He once worked at a mine recording diesel usage and spent his nights in a hostel where his bed stood next to a two-plate stove and a washing basin.
Today, North West businessman Solomon “MySol” Madibela is known for his mining enterprise, luxury car collection and ambitions to build generational wealth for his children.
His journey from an entry-level mining employee to a prominent businessman is a story of persistence, learning and a determination to build something of his own.
But behind the expensive vehicles, properties and lavish lifestyle is a man who says he spent 15 years learning the mining industry before venturing into business.
Speaking on Podcast and Chill with MacG, Madibela opened up about his humble beginnings, the challenges he encountered while building his company, his dealings with the South African Revenue Service (SARS) and his plans for the future.
When university was out of reach, he chose another path
Madibela’s entry into the mining industry came shortly after he completed matric.
His parents could not afford to send him to university, forcing him to find another way to pursue his ambitions.
Rather than allowing his financial circumstances to determine his future, he began working at a local mine as a site clerk while studying alongside his job.
His early responsibilities included recording diesel usage and maintaining operational records. It was a modest position compared with the business empire he would eventually establish, but it gave him an opportunity to learn about an industry he believed held significant potential.
At the time, he was living in a hostel under difficult conditions.
Recalling those days, Madibela described how his bed stood next to his two-plate stove and washing basin while he worked to improve his knowledge of mining.
He was not content with simply completing the tasks assigned to him.
Once his daily responsibilities were finished, he looked for opportunities to learn more about the work taking place around him.
He began helping workers with plastering and other activities, eventually attracting the attention of a site manager who recognised his potential.
That curiosity opened the door to further opportunities.
From plastering, he progressed into explosive engineering, acquiring certificates and qualifications that allowed him to expand his technical knowledge.
For Madibela, every position became an opportunity to understand another part of the business.
Fifteen years of learning before starting his own company
Madibela says he spent approximately 15 years working in the mining sector before establishing his own business.
During that period, he gained experience in different aspects of mining operations and developed an understanding of how the industry worked.
He also observed the financial opportunities available to companies operating in the sector.
Rather than viewing his employment only as a source of income, he saw it as preparation for a future in which he would own a business and compete for contracts himself.
He rejected the perception that his success was simply the result of connections.
“People think I’m just a guy who got businesses through connections … no. I worked 15 years before starting a business,” Madibela said.
He added that some of the companies his business competes against today were once his employers, with some now working as subcontractors for his enterprise.
His account highlights the experience he believes helped him transition from being an employee to becoming a business owner.
Instead of entering the industry without knowledge of its operations, he had spent years learning the work, acquiring qualifications and observing how established companies operated.
Eventually, he decided to put that experience into building his own enterprise.
Building MySol Holdings and Logistics
After acquiring the necessary skills and qualifications, Madibela established MySol Holdings and Logistics.
The company became the foundation of his business interests in the mining sector, where practical knowledge, equipment, contracts and financial management are essential to operating successfully.
Madibela has not publicly disclosed the exact figures for his personal earnings. However, he explained during the interview that his company falls under SARS’s Large Business and International division.
He said the level of scrutiny associated with the division means he must be careful about his business dealings.
His business success has also brought attention to his personal lifestyle, particularly his collection of luxury vehicles and other expensive possessions.
Madibela claimed that his lifestyle has made him a frequent target of tax audits.
He said that during the preceding year, he had been audited three times and was expecting another audit in October.
According to Madibela, the scrutiny became so frustrating that he complained directly to the SARS commissioner.
He alleged that the tax system was being used unfairly against black people who achieve significant financial success.
He also revealed that he had previously been investigated for illegal mining.
Madibela maintained that his business was legitimate and insisted that he had nothing to hide.
His comments reflect his own account of his experiences with SARS. The frequency of the audits and his allegations about the treatment of black entrepreneurs should be understood in that context rather than as independently established findings about the tax authority.
A luxury lifestyle that attracts attention
For many South Africans, MySol’s name is associated with expensive cars, including Mercedes-Benz vehicles and Rolls-Royces.
His collection and lavish lifestyle have become part of his public image, attracting attention on social media.
But Madibela says his circumstances were very different when he was starting out.
