Ulwembu Business Services

What Ulwembu Business Services does

Ulwembu Business Services (Pty) Ltd is a South African, black-owned management consulting and ICT services company founded in 2007, headquartered at 29 Waterford Office Park, Fourways, Johannesburg. The company operates a three-pillar service platform: Technology Services (ICT infrastructure, networking and cabling, systems integration, systems automation, cloud services, business solutions including BPM/CRM/BI, and the proprietary uHMS eHealth product); Business Consulting (Enterprise Programme Management Office, business process outsourcing, organisational design and change management, and solutions/management consulting); and Managed Services (IT Service Desk, Network Operations Centre, Security Operations Centre). Underlying delivery is supported by two wholly-owned subsidiaries — Bridging Digital Divide (BDD) for telecoms, fibre, wireless, data centres and energy solutions, and Smart Integration (majority stake acquired June 2018) for office and home automation.

The company's go-to-market is direct enterprise and government field sales, delivering custom engagements via professional-services and managed-services contracts. Customer mix is heavily weighted toward South African public-sector bodies (National Treasury, National Department of Health, SASSA, NSFAS, GEPF, South African Reserve Bank, Tshwane and Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipalities, Gauteng Provincial Government) alongside large private accounts (Absa, Accenture, Netcare, Life Healthcare, Marriott Hotels, Airports Company South Africa, BCX). The company retains Level 1 B-BBEE contributor status, the maximum score under South Africa's Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment framework, which confers preferential procurement scoring on public tenders.

Revenue mechanics are primarily time-and-materials professional services and managed-services retainers; no pricing tiers or contract values are publicly disclosed. The technology stack relies on multi-vendor partnerships with Huawei, Cisco, Microsoft, IBM, Oracle, Dell, AWS, Red Hat, ABB, Schneider Electric, Hikvision and 20+ additional vendors, positioning Ulwembu as an aggregator and integrator rather than a proprietary product company. The sole proprietary product is uHMS, marketed as the first open-source eHealth application for clinics in South Africa, with offline capability and touchscreen compliance targeted at primary healthcare. The company is privately held, has not raised institutional funding, and reports no disclosed revenue or headcount trend beyond a stated 51-100 employees range.

Name

Ulwembu Business Services

Legal name

Ulwembu Business Services (Pty) Ltd

Website

https://ulwembubs.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Ulwembu Business Services is a South African black-owned management consulting and ICT services company delivering technology services, business consulting, and managed services to public-sector bodies and large private enterprises across South Africa through direct enterprise sales, multi-vendor partnerships, and two wholly-owned subsidiaries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

IT Consulting and Managed Services

NAICS

Computer Systems Design and Related Services (54151), Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services (541611), Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services (518210), Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services (541)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742), Services-Computer Integrated Systems Design (7373), Services-Computer Programming, Data Processing, Etc. (7370), Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)

akta.pro primary industry

Strategy & IT Advisory (BPAEAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Service Desk & ITSM Outsourcing (BPAEAMAF), ITSM Managed Services (Run/Operate/Optimize) (BPAEAJAN), Business Process-Aligned IT Outsourcing (ITO + BPO Integrated) (BPAEAMAJ)

Keywords

• Management consulting services
• ICT infrastructure services
• Enterprise systems integration
• Managed IT services
• Business process outsourcing

Headquarters

HQ city

Fourways

HQ country

South Africa

HQ region

Africa

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Management Consulting Services: Business consulting services including enterprise programme management office, business process outsourcing, organisational design, development and change management, and solutions and management consulting.
2. ICT Technology Services: End-to-end enterprise technology solutions including ICT infrastructure, networking and cabling, systems integration, systems automation, cloud services, business solutions, and health management systems.
3. Managed Services: Managed services including IT Service Desk, Network Operations Centre (NOC), and Security Operations Centre (SOC) for ongoing monitoring, support and maintenance of client infrastructure.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Ulwembu Business Services is a black-owned management consulting and ICT services company that operates three divisions: Technology Services (ICT infrastructure, networking and cabling, systems integration, systems automation, cloud services, business solutions, and the uHMS eHealth product), Business Consulting (EPMO, BPO, organisational design, change management, and solutions consulting), and Managed Services (IT Service Desk, NOC, SOC). The company facilitates the transformation of organisations into optimised, digitised businesses through end-to-end enterprise applications and technology solutions.

Product overview

Ulwembu Business Services is a black-owned ICT services and management consulting company that operates as a platform-plus-services organisation comprising three main divisions. Technology Services delivers end-to-end enterprise applications and technology solutions including ICT Infrastructure, Networking and Cabling, Systems Integration, Systems Automation, Cloud Services, Business Solutions (BPM, CRM, BI), and the Health Management System (uHMS) product. Business Consulting provides Enterprise Programme Management Office (EPMO), Business Process Outsourcing (BPO), Organisational Design, Development and Change Management, and Solutions and Management Consulting services. Managed Services encompasses IT Service Desk, Network Operations Centre (NOC), and Security Operations Centre (SOC) offerings. The company operates through two wholly-owned subsidiaries: Bridging Digital Divide (BDD) for connectivity and energy solutions, and Smart Integration for systems integration and automation. The portfolio ranges from advisory and consulting services through implementation and integration to ongoing managed services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• uHMS: Health Management System - an eHealth solution for South Africa's primary healthcare industry, including consulting, implementation and support of an end-to-end solution for clinics.

