Africa's Leading
Energy Trading House
We source, trade, and deliver physical petroleum products, bulk commodities, and energy solutions across Africa, the Middle East, and Asia — with precision, transparency, and global reach.
Founded in South Africa and licensed by the DMRE, Guliwe Invest bridges global energy markets with African demand. We source, trade, and deliver refined petroleum products, bulk commodities, and LPG across the continent and beyond.
Our deep regional relationships and DMRE licensing give us unmatched access to markets from Mozambique to Singapore.
Diesel, petrol, jet fuel, gasoil, fuel oil and condensates across all major grades.
Chrome, manganese, fertilizers (Urea, DAP) and agricultural bulk commodities.
CIF, FOB & DAP terms. Vessel chartering, demurrage, customs handling.
Real-time insights, hedging strategies, price forecasting, trade finance advisory.
Comprehensive
Trading Solutions
- Diesel 50ppm & 10ppm
- Petrol ULP & RON grades
- Jet A-1 & Gasoil
- Fuel Oil & Condensates
- Chrome & Manganese
- Fertilizers — Urea, DAP
- Agricultural Commodities
- Strategic Positioning
- CIF, FOB & DAP Terms
- Vessel Chartering
- End-to-end Delivery
- Customs Handling
- Real-time Insights
- Exposure Hedging
- Price Forecasting
- Trade Finance Advisory
Our Global
Footprint
From our headquarters in Sandton, South Africa, Guliwe Invest operates trading desks and supply corridors across five continents.
Mr Thakhani Makhuvha
Advisory Board Member — Strategic Finance, Risk & Governance
Thakhani Makhuvha is a seasoned financial services executive and licensed Senior Business Rescue Practitioner with over 28 years of experience in development finance, risk management, strategic leadership and corporate turnaround. As former Group CEO of the Limpopo Economic Development Agency (LEDA), he provided strategic leadership to a R3 billion balance-sheet entity with seven subsidiaries across mining, agriculture, infrastructure and SMME finance.
Prior to LEDA, he held senior leadership roles at the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) for nearly 16 years — including CEO of the Small Enterprise Finance Agency (sefa), Head of Risk Management and Head of Post Investment Monitoring, overseeing a R90 billion+ portfolio. He brings strategic depth, rigorous risk discipline and a strong developmental mindset to Guliwe Invest's Advisory Board.
Key Expertise
- Risk Management & Compliance — deep expertise in credit, enterprise-wide and operational risk plus regulatory compliance (PFMA, Companies Act); former Head of Risk Management at IDC
- Strategic Finance & Turnaround — proven track record in business rescue, restructuring distressed businesses, capital raising and portfolio management
- Governance & Leadership — extensive board experience as Non-Executive Director and Chairman, with a strong focus on ethical governance and stakeholder relations
- Economic Development & Partnerships — mobilised over R400 billion in investment pledges for Limpopo Province, building alliances with DFIs, government and the private sector
- Master's in Financial Management (MCom), University of Johannesburg; Licensed Senior Business Rescue Practitioner (CIPC); AG(SA) — SAICA
Mr Mandla Thabethe
Chairman & Chief Executive Officer
Mr Mandla Thabethe is the founding Chairman and CEO of Guliwe Invest (Pty) Ltd, one of South Africa's foremost independent energy trading companies. With over two decades of experience in commodity markets, energy infrastructure, and corporate finance, he has positioned Guliwe as Africa's go-to trading house for physical petroleum and bulk commodities.
Under his leadership, Guliwe has secured DMRE licensing, established trading corridors across five continents, and built strategic partnerships with national oil companies from Lagos to Singapore. His vision: an Africa that controls its own energy destiny.
- DMRE Licensed Energy Trader — Full regulatory compliance across all petroleum product categories
- Pan-African operations spanning South Africa, West Africa, East Africa and the Gulf states
- Strategic alliances with PetroSA, PETROMOC, Sasol, Dangote, Transnet and 20+ national partners
- Driving 50,000+ MT monthly trading volumes across crude, refined products and bulk commodities
Ms Grace Mabena
Head of Supply Chain & Logistics
Grace is a dynamic, results-oriented supply chain executive with over a decade of cross-functional leadership experience across FMCG, brand strategy, commercial growth and multi-market operations spanning Africa and Canada. Her expertise covers end-to-end supply chain optimisation, demand forecasting, portfolio management and driving operational efficiency in complex, high-volume trading environments.
At Guliwe Invest she leads supply chain strategy for Africa's premier independent oil, gas and commodity trading house — overseeing procurement, logistics, distribution, vendor partnerships and inventory optimisation to ensure the seamless sourcing, trading and delivery of petroleum products and bulk commodities across regional and international markets. She holds an MBA from Henley Business School (University of Reading).
Key Responsibilities
- End-to-end supply chain and logistics strategy for petroleum products and bulk commodities
- Procurement, vendor partnerships and inventory optimisation across regional and international markets
- Demand forecasting and pipeline management using proprietary, data-driven planning models
- Distribution expansion and go-to-market execution to ensure on-time, on-spec delivery
- Cross-functional leadership across operations, finance, sales and trade partnerships
- Risk management and operational efficiency to drive cost savings and resilient sourcing
Mr Thabiso Dladla
Business Development & Marketing
Thabiso brings approximately seven years of advisory experience consulting to leading South African companies on capital raising and Black Economic Empowerment transactions. His expertise spans the structuring, arranging and financing of long-term structured debt and leasing transactions across multiple sectors.
His broader transactional experience includes mergers & acquisitions, initial public offerings, valuations, restructurings, privatisations, capital raising and BEE deals. He currently serves as Chief Executive Officer of the NAFCOC KZN Investment Wing — a well-seasoned operator with impeccable public-private sector credentials.
Key Responsibilities
- Origination of offtake agreements with refineries, national oil companies and bulk fuel buyers across Africa
- Building strategic supplier relationships with crude producers, refineries and bunker terminals across the Gulf, West Africa and Asia
- Securing trading mandates across diesel 50ppm, petrol 95, jet A1, LPG, fuel oil and marine bunker fuels
- Negotiating long-term supply contracts and structured trade finance for petroleum cargoes and pipeline volumes
- Marketing Guliwe's trading desk to mines, transport fleets, utilities, airlines and government fuel programmes
- Pipeline development of cross-border fuel distribution and logistics partnerships across SADC corridors
Key Trading Partners
We maintain strategic partnerships with leading energy companies, refineries, and national oil companies across the value chain.
Latest Insights
AI-curated from live oil & gas activity across global markets — refreshed on demand.
The West African crude oil market continues to show resilience amid global energy transitions. Key producers including Nigeria, Angola, and Ghana are adapting their production stra…
Recent developments in Middle Eastern fuel markets indicate shifting supply chain patterns, particularly in diesel and marine fuel segments. The UAE and Saudi Arabia are expanding …
Ready to Trade at
Continental Scale?
Connect with Guliwe Invest's trading desk today. Whether you need physical delivery, structured supply agreements, or market advisory — we deliver results.