Junior Mlondobuzi is the young Black entrepreneur who is reshaping how South African small businesses access financial protection and is the founder of Entresure.
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With almost a decade in the insurance industry, Junior Mlondobuzi, founded his company Entresure: a pioneering digital platform dedicated to transforming how insurance is afforded and accessed by small businesses in South Africa.
Often hailed as the lifeline of the economy, Mlondobuzi told Business Report that he spotted a gap in the SME sector.
"I started Entresure because I saw a real gap, not just in the market, but in how small businesses are treated in this space. Too many entrepreneurs are running their businesses without insurance. Not because they don’t care but because the system was never built with them in mind," Mlondobuzi said.
He said the current system in the country is not tailored for SMMEs.
"It’s complicated, expensive, full of legal jargon, and honestly, intimidating. I’ve seen too many SMMEs lose everything over something that could’ve been prevented with the right cover. Accessibility is the main issue here I wanted to change that. I wanted to build something simple, digital, and accessible. A platform that speaks the same language as the entrepreneur in their first year, the freelancer working from home, or the startup trying to scale. Entresure was built for them. For us," he said.
His company is a digital-first business insurance intermediary.
"This means we don’t just sell policies, we simplify the entire process for small businesses. No paperwork, no call centres, no back-and-forth with brokers, no hidden fine print. It’s all online, fast, and tailored to what your business actually needs. You answer a few questions about your business, and we generate a quote that suits your setup, whether you're a content creator, a hair salon, a transport company, or a startup," Mlondobuzi said.
He said that his company offers insurance cover to small businesses for liability insurance, business interruption, asset cover, professional indemnity and cybersecurity cover.
"When you’re insured, you can take risks. You can focus on growing your business knowing you’re protected. That’s what Entresure is here to offer, not just insurance, but real protection that empowers your hustle," Mlondobuzi added.
Based in the bustling city of Johannesburg, Mlondobuzi said his roots go back to a small town in Limpopo, Tzaneen.
"That’s where everything started for me, it’s where I was exposed to the value of hard work and the deep impact that small businesses have on local communities. Growing up around entrepreneurs and small business owners, I saw first-hand how SMMEs are the heartbeat of our economy. They might not always get the spotlight, but they’re doing the heavy lifting: creating jobs, feeding families, and driving local development. That’s why I’ve always felt it’s important to recognise, protect, and advocate for small businesses," he said.
Having worked in the industry for the past nine years, he previously focused and specialised in commercial, public sector, and engineering insurance.
"My journey started in the family business, where I spent time learning the ropes at my father’s insurance brokerages and intermediary firms. I didn’t just observe, I was on the ground, shadowing everyone from the front desk to underwriting and claims teams. That experience taught me the inner workings of the industry and what it really takes to keep an insurance business running," he said.
"It gave me a well-rounded understanding of how each role contributes to the bigger picture and more importantly, how those processes affect real clients on the other side of the policy. That hands-on exposure shaped the way I now approach building solutions at Entresure."
"Most SMMEs don’t avoid insurance because they don’t care, they avoid it because it’s always felt complicated, expensive, and out of reach. When you’re hustling to keep your doors open, insurance can feel like a “nice-to-have”, until something happens and you realise just how critical it is. A break-in, a fire, a client claim, that one unexpected moment can cost you everything," Mlondobuzi said.
"That’s exactly what we’re changing at Entresure. We’re making insurance simple, transparent, and accessible. We give clients access to comprehensive business insurance cover from just a few hundred rands, and we meet entrepreneurs where they are, whether that’s online, on WhatsApp, or in their community,"Mlondobuzi further added.
BUSINESS REPORT