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We buy and build great African businesses

Thinking about selling your business, or just taking some money off the table?


We buy and build profitable, essential South African businesses—confidentially, fairly, and fast. With permanent capital, operator experience, and a people-first approach, we protect your legacy while unlocking liquidity and future upside.

If your company fits our criteria, complete the short form below and we’ll come back with next steps and an indicative structure.

What we do, in plain English:

  1. Buy your business outright

  2. Or buy a big stake while you keep some shares

  3. Or invest for growth while you stay in charge

  4. We plan to own for the long term—we’re operators, not “flippers”

  5. We help with finance, hiring, systems, and sales (without changing what already works)

Came from Google / Facebook / a podcast / an email? You’re in the right place—this page is for you.

Why owners choose us

  • Some cash up front

    with options to keep some upside

  • People first

    we safeguard your brand, team, customer relationships, and most importantly, your Legacy.

  • Straight talk

    on business valuation and deal terms. No complicated structures.

  • Operator support

    Finance, systems, sales enablement and talent—without smothering your culture.

Start My confidential assessment

Our Commitment to Owners:

  1. Legacy Preserved: Founders who have spent decades building their businesses can retire knowing their people, brand, and community standing remain intact.

  2. Continuity of Leadership: We keep proven management in place, and provide strategic resources—not corporate bureaucracy.

  3. Steward‑Owned Capital: Cape Capital’s permanent capital is supplied by operators, not fund managers; every rand we earn is reinvested in the portfolio, not distributed to outside investors.

  4. People First: We look after your team and customer relationships.

Is this you?

  1. Planning to retire, emigrate, or step back and reduce day-to-day involvement?

  2. Want to de-risk now but stay involved?

  3. Need a capable partner to professionalise and scale?

  1. Net Profit: Up to R100m. No less than R5m.

  2. Margin Profile: ≥ 15 % sustainable profit margin

  3. Management: Motivated team in place and willing to remain

  4. Geography: Southern & Sub‑Saharan Africa, Australia

  5. Sector: Sector agnostic, no hospitality, no franchises. Current focus on industrial businesses and commercial services.

Our Criteria:

How it works:

Step 1: Complete the form below and share some basic information

Step 2: If it sounds like we may be a fit, we will reach out for further information, such as annual financial statements.

Step 3: We do a discovery call to understand your goals and answer any questions you may have

Step 4: Ballpark price & options — we present key terms and deal structure

Step 5: Due diligence — some checks on your information provided

Step 6: Closing, Payment & Integration — You get paid, and we begin our partnership together

Let’s discuss working together…

Interested in working together? Fill out some info and we will be in touch shortly! We can't wait to hear from you.

Alternatively, you can reach out to our founding director for a quick response at:

  • Email: dimitri@dimniko.com

  • WhatsApp on 060 871 9373

Cape Capital’s Leadership

is comprised of C-Suite executives and counsel from PWC, Bowmans, Actom, Eskom, and various industry giants.

Key Facts:

  • $10bn+ in cumulative transactions

  • 10 000+ employees managed

  • Industry experience across every continent

  • Proven track record in acquiring and growing sector-leading companies

  • Demonstrated commitment to economic contribution and positive social impact investing.

Kishore Kooverjee

  • Kishore Kooverjee, a Chartered Accountant, is an experienced Business and Advisory leader with a successful record of developing and implementing business strategy, including driving growth for PwC KwaZulu-Natal business in both the Private and Public Sector, across different industry sectors and all levels of Government. Since merging with PwC in 2003, as PwC KZN Public Sector Leader and in 2009 as Partner in Charge of PwC KZN, Mr Kooverjee has successfully managed two offices with over 300 partners and staff, including developing PwC as a leading firm in the region and the firm being a leader in the Public Sector.

    Mr Kooverjee's strengths include leadership, strategy, business development, finance, external and internal audit, and technical accounting. He has significant experience in dealing with Government Leaders, C-Suite and executive management of companies and government departments, including family-owned businesses. He has a passion for assisting with development of strategy and growing and coaching people.

Shirley Chauke

  • Shirley is a Procurement Transformation Strategist, business developer, and entrepreneur with 30 years across power generation, oil & gas, engineering & manufacturing, and infrastructure. She began at Eskom in 1993, progressing to Key Customer Executive for high-demand industrials, then helped City Power establish its Key Customer division. At Technip (Italy/France) she led supply chain and procurement for major EPCs, including PetroSA GTL and Sasol Project Turbo. She co-founded high-pressure piping specialist EHR SA in 2006 and scaled it to a 2009 acquisition by BHR/Steinmüller. As MD/CEO of Hamon Research-Cottrell SA, she turned the business from loss-making to profitable.

