who we are
Our Team
Our team is made up of professionals from diverse yet complementary backgrounds.
MBULELO KONA
Mbulelo is the Director and CEO of Mixalon and a qualified civil engineer who has been involved in multi-million rand projects in the water and sanitation, roads, and in the mining, aviation and building sectors in some of the leading consulting engineering companies in South Africa.
His involvement was in significant positions such as Lead Civil Engineer, Business Unit Head and Director of the civil engineering division among others, and now he holds the Group Executive Officer role at Phunga Holdings – a wholly black owned Level 2 BEE company headquartered in Gauteng – and is the founder and Director of Mkona Consulting Engineers, a subsidiary of Phunga Holdings.
As a proud member of the South African Institute of Civil Engineers (SAICE), Kona is passionate about providing quality and client-centricity in every project he embarks.
NICK VAN DER WALT
After graduating from varsity with a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA), Nick has gone on to have a successful career spanning over 15 years in different business ventures across various industries. The skills and business acumen he has developed over the years enables him to excel in originating and executing value creation for 81 Capital investee companies.
This has given him broad experience across multiple industries and investment scenarios which underpin his abilities across the general business value chain.
MOSS MAPONYANE
Moss prides himself in developing and executing company strategies, meeting deliverables with success. He is an experienced business professional with a solid record spanning over 30 years, and has worked in financial services, logistics and the built environment.
In the built industry, Moss served on the executive committee of the Master Builders Association North region and represented the association on the executive committee of the Construction Sector Charter Council as well as the board of the Master Builders Association of South Africa.
Moss is an associate member of the Chartered Governance Institute of Southern Africa (ACG), completed an H.Dip Company Law and a corporate management development programme (MDP) offered by the Manchester Business School.
Stefan Strauss
Stefan Strauss is a seasoned property professional and Chartered Accountant (CA(SA)) with more than 25 years of experience in the property sector. He is accountable for driving town planning initiatives and overseeing the rollout of strategic development programmes within the organisation.
With over a decade of experience in real estate investment and investment banking advisory, Stefan brings a unique blend of financial acumen and development insight to every project he undertakes. His expertise spans across property development – both greenfield and brownfield – township establishment, asset management, acquisitions, disposals, and due diligence.
Over the past five years, Stefan has served as a strategic advisor to prominent property developers, offering valuable guidance on growth strategies, corporate structuring, and capital deployment. His leadership is defined by a forward-thinking approach and a deep commitment to fostering sustainable, value-driven development – particularly within the retail and energy sectors.
Stefan’s extensive background and passion for innovation position him as a key driver in shaping impactful, future-focused developments that balance profitability with purpose.
Cornelia Maria Farmer
Cornelia Maria Farmer is an accomplished business leader and qualified pharmacist with more than 23 years of experience spanning the healthcare, retail, manufacturing, and international trade sectors. She holds a Bachelor of Pharmacy (B.Pharm) and a Master’s degree in Pharmaco-economics (M.Pharm), combining scientific expertise with strategic business insight.
A dynamic entrepreneur, Cornelia was the owner-manager of the Dis-Chem Brooklyn Mall franchise, which she successfully operated until the company’s JSE listing in 2016. Her career thereafter evolved into senior leadership, serving as Analytics and Efficiency Manager at Dis-Chem Head Office, where she oversaw the implementation of cost-efficiency systems, promotion validation processes, and supplier recovery initiatives.
Cornelia’s expertise extends across retail strategy, supply chain management, and call centre development, underpinned by a strong operational and analytical mindset. She also brings extensive experience in export operations, product development, and marketing for retail brands.
Currently serving as CEO of multiple companies engaged in the import, manufacture, and distribution of consumer products, Cornelia is recognised for her ability to drive operational efficiency, process optimisation, and client-centric product innovation. Her leadership is defined by a commitment to excellence, sustainable growth, and delivering measurable value across every facet of business.
Luvuyo Zantsi
As a Chartered Accountant (CA(SA)) by trade and Finance Director of Mixalon, Luvuyo prides himself in planning, developing and controlling company financial strategies and policies in order to meet company financial goals. Luvuyo is an experienced business professional with a solid record spanning over 12 years, and has worked in auditing, financial services, telecommunications, broadcast and media technology and the built environment.
In the built industry, Luvuyo has founded built environment entities and served in C-suite roles, in various projects undertaken individually or in joint ventures. His experience consists of water and sanitation projects, civil construction projects, construction of smart schools and construction of residential and commercial property.
As a proud member of the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants since 2016, Luvuyo is passionate about providing quality and client-centricity in every project he embarks on.
Thato Motebang
Thato is a Project Director and a registered Professional Senior Architectural Technologist (SACAP), with 14 years of experience spanning both the public and private sectors. She brings a strong technical foundation in project management, supported by broad industry experience across residential developments, education infrastructure delivery, and heritage buildings.
Thato has successfully managed and delivered complex built environment projects on behalf of the Gauteng Provincial Government.
She is deeply committed to the fundamental drivers of successful projects: value for money, timely delivery, and quality outcomes.