Zunaid Moti and the journey that defined his public image and personal legacy
South Africa has produced some of the world’s best business minds, including Zunaid Moti, the founder of the Moti Group and one of South Africa’s wealthiest entrepreneurs. Unlike some wealthy South Africans who inherited their wealth, Moti is widely considered a self-made businessman who built his fortune from his teenage years.
Source: UGC
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Key takeaways
- Zunaid Moti is the founder and former CEO of the Moti Group.
- He rose from a modest background to become a multimillionaire entrepreneur.
- Moti's business interests span mining, property, aviation, security, and logistics.
- His son, Mikaeel Moti, is currently the CEO of the Moti Group of Companies.
Zunaid Moti's profile summary
Full name | Zunaid Abbas Moti |
Gender | Male |
Date of birth | 1974 |
Age | 48 years old |
Place of birth | Mokopane, Limpopo, South Africa |
Current residence | South Africa |
Nationality | South African |
Ethnicity | Asian |
Religion | Islam |
Height in inches | 5'9" |
Height in centimeters | 175 |
Weight in pounds | 159 |
Weight in kilograms | 72 |
Hair colour | Brown |
Eye colour | Dark brown |
Sexuality | Straight |
Relationship status | Married |
Children | Mikaeel Moti |
College | St Alban’s College, Pretoria |
Profession | Businessman, investor, entrepreneur |
X(Twitter) | |
Zunaid Moti's biography
The famous investor was born in 1974 and came from Makopane. Zunaid Moti's age is 52 years old. He grew up in a family that struggled with money, so he had to clean his school bus during the weekend to earn himself and her sister a spot to and from school. Zunaid's father owned a colossal dealership business in Mokopane.
He went to a local school for his primary and secondary studies, and later attended St Alban's College in Pretoria, where he graduated and entered the job market.
Source: Original
What does Zunaid Moti do for a living?
He is a businessman who has always been a dreamer since day one. His desire to become rich can be traced back to school when he was asked to choose a topic to write an essay on. Zunaid Moti chose When I am a millionaire, I will..., and wrote a brief yet prophetic piece. He wrote, "Get my PA to write this for me". Unfortunately, he failed the test, but his desire came true when he was barely 22.
His confidence, hard work, and ability to tackle life head-on exposed him to opportunities he used to his advantage. For example, thanks to his relationship with his mentor, the businessman made more than 40 million Rands from selling shares of a business.
His innate belief is that an entrepreneur is a person whose life has cornered him and has no other choice than to find a way out of their predicament. Moti got into business for the first time when he left high school.
First, he formed Future Seal, which offered waterproofing services to commercial buildings. Then, he sold his business and moved on to the next. His next company was filling stations.
At this point, he mastered the secret of success in creating cash flow, a principle he has used in all his business ventures. He said that when he started witnessing cash flows into his business, he forgot all about the cost of sales and started focusing on the cash flow.
The investor made his first appearance in public through Future Fin - a company that provided funding for luxury vehicles, private jets, and yachts. He later moved into the property market, where he chaired Abalengani Group, which saw him develop the luxury golf estate Nondela.
In 2009, Abalengani got caught up in the recession and found it difficult to service its debt worth R1.5B to Investec. In 2012, the businessman was arraigned in court, allegedly for being involved in plans to murder a businessperson and armed robbery.
Then, in a new turn of events, Zunaid Moti's bodyguards lodged three cases against the Forensic investigator, Paul O’Sullivan, at the Bramley police station in northern Johannesburg.
Despite all this bad press, the Moti Group grows and expands. Moti Group is a diversified company dealing with property development, car financing, security services, aviation, mining, transport, and logistics.
Moti has invested heavily in Zimbabwe, from pharmaceuticals to properties, fertilizers, chrome mining, and fuel distribution. According to him, the group is earning well from its chrome mining activities.
What is Zunaid Moti's net worth?
There is no publicly confirmed information on Zunaid Moti’s exact net worth. Although he is a prominent South African entrepreneur and social figure associated with high-value, multi-billion-rand businesses and a luxurious lifestyle, his personal wealth has not been officially disclosed.
How does Zunaid Moti spend his money?
He invests heavily in business expansion, real estate, and high-end assets. His taste for luxury is evident in Zunaid Moti's cars, which include premium and rare vehicles.
Who is Zunaid Moti married to?
Source: UGC
Not much is known about Zunaid Moti's wives and his family because he is a private man. Moti has admitted to loving his family and prioritizing them in everything he does on several occasions. He allocates time in his busy weekly schedule for his family.
He believes that the memory you create matters because no one wishes to have spent more time in the office when they are on their deathbed.
Who are Zunaid Moti's children?
The business magnate is believed to have multiple children, but only his eldest son, Mikaeel Moti, is well-known. Zunaid Moti's son became the CEO of Moti Group in January 2025 after serving as the Executive Director since 2021. Details of Zunaid Moti's daughter remain unknown.
In 2023, he posted a photo of his pregnant wife on his social media accounts. The businessman has largely kept information about his family private.
What challenges has Zunaid Moti faced?
His career has not been without controversy. Zunaid was reportedly arrested in August 2018 in a theft and robbery case. Moti was issued an Interpol red notice because of defrauding Ailibek Isaaev, a former partner in their South African FerroChrome smelter business. What was he accused of exactly?
The famous businessman was accused of stealing a pink diamond that is quite rare and costly (R500-million). According to reports, he spent five months in jail and was released in January 2019.
Also, in 2010, the Abalengani Group made a property deal with Elidoug Investments only to discover later that the property was sold illegally without following the proper protocols. Zunaid was in trouble once again after he and his partners attacked Naeem Cassim one year later.
Abalengani Group was also accused of making a fraudulent business deal when Investec was accused of defrauding another company to save it. The Abalengani had agreed with Investec of R.1.5 billion.
Quick facts about Zunaid Moti
- He is the founder of the Moti Group (1998).
- The Moti Group operates in over 10 African countries, including Zimbabwe and Zambia.
- He has business interests in pharmacy manufacturing, including medicine production in Zimbabwe.
- Zunaid Moti has publicly advocated for African economic self-reliance and intra-African trade.
- He is known for negotiating government-to-government investment deals, especially in mining and fuel distribution.
- His companies employ thousands of workers across Southern Africa.
- He has been linked to high-level political and business networks within Southern Africa.
Even though Zunaid Moti keeps much to himself regarding family and personal life, he is a winner. Creating wealth is always tricky for many, and anyone who can produce significant amounts should be appreciated. He is an intelligent and experienced businessman with a lot to teach the up-and-coming entrepreneurs.
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Source: Briefly News
