Pertunia Sibanyoni | WOMEN IN FRANCHISING

Pertunia Sibanyoni, Vice President Mobility Solutions and Marketing at Sasol and Past Chairperson at the Franchise Association of South Africa

Pertunia Sibanyoni’s career reads like a map of South African franchising itself, from working in the energy, banking and automotive sectors and back to the energy sector. Today she is Vice President for Mobility Solutions and Marketing at Sasol and Immediate Past Chairperson of the Franchise Association of South Africa (FASA), the industry body she led through the pandemic recovery years. For Women’s Month, she spoke about the mentor, milestones and hard-won lessons that shaped two decades in one of the country’s toughest and most regulated sectors.

The journey from Shell to Sasol via banking and automotive

Sibanyoni’s franchising career began in 2004 as a graduate trainee at Shell, an entry point that set the direction for everything that followed. She later led InspectaCar, a used car franchise owned by WesBank, as Chief Executive Officer before moving into fuel franchising at FNB and then returning to the energy sector at Sasol. Industry reporting has put her franchising experience at around 20 years, roughly a dozen of them in oil and energy specifically. She holds a Bachelor of Science, majoring in Psychology and Physiology from the University of Durban Westville.

That trajectory, she says, convinced her that franchising is more than a retail format. “Every service station is more than a retail site- it is a business, a workplace, a community touchpoint and often a symbol of possibility for people it serves.”

Industry mentor who pushed her into rooms she would’ve avoided

Sibanyoni credits leadership and strategy mentor Tony Frost with a formative influence, describing how he pushed her to prepare deliberately for leadership rather than wait to feel ready. It’s a theme she returns often to women, she says, who are frequently asked to occupy spaces where they are underestimated, and confidence had to be built rather than assumed.

FASA’s Chairperson for a generation and seat on the world stage

Sibanyoni joined FASA’s board in 2018 while she was working at InspectaCar and was elected Chairperson for the 2021/2022 term, where she steered the Association through the pandemic’s aftershocks. FASA later extended her term, listing her as Immediate Past Chairperson for 2023/2024. Under her leadership, FASA joined the Global Franchise Awards judging panel and the World Franchise Network. She represented South Africa at the World Franchise Council and was named among the Top 10 most inspiring women globally. She frames this recognition not as personal accolades but as proof that a woman from South Africa can contribute meaningfully to global conversations in franchising.

Running a business most people misunderstand

Few outside the fuel sector grasp its structure, she says. “Franchisees and retailers don’t set the pump price, yet pricing swings shape customer sentiment and franchisee viability regardless. It’s a highly regulated, competitive environment sitting at the intersection of mobility, energy transition and community service and certainly not for the faint-hearted.”

Navigating pressure as a woman in the top seat

Translating strategy into something franchisees trust takes time and doing it as a woman in crisis moments has meant her resilience gets tested more visibly than most. Her response has been to reframe pressure as an opportunity to “lead with clarity, calmness and conviction,” staying anchored to why she does the work rather than to proving herself.

What has changed since 2004?

Female representation in senior franchising roles has grown since she started, moving from a compliance checkbox to what she calls a genuine business imperative, though she’s clear the industry still isn’t where it needs to be. Staying relevant, in her view, has meant tracking shifts in convenience retail, digital engagement and the energy transition and bringing teams along rather than dictating change from the top.

Family and the woman who taught her to lead

Her son, a 15-year-old hip-hop dancer who has represented South Africa internationally in Turkey, Poland and Spain, is a source of pride and grounding. Her late mother, who moved from domestic work into selling clothing and built a career on resilience, remains her biggest influence, having taught her to “speak soft, but strong” and never to let society define who she must be.

Her advice to women eyeing the sector

Learn the regulatory and commercial realities before stepping in, but don’t wait to feel fully ready to do it. Build networks, find mentors and measure success not only by personal achievement but by the doors opened for others behind you. “Franchising has taught me that leadership is not only about building businesses – it is about building people, communities and possibilities,” she says.

“Take up space, lead with purpose, and never underestimate the legacy you are creating for those who will follow,” said Sibanyoni.