Mining entrepreneur expands into Mauritius

After spending several years refining her skills and understanding the mining industry value chain, Matshidiso Matjeke-Dlungwane of Mamelodi, Gauteng decided to leave her job as a metallurgist to start a business that drives value across mining, finance, and related services. 

She is the founder of the Stenda Group, a business corporation whose portfolio includes Stenda Trading, Stenda Mining, Stenda Finance, and Stenda Resources. 

“After gaining substantial industry experience, I realised I could leverage my technical background and leadership potential to build something of my own, and I did,” she explained.

She started off by establishing Stenda Trading in 2016 after identifying a gap in the market. She discovered that there were little to no female-owned and run technical service providers for the mining sector. 

This bothered Matjeke-Dlungwane because she believes in the power of women and the importance of representation. 

“Today, Stenda Trading delivers a range of technical services to mining companies, including ventilation services, road construction, conveyor belt services, roof and rib-side support, and contract mining,” she explained.

“So far, we have more than 300 employees.

Mining services

Currently, the business delivers services to mining companies across various regions of South Africa, from emerging operations to established mines.

“Our client list includes Exxaro, Anglo American (now Thungela), Kangra, Vunene and Mbuyelo to name a few. Our reach extends beyond South Africa into the broader Southern African Development Community (SADC) region, where we partner with mining companies to support their operations, safety, and productivity,” she said. 

Although she graduated with a Metallurgical and Materials Engineering degree from the University of Pretoria, in order to kickstart her career, starting the business encouraged Matjeke-Dlungwane to complete a Master of Business Administration from Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) in 2020. 

Sausage Saloon Franchise in Mauritius

Matjeke-Dlungwane is a Master license holder of the Sausage Saloon brand in the Republic of Mauritius, and this means she operates as both a franchisee and a franchisor in the Island country.

Mauritius, is part of the Southern African Development Community (SADC). The SADC itself forms part of the African Union, which is represented in the G20. Next month,, the Group of Twenty (G20) Leader's Summit will be hosted in South Africa for the first time, a milestone that is expected to strengthen collaboration between African nations and the world’s largest economies. The G20’s focus on international cooperation, sustainable growth and inclusive development creates opportunities for countries in the SADC region to build stronger economic and trade links with global partners.

Matjeke-Dlungwane explains that her journey with the Sausage Saloon brand started in November 2024, she launched the franchise of the famous South African hotdog brand at the Caudan Waterfront under the famous Mauritian umbrellas.

It all started after Matjeke-Dlungwane went on holiday with her family about two years ago. Few months after the family holiday, she came across an advert about the hotdog company selling a master license for their business in Mauritius. 

“I contacted the business, and we went to Mauritius together for due diligence. I was immediately impressed by what I saw… the business and the environment aligned with our ambitions,” she said. 

After the launch in 2024, the brand was welcomed by locals and tourists and Matjeke-Dlungwane has since opened three stores.

“Our longer-term goal is to scale thoughtfully across Mauritius, deepen brand recognition, and establish the Sausage Saloon as a leading casual dining and take-home option for both locals and visitors. We aim to expand our footprint while maintaining quality, consistency, and a distinctive guest experience that keeps customers coming back,” she said.

For more information about the Stenda Group, you can call (013) 110 0765 (Emalahleni), (012) 348 1102 (Pretoria), or email: info@stendagroup.com or admin@stendagroup.com