    Since 2018 she has been a Group Executive Director at ACTOM, driving export growth, technology sourcing, and stakeholder engagement. Shirley chairs SAEEC, serves on the ACTOM board and the Belgian Chamber of Commerce SA advisory board, mentors start-ups, backs township upliftment projects, runs two private companies, and is involved in developing a 50MW solar farm in Zimbabwe.

Johan Brink

  • Johan Brink is a former Bowmans and Webber Wentzel Partner, and founding director of Brink Cohen Le Roux Inc. He is an expert in mergers and acquisitions and general corporate and commercial law, as well as company law, corporate governance, and restructuring.

    With over 40+ years of experience, Mr Brink's extensive expertise has been recognised by various international rating agencies including Chambers Global, Legal 500, IFLR1000, Best Lawyers and more.

    Notably, he served as an Extraordinary Professor of Mercantile Law at the University of South Africa for 20 years and as the chairperson of Interlaw, a referral network of over 7000 lawyers in 70 countries worldwide. With an extensive background in corporate law, Johan's expertise has been a cornerstone for resolving complex legal matters. His legacy stands as a testament to his unwavering commitment to the legal profession, marked by innovative thinking and a profound understanding of corporate intricacies, advising and acting for parties to transactions well into the billions.

Péter Harbula

  • Péter Harbula serves as the Group Head of Mergers & Acquisitions at Paris-based listed corporate. With over 18 years of experience in corporate finance and M&A, Péter has successfully led more than 180 transactions valued at over €6 billion, specializing in end-to-end execution of cross-border deals. His expertise spans financial management, corporate and financial strategy, business development, valuation, and joint ventures.

    Péter began his career at Deloitte in 1999, rising to Director of the Financial Modelling and Evaluation team by 2007. He then joined Edenred (formerly Accor Services) from 2007 to 2022, serving as Executive Director of Corporate Finance and Director of Mergers & Acquisitions. Before joining his current company in October 2023, he was Director of Mergers, Acquisitions & Integrations at Invivo Group.

    He holds a Master of Science in Finance from Corvinus University (Budapest), a Master’s degree in Banking and Financial Techniques, and a PhD in Management Sciences from the University of Paris II Assas-Panthéon. Since 2007, Péter has also been a lecturer at HEC Paris, teaching valuation and transactions. Based in Paris, he brings a wealth of experience in managing transversal, multi-cultural teams and driving strategic growth through acquisitions.

 FAQs

  • Mainly on steady profit (after normalising once-off items), customer quality, growth prospects, and risk. We’ll explain our view in plain language.

  • Adjusting your numbers to reflect the real earning power of the business (e.g., removing one-off costs, market-rate owner salary, personal expenses run through the business).

  • We’ll tell you quickly. If there’s a gap, we can propose structures (e.g., part now, part later if targets are met) or shake hands and part as friends.

  • It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

  • Item descriptionOften, yes. Many owners also keep a slice to share in future upside if they want.

  • Usually not. If there’s a brand change, it’s done carefully and only if it adds value.

  • Yes. We focus on continuity. No big staff cuts or restructures. We invest behind what already works.

  • A typical timeline (varies by size/complexity):

    1. Quick call & info share

    2. Indicative price range (about two weeks after receiving info)

    3. Due diligence (8-12 weeks)

    4. Final terms & legal docs (2 weeks)

    5. Close & 90-day transition plan

  • Recent management accounts, last 3 years of AFS, customer and supplier overview, major contracts, staff list (high level), leases, tax status, any legal matters, and a basic asset list.

  • No—clean helps, but we’ll work with you to get what’s needed.

  • Yes. We use our own capital and bank partners. We don’t rely on “finding a buyer later.”

  • Yes. We can do a lease with you, buy the property, or help set up a sale-and-leaseback—whatever fits.

  • Yes. Where useful, we partner with credible participants to support compliance and long-term value.

  • A simple plan focused on people, customers, reporting, and quick-win improvements (e.g., pricing leaks, cash discipline). No big changes without agreement.

  • Clear job description, fair market salary, and—if agreed—bonuses tied to outcomes.

  • Pre-profit startups, very distressed turnarounds, single-customer dependency, or businesses with ongoing legal/compliance issues. If we’re not the right buyer, we’ll say so quickly.

Still interested? Fill in the short form above with your company, location, annual revenue, annual profit (after expenses), headcount, ownership, and your goals. We’ll respond within 2 business days with a straightforward next step.