Products and services

• ICT Infrastructure Provides supply, configuration, implementation, support and maintenance of turnkey and modular enterprise technologies including servers, storage, networks, data centres and security solutions, ensuring data is stored, protected and accessible. Targeted at enterprise and public sector organisations.
• Networking and Cabling Delivers fibre optic infrastructure solutions including aerial and underground long-distance fibre, FTTX installations, structured cabling systems, civil works and project management for LAN and WAN connectivity. Targeted at organisations requiring large-scale network rollouts.
• Systems Integration Provides end-to-end enterprise application services spanning applications, enterprise architecture, middleware, technology management and ICT infrastructure to modernise operations and enable informed decision making. Targeted at organisations modernising their application landscape.
• Systems Automation Specialises in design, supply, installation and maintenance of advanced commercial, factory and home automation systems including CCTV surveillance, access control, intrusion detection, lighting control and UPS solutions. Targeted at commercial, industrial and residential facilities.
• Cloud Services Provides innovative cloud computing solutions offering scalable access to enterprise technology without infrastructure investment, featuring hybrid-ready capabilities and certified engineering support. Targeted at organisations migrating workloads to cloud.
• Business Solutions (BPM, CRM, BI) Delivers Business Process Management, Customer Relationship Management and Business Intelligence solutions that transform businesses from traditional to digitised operations with enhanced workflow automation and performance insight. Targeted at organisations seeking digital transformation.
• Health Management System (uHMS) An eHealth solution for South Africa's primary healthcare industry comprising consulting, implementation and support for core clinics, mobile clinics, ward-based outreach teams, pharmaceutical stock management and cloud-based operations. Features offline capability, touchscreen compliance, and clinical decision support. Targeted at primary healthcare clinics and facilities.
• Enterprise Programme Management Office (EPMO) Provides programme management services ensuring projects meet operational, governance, cost, budget and time-related goals, including PMO design, implementation and specialist project management resources. Targeted at organisations running complex transformation programmes.
• Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) Offers business process outsourcing solutions across human resources, finance and information technology including call centre operations, hosted solutions, build-operate-transfer services and continuous process improvement. Targeted at organisations seeking to outsource non-core functions.
• Organisational Design, Development and Change Management Provides end-to-end organisational design and development services focusing on people effectiveness, change management, HR services and accredited training including Prosci change management certification. Targeted at organisations undergoing structural or cultural transformation.
• Solutions and Management Consulting

Quantifiable outcome

• Reduced total cost of ownership for ICT assets
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers18 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Smart IntegrationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2018Smart Integration is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ulwembu Business Services, acquired through a majority stake purchase in June 2018. Specialises in the design, installation and maintenance of advanced office and home automation systems including CCTV, access control, intrusion detection, lighting control, and UPS solutions.
• HuaweicoreTechnology or Integration · 1 June 2018Ulwembu appointed as Huawei certified service partner in South Africa in June 2018, enabling delivery of Huawei technology solutions and services.
• Bridging Digital Divide (BDD)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Bridging Digital Divide is a wholly-owned Ulwembu Business Services company providing ICT infrastructure, telecoms and energy solutions including servers, storage, fibre and wireless networks, data centres, energy solutions and security solutions.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Accenture South Africa: Listed Ulwembu customer and global Tier 1 SI/consultancy with a large Johannesburg practice. Competes with Ulwembu for the same transformation, consulting and systems integration engagements.
• T-Systems South Africa: Deutsche Telekom subsidiary offering ICT consulting, managed services, cloud and systems integration to SA enterprises and government. Direct competitor on large strategic transformation deals Ulwembu also pursues.
• Altron Group: JSE-listed South African ICT conglomerate spanning managed services, networking and IT infrastructure. Operates as a much larger broad incumbent in the same government/enterprise services market.
• NTT Data (formerly Dimension Data) South Africa: Global systems integrator with deep South African roots, providing networking, managed services, cloud and consulting. A broad incumbent competing against Ulwembu in large enterprise and government RFPs.

Direct peers

• Datacentrix: JSE-listed South African systems integrator offering managed services, cloud, networking and security solutions across public sector and enterprise. Most direct comparable in scale and client mix to Ulwembu's ICT services portfolio.
• Mint Group: South African Microsoft-focused systems integrator delivering business solutions, cloud and managed services to enterprise and government. Closely comparable mid-sized peer with similar partner-led model.
• Adapt IT Holdings: JSE-listed SA-based technology group providing systems integration, managed services and industry-specific software (incl. healthcare) to African public and private clients. Closely comparable by geography, verticals and offering.
• EOH Holdings: Large South African IT services group delivering consulting, systems integration and managed services to government and enterprise across Africa. Competes head-to-head with Ulwembu in the public-sector digital transformation market.
• BCX Limited: South Africa's largest ICT services and digital transformation provider, offering managed services, cloud, networking and systems integration to the same public and private enterprise clients Ulwembu targets. Direct competitor on most of Ulwembu's largest tenders.

Regional players

• BBD (Software & Consulting): South African software and management consulting firm delivering business process, CRM and ERP implementation services to enterprise. Regional peer competing in the same consulting and BPM niche where Ulwembu plays.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ulwembubs

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Ulwembu Business Services