Makungu Obed Baloyi is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of BAMA Event Management (BEM), a multi-service business operating across event services, construction, and cleaning. His journey into entrepreneurship is rooted not in privilege, but in resilience, lived experience, and a lifelong determination to create opportunities—not only for himself, but for others.

Although Makungu studied Event Management with Oxbridge Academy, financial challenges prevented him from completing his certification. However, this did not stop him. Instead, he relied on practical experience, self-learning, and passion to build deep knowledge of the events industry—knowledge that ultimately led him to establish his own company.

A Passion for Business Born from Adversity

Makungu grew up in a household shaped by hardship after losing his father at an early age. His mother, unemployed at the time, became the sole provider and supported the family through small village businesses such as selling vegetables, fruits, and chickens. Watching her hustle to ensure the family survived left a lasting impression.

Inspired by her resilience, Makungu developed a passion for business from a young age. From primary school through high school, he sold sweets to fellow learners, unknowingly laying the foundation for the entrepreneur he would later become. These early experiences shaped his mindset and confirmed his desire to one day become a businessman.

About BAMA Event Management

BAMA Event Management is a versatile and growing enterprise offering services in three key sectors:

Event Services

• Wedding planning
• Event organising
• Stage management
• Trips and travel organising
• Catering services
• Event décor

The company also supplies event equipment such as:

• Stages
• Sound systems
• Lighting
• Barrier fencing

Construction Services

• Building
• Painting
• Ceiling installation
• Tiling
• Paving
• Renovations

Cleaning Services

• Office cleaning
• Post-event cleaning
• Residential cleaning
• Window and yard cleaning
• House cleaning
• Mopping and vacuuming
• Supply of cleaning products

This diversified model allows the business to remain operational year-round, even during off-season periods in the events industry.

A Business Built on Service and Excellence

Makungu understands that events—especially weddings—can be stressful and overwhelming. BAMA Event Management exists to remove that burden, allowing clients to enjoy their special moments while the team handles every detail professionally.

In construction, the company focuses on delivering exactly what the client envisions, with excellence and attention to detail. In cleaning, BAMA believes no one deserves to live or work in a dirty environment. Their promise is simple: to leave every space spotless, without a single trace of dirt.

Inspiration and Motivation

Makungu draws inspiration from the book The Mind of a Businessman by Harold Dickson, which helped shape his thinking around leadership, discipline, and strategic decision-making.

His motivation for entrepreneurship has always been clear: he never wanted to work for someone else. Instead, his dream has been to create employment and provide opportunities for many people, especially in a country facing high unemployment rates.

Challenges Along the Way

Like many entrepreneurs, Makungu faced early challenges—particularly around capital and pricing. At the beginning, he struggled to understand the true value of his services, often underpricing his work. Offering friends low prices became one of the biggest lessons in his journey, teaching him the importance of valuing his business and understanding his target market.

Through experience, he learned that pricing, positioning, and location must align with the type of clients a business wants to serve.

Growth Through Adaptation

A turning point came when BAMA was given the opportunity to run a construction tender, despite originally focusing only on events. This opportunity opened Makungu’s eyes to the importance of diversification. By navigating the construction industry, the business identified gaps it could fill, strengthening its sustainability.

This experience reinforced a powerful lesson: sometimes running multiple business streams is necessary to survive and grow—especially when one industry is seasonal.

Vision for the Future

Makungu’s vision is to expand BAMA Event Management across the industries it currently operates in, acquire more equipment and resources, and actively contribute to reducing unemployment in South Africa. Beyond this, he aspires to grow into property ownership, further strengthening his business portfolio.

What Keeps Him Going

Makungu is motivated by himself and his family. Their sacrifices, support, and belief in him drive his determination to lead BAMA Event Management toward long-term success.

Advice to Aspiring Entrepreneurs

His advice is direct and hard-earned:

“Know and understand the value of your business. Learn how to price your services properly. We made mistakes by underpricing—and those lessons are expensive.”

He also emphasizes understanding your target market and ensuring your business location and offerings align with that market.

See BAMA in Action

@use5774308354626

Principles and Decision-Making

While Makungu believes that “rules are sometimes made to be broken,” he applies this mindset carefully. Any deviation from the norm must benefit the business and not cause long-term harm. When it doesn’t, BAMA remains firmly guided by its core values.

Get in Touch