His current lifestyle includes a farm with animals and a built-in sound system that allows him to invite artists to perform.
Asked about his love for luxury and extravagant living, he offered a straightforward explanation:
“Because I can.”
The response captures his unapologetic approach to enjoying the rewards of his work.
However, his ambitions extend beyond collecting expensive cars and enjoying a comfortable lifestyle.
Madibela has also invested in residential rental properties and commercial office spaces, while expanding his interests into farming.
He says he has plans to open a resort, adding another potential venture to his portfolio.
These interests reflect his intention to build income streams beyond mining rather than depend on a single industry.
“There is no such thing as enough money”
Despite the success he describes, Madibela says he does not believe there is a point at which a person should stop aspiring to achieve more.
“There’s no such thing as enough money. The more money you make, the more you get inspired. I’m still just starting, and I have bigger dreams.”
His ambitions are closely connected to his desire to create generational wealth for his children.
Rather than simply leaving them businesses and assets, he wants to establish a financial foundation that could continue supporting them even if they choose not to manage the enterprises he has built.
For Madibela, one of the most important parts of this plan involves using the banking system to grow and preserve wealth.
He explained that borrowing money from banks was part of his own business journey and that he continues to use bank financing.
His long-term ambition is to accumulate enough capital for his children to have opportunities of their own.
He described a future in which they could start businesses without having to begin under the same financial pressures he experienced.
“My plan and dream have always been to get into a position where I can borrow money from the bank and make it work for me, just like I had to borrow from them when I was starting out.”
He said he wanted to build enough capital for his children to pursue their own ventures if they were unable or unwilling to manage the business he had established in South Africa’s challenging business environment.
As an illustration of the scale of his ambitions, Madibela spoke about the possibility of his children benefiting from interest income of approximately R30 million a month from money their father had deposited with a bank.
That figure represents the financial future he says he wants to create; it should not be interpreted as independently verified evidence of his current bank deposits or monthly interest earnings.
His vision is ultimately about creating a financial foundation that could outlast his own involvement in business.
Giving back to communities
Beyond mining, property and his personal lifestyle, Madibela says he has made community upliftment an important part of his activities.
He claims that every year he funds university education for 20 young people.
He also says he provides mining skills training to 1,200 young people, together with equipment intended to help them get started in the industry.
In addition, he says he distributes groceries to families experiencing financial hardship.
These initiatives are significant to the way Madibela wants his success to be understood.
For him, wealth is not only about the possessions a person accumulates but also about the opportunities that can be created for others.
Reflecting on his community work, he said:
“The things I’ve done for people have brought me blessings.”
His stated approach combines business growth with efforts to help other people access education, skills and basic necessities.
The scale of these initiatives is based on Madibela’s own account in the interview.
A message to young people who were not born into wealth
Perhaps the most personal part of Madibela’s story is the message he wants to leave with young South Africans who come from financially disadvantaged backgrounds.
He says his circumstances at birth did not prevent him from building a business, even though he could not afford to attend university immediately after matric.
Instead, he entered the workforce, learned from his environment, acquired qualifications and spent years developing the experience he would later use as an entrepreneur.
He wants young people to understand that their circumstances do not have to determine the limits of their ambitions.
Addressing black children who dream of achieving success despite difficult beginnings, he said:
“To that black child: our dreams are valid no matter the circumstances. I was not born rich, I’m not a trust-fund child, I started this on my own. You need to believe in your dreams and surround yourself with the right people.”
His words return to the central theme of his journey: the distance between where he started and where he says he wants to go.
From recording diesel usage at a mine to establishing MySol Holdings and Logistics, Madibela’s story is one of gradual progression through an industry he spent years learning.
His journey has also attracted scrutiny, including his own complaints about tax audits and the attention surrounding his lavish lifestyle.
Nevertheless, his stated ambitions go beyond personal wealth. He wants to expand his business interests, create financial security for his children and provide opportunities for young people who face circumstances similar to those he experienced.
For a young person who believes their dreams are limited by their family’s financial position, Madibela’s message is that the starting point does not have to determine the destination.
Source: Based on Solomon “MySol” Madibela’s interview on Podcast and Chill with MacG, as reported by TimesLIVE on 16 October 2026.
