Benchmark International successfully facilitated the sale of a strategic stake in Edge Growth to Knowledge Pele and Bayakha Infrastructure Partners

Benchmark International is proud to announce the successful sale of a significant minority (30%) in Edge Growth to Knowledge Pele (Pty) Ltd and Bayakha Investment Holdings (Pty) Ltd.

Edge Growth is a leading SME Development Specialist and Venture Fund Manager, specialising in developing small businesses and creating jobs and real transformation by connecting corporates and entrepreneurs, growing SMEs by addressing their key constraints: Access to finance, markets and skills.

Knowledge Pele is the leading social research firm with respect to South Africa’s energy communities. This is based on qualitative and quantitative research conducted in all provinces of SA, spanning a 5-year period with over 4,000 participants. Although its client base includes the mining sector, CSI departments and academia, Knowledge Pele’s primary focus is to design innovative solutions to sustainably grow the economies of energy communities.

Bayakha is an advisory and specialist private markets fund manager,  operating in the infrastructure, private equity and venture capitalist sectors.

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Dan Hatfield CEO of Edge Growth commented “This strategic transaction took almost two years to bring to fruition, and it simply would not have been possible without the persistence, attention to detail, and sensitivity shown by our transaction advisor, John Loubser from Benchmark International. John’s ability to combine technical excellence with exceptional EQ played a pivotal role in navigating the complexities of the deal. It is in no small part thanks to his dedication and skill that we were able to successfully close this transaction”. 

“This is a strategic partnership grounded in an alignment; on values, on a long-term vision, and on the role, capital must play in driving inclusive growth,” said Ngoku-Sakhile Mazwi, CEO of Bayakha Infrastructure Partners, who joins the Edge Growth Board as part of the transaction. “Together with Edge and Knowledge Pele, we are building a next-generation verifiable impact investment firm that is authentically South African, deeply operational, and institutionally ready to deploy transformative venture capital at scale.”

“For over a decade, we’ve been building inclusive economies in historically excluded communities,” said Fumani Mthembi, Sustainability Director at Pele Energy Group, the parent company of Knowledge Pele. “Our investment in Edge Growth allows us to institutionalise our work, ensuring that development practice and capital allocation are deeply integrated.”

John Loubser, Transaction Leader at Benchmark International, added: "It was a privilege to advise Edge Growth on this landmark transaction. This partnership between Edge, Knowledge Pele, and Bayakha Infrastructure Partners brings together complementary strengths in impact investment, infrastructure fund management, and community-based development. The result is a uniquely African platform with the capacity to scale transformative investment, deepen SME development, and meaningfully advance inclusive growth across the continent."

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