The biggest South African banks cited the Mpati Commission findings of the "malfeasance" of Survé's group.[21]

Survé was chairman of the World Economic Forum's Global Growth Companies (GGC) advisory board and as vice-chairman of the Global Agenda Council on Emerging Multinationals.[4] Survé was a founding member of the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) and was honoured by President Bill Clinton.[22] Survé also served on the Siemens Global Sustainability advisory board.[4]

Survé is a fellow of the African Leadership Institute. He is also a member of the Aspen Global Leadership Network.[23]

Survé was the South African chairman of the South Africa-Saudi Arabia Business Council[24] as well as a patron of the South Africa-Italy Summit.[25][26]

Survé was appointed to the Stewardship Board of the WEF “Shaping the Future of Information and Entertainment System Initiative” at Davos in 2017.[27][28]

In 2017, the Geneva-based International Bridges to Justice (IBJ), a global NGO, appointed Survé to its global advisory board to share his leadership skills and philanthropic experience with the organisation. IBJ founder Karen Tse indicated that Survé's appointment was in recognition of his medical work with victims of apartheid and provision of medical care to a number of prominent South Africans during and after their release from Robben Island, which earned him an honour from Amnesty International in Paris in 1989 at UNESCO.[29][28]

Survé was appointed chairperson of the BRICS Business Council in 2017, in a role to oversee the strengthening of South Africa's ties with the East amidst political uncertainty in Western powers.[30]

Dr Iqbal Survé (fourth from left) with members of the BRICS Business Council in Sandton, in June 2018.

Survé was also appointed co-chair of the BRICS Media Forum, a body formed to coordinate and cooperate in telling stories of developing nations via media organisations of BRICS countries.[31]

Survé was appointed to the board of the Belt and Road News Network Council linked to the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) that was initiated by China’s President Xi Jinping to push for infrastructure-driven investment spanning across Africa, Asia and Europe.[32] Survé serves as the Chairman of the Belt and Road Fund for Africa.[33]

In 2006, the JSE-listed Sekunjalo Investments (now AEEI) led by Survé received the Financial Mail Top Empowerment Companies Award. Sekunjalo’s overall BEE score came in at 76,44%, while its preferential procurement spend stood at 10,5% and economic interest at 54%. For employment equity it achieved 9,1%.[34]

Survé was awarded the Sakeleier van die Jaar (Business Leader of the Year) in 2007 jointly by Afrikaans newspaper Die Burger and the Kaapse Sakekamer, a network managed by the Afrikaanse Handelsinstituut which historically supported Afrikaner businesses.[35][36][37]

In 2008 and 2011, Survé received the Director's Award for his contribution to tertiary education by the University of Cape Town Graduate School of Business.[3] Survé served as a member of the Governors Committee of the UCT Foundation Trust whose role was envisaged as to advise on fundraising matters. He also served as Chair of the Advisory Board of UCT’s GSB.[38]

In 2013, Survé was named by London-based New African Magazine as one of the 100 Most Influential Africans in business, citing his achievements as a "campaigner for freedom, medical doctor and entrepreneur".[5]

Survé was awarded Businessperson of the Year 2013 at the Minara Chamber of Commerce Recognition Awards.[39][40]

In 2019, Survé was presented with Spain's International Friendship Award by Queen Letizia of Spain, in recognition of his efforts to foster Africa and world relations, focusing on the promotion of entrepreneurship, communications, social commitment and to end prejudice.[41][42]

In June 2023, Survé was honoured with Russian Foreign Ministry's medal for cooperation, presented to him by Sergey Lavrov in Cape Town. Lavrov recognised Survé for his contribution to BRICS.[43]

Following the 2023 earthquake in Türkiye, Survé Philanthropies donated R15 million worth of aid in the form of tents, clothing, blankets, gas heaters and other items. The aid was handed over to the Turkish Consul General in Cape Town, Sinan Yeşildağ on 14 April 2023.[44]