Sibusiso Mbhele: God, Grit and Safeguarding

An early morning phone call set Sibusiso Mbhele on a path from corporate success to founding an app designed to keep women safe. He tells Daloxolo Moloantoa about how the Catholic faith is at the root of his innovation, service and family life.

In 2014, a telephone call at precisely four in the morning changed Sibusiso Mbhele’s life forever. “My friend had watched a news item of Michelle Obama, then the US First Lady, vocally supporting the ‘Bring Back Our Girls’ campaign which drew attention to the girls abducted by Boko Haram in Chibok, Nigeria.”

Recognising their shared concern for human safety, the friend suggested that Mbhele join forces to tackle the growing crisis of lack of security — an issue affecting South Africa too. This conversation led to the formation of the Green Eye Consortium, whose award-winning Eyerus app focuses on personal safety of vulnerable people. But more on that later.

Sibusiso Mbhele was born on  March 1, 1980 to Justas and Sibongile Mbhele at Baragwanath Hospital (now Chris Hani Academic Hospital) in Soweto, the younger of two sons. As a young boy, he was sent to Pietermaritzburg to live with his grandmother and began his primary education at Nichols Primary School in Edendale, a suburb of KwaZulu-Natal’s capital.

At the age of nine, he returned to Johannesburg and attended the Sisters of Mercy’s Mayfair Convent, later matriculating from Parktown Boys’ High School.

After his matric, Sibusiso chose to pursue a diploma in marketing — but it was his parents who decided where he would study. Concerned that Johannesburg’s vibrant social life might prove a distraction, they enrolled him into Natal Technikon in Durban, where he had no acquaintances. They believed the move would offer the quiet focus he needed to thrive.

Growing up with the faith

He inherited his faith from his parents. “I was raised in a devout Catholic family. I received my baptism when I was six months old,” Mbhele told The Southern Cross.

“My home parish was St Peter Claver church in Pimville, Soweto. There I served as an altar boy under several priests, including the late Fr Boyce OMI and Fr Vusimuzi Mazibuko OMI. This chapter of my life significantly influenced my development into a well-rounded, God-fearing young Catholic man, thanks to the experiences I gained and the guidance I had received from my spiritual mentors.”

As a learner at Mayfair Convent, he had taken part in various charitable initiatives, including donating food to the needy, collecting toys for underprivileged children, and spending time with people with disabilities. “Engaging in these activities allowed me to recognise the gifts I have received from God, particularly in realising that others are less fortunate,” he said.

Sibusiso also tried his hand at music. “I’ve always loved music, and as a youngster this led me to join the youth choir at my parish. Unfortunately, my experience was not very successful since I am not a particularly talented singer.” This was confirmed by two young women who sang beside him in the choir. “They requested that I be moved to another spot because my singing was causing them to be out of tune. Sadly, that was the end of my musical journey in the church youth choir,” Mbhele recalled with a laugh.

A corporate career

Mbhele has spent most of his career in the corporate world, culminating in his current role as executive director of the Green Eye Consortium. Beginning his career in 2002 as a call centre agent at a cellphone network provider, he transitioned to vehicle finance as a business development officer, responsible for financing luxury vehicles. This led to a career at a luxury car brand, which included fleet sales and marketing. His final position in traditional employment was as a corporate business manager at a fleet management software company.

Eventually, Mbhele grew weary of “ascending someone else’s corporate hierarchy” and decided to forge his own path. This led to the inception of the Green Eye Consortium, with three co-founders. “My experiences thus far have been challenging, risky and turbulent, but also incredibly exhilarating. I would describe self-employment as akin to extreme sport,” he said.

The Green Eye Consortium created the Eyerus app to protect vulnerable groups such as women, children and the LGBTQ+ community. It also plays a role in combating contact crimes and addressing gender-based violence (GBV).

Research into the role of technology in crime prevention revealed that many cases remain unresolved due to a lack of evidence — a gap Eyerus aims to close by prioritising evidence collection in its design.

The app was launched in 2021 on February 14 — Valentine’s Day. It has since received multiple accolades, including the MTN App of the Year award in 2022 and 2023, the 2023 Africa Travel Indaba Innovation Award, and the 2024 FNB App of the Year in the Best Enterprise Solution category.

The response from users has been overwhelmingly positive, said Mbhele. “People feel more secure with Eyerus at their fingertips. We regularly hear from potential crime victims, especially those facing GBV, who have managed to avoid danger thanks to the app.”

One major challenge, however, is that many people download the app only after experiencing a scare. “People often react to situations rather than take preventive measures, which is why some hold off until they experience a scare. When used correctly, the app serves a preventive purpose.”

Another obstacle is the cost of mobile data. “Since many South Africans live below the breadline, accessing data can be a barrier. We’re currently in discussions with various network providers to make the app free to use, as it is essential for all South Africans to have access,” he explained.

A family of prayer

A key motivation for developing Eyerus was the safety of Mbhele’s own family. He is married to television news anchor Thabile Maphanga-Mbhele, and they have three children: Abusiswe, Godide and Elihle. The couple met at St Peter Claver church during a Holy Week Stations of the Cross service, and married in December 2014.

The Mbhele family now worships at Holy Rosary church in Phiri, Soweto, where Thabile serves as a lector. The former SABC news anchor and now a Zulu-language presenter at Newzroom Afrika, also volunteers at Radio Veritas, the Catholic radio station.

Herself the subject of a Southern Cross feature (in the April 2022 issue), Thabile affectionately refers to her husband as “my fellow prayer warrior”.

“Our family decisions stem from a strong and committed spiritual foundation. One of our greatest joys as a couple is witnessing our children’s faith development, which brings back fond childhood memories for me,” she said.

Sibusiso Mbhele is convinced of the immense potential at the intersection of faith and technology. “It is wonderful to see people utilising technology for evangelisation. We see this online through the efforts of far-flung and distant parishes in South Africa which we might not be able to visit in person,” he said.

“Technology truly connects us, as we learned during the Covid pandemic. It plays a crucial role in our daily lives, and the Church must keep pace with these advancements,” Mbhele urged.

Published in the July 2025 issue of The Southern Cross