The chief executive of Joburg Market has been awarded the title of Manager of the Year 2025 by the World Union of Wholesale Markets, acknowledging his exceptional guidance, creative approaches, and dedication to environmental practices. Sello Makhubela received the distinction at the organisation’s international gathering in Brussels on 7 November 2025, underscoring his pivotal role in elevating the fresh produce industry on a worldwide scale. As reported by Food For Mzansi, this accolade celebrates contributions to operational excellence and community involvement within the wholesale sector.
Under Makhubela’s direction, Joburg Market has undergone a comprehensive overhaul, enhancing efficiency, financial outcomes, and its broader influence on development. The entity has recorded unprecedented revenues surpassing R1 billion on two occasions within a single fiscal period, whilst promoting openness, responsibility, and robust partnerships along the agricultural supply line. Central to his strategy is a framework comprising seven key elements aimed at fostering change, which has positioned the market as a driver for empowerment and eco-friendly operations.
This framework has facilitated assistance for emerging farmers, greater involvement of women in farming activities, and the adoption of sustainable methods across the board. The honour follows closely on the market’s triumphant organisation of the World Union of Wholesale Markets’ 2025 international event in Johannesburg, an occasion that positioned South Africa as a centre for advancements in food provision and market standards. According to the Joburg Market official statement, gratitude has been extended to the governing board, economic development committee members, and municipal authorities in Johannesburg for their instrumental backing in realising the market’s objectives.
This achievement not only marks personal success but also solidifies Joburg Market’s status as a prominent figure in Africa’s produce trade, advocating for progress and equitable expansion throughout the region. Originating from modest roots, the market has expanded to lead the continent’s sector, catering to approximately five thousand producers and ten thousand purchasers each day. It features fifty-five refrigeration units capable of holding over four thousand five hundred pallets of goods and fifty chambers for ripening bananas, managing nearly one thousand six hundred pallets simultaneously.
Situated a mere five kilometres south of Johannesburg’s central business district and conveniently linked to primary motorways, the facility dwarfs South Africa’s next largest market by a factor of two and exceeds the combined scale of seventeen other domestic venues, reinforcing its vital position in the country’s farming economy. As detailed by Engineering News, Joburg Market’s initiatives under Makhubela have aligned with national goals for food security, contributing to job creation and rural upliftment through targeted programmes for small-scale agriculture. Furthermore, according to African Business, the market’s emphasis on sustainability includes waste reduction strategies and partnerships with local cooperatives, enhancing its resilience amid climate challenges.