Jakes den Haan: CEO

Jakes graduated with a BSc (Actuarial Science) from the University of Cape Town and completed his MBA at the same university.

He worked in the insurance industry for more than fifteen years in various positions and departments, which included actuarial, investments, marketing and sales. He was the Managing Director of the Commercial Union unit trust company before moving to Standard Bank.

At Standard Bank he was the Managing Director of several Standard Bank subsidiaries and also held directorships in other Standard Bank entities.


In 2003 he moved to Cape Town where he became a successful entrepreneur in industries such as financial services, call centres, rewards and loyalty programs.

Jannie Basson: Operations Director


Jannie has a BCom in both Marketing and Business Management. As well as a Honours degree in Management.

He is a successful financial services entrepreneur with twenty four years of experience. He has excelled in various aspects of the industry. His expertise spans call centres, sales, client service, claims, and consumer-facing products.

Notably, he has proven to be a successful underwriting manager, particularly in the field of funeral and associated products. His dedication and accomplishments in the financial services sector has solidified his reputation as a knowledgeable and innovative professional. 


Jappie Pitso Mahlaba: Founding Champion

Pitso started a sales and marketing company in 2006 after leaving a career in banking to satisfy his desire to be his own boss. Having been successfully engaged in other sales and marketing companies since then, he was not able to find an annuity compensation plan and product suite designed to benefit both members and the community.



He pushed to create a compensation plan that paid members annuity income and benefited the community at the same time. He is an integral part of Ubuntu Botho Life, which compensates champions forever, so long as their downline champions pay their membership fees.

Cliff van Belkum: Sales and Marketing Director

Cliff spent 9 years as a corporate executive with the Telesure group where he excelled in sales and marketing.

After leaving the corporate world he owned several financial services companies where his expertise in running large sales, marketing and service call centers lead to each of these companies becoming very successful. He has an intimate knowledge of underwriting managers, insurance assessing and insurance investigation. He consults to various companies, assisting them with product design and product distribution.


Sharon Poobalan: Risk and Compliance Director


Sharon has, over the past seventeen years, navigated the intricate landscape of the corporate world as an integral member of the executive teams within the insurance sector of both Standard Bank and Absa. Her tenure has been defined by strategic decision making, fostering growth and driving innovation in financial services.

Beyond corporate realms, she also cultivated success as the owner of two thriving independent financial services providers, leveraging her expertise to deliver tailored solutions to clients. This journey has honed her leadership skills, deepened her industry knowledge, and solidified her commitment to excellence in the ever-evolving realm of finance services and risk mitigation.


Leslie Cameron - Information Technology Director

Leslie has over thirty years of experience in information technology. Primarily in the financial services and telecoms sector including expertise in customer relationship management, enterprise resource planning, applications management, data management, information security, and other information technology operations.

He was a senior IT manager at Internet Solutions. Currently he is the Managing Director of AlertPlus Technologies which he co-founded. He is also the IT director for HMES, a non-governmental organisation.

Pitso started network marketing in 2006 after leaving a career in banking to satisfy his desire to be his own boss. Having been engaged,  very successfully, in six network marketing companies since then, he was not able to find a compensation plan and product suite designed to benefit the members via a permanent annuity plan.

Pitso pushed to create a compensation plan that paid members real residual income. So, it's with excitement that we have been able to launch Ubuntu Botho Life, which compensates champions forever, so long as their downline champions pay their membership fees. A plan created by Pitso for true champions. We salute the passion and energy Pitso brings to the team of champions.

Cliff van Belkum – Co-founder

Cliff has been in financial services for 31 years, with 9 of those in the corporate arena at executive level. Entrepreneurship is at Cliffs heart, and Ubunto Botho Life is not only a life’s dream come true, but also an opportunity to work with like minded people wanting to work hard for substantial and measurable rewards.

Jannie Basson - Co Founder and director of services

Jannie has been at the forefront of delivering financial services from 2002, and owns Livewire CC. Livewire is a registered FSP and has an outstanding record of delivering funeral and associated services to the African continent. We are privileged to have him and Livewire support the Ubuntu Botho Life programme into the future.