Lusapho Mgweba

Lusapho is a senior executive with nearly 29 years of leadership in the hospitality, resort and real estate sectors, and a serving Director on the Newtown Improvement District Board. He has held Head of Department roles across Front Office, Housekeeping, Food & Beverage and Security, and has personally compiled and submitted hotel budgets to head office for the past three years. As a General Manager he creates outstanding experiences for those he serves — leading holistically from the front across operations, maintenance, security, food & beverage and budgeting.

He has built a strong professional network that enables him to source business directly from organisers and agencies. He has worked for both South African and international hotel groups, and as Marketing Director on the Newtown Improvement District Board positioned Johannesburg as a global tourism destination leveraging the Newtown Cultural Precinct. He is driven by service excellence, revenue growth and guest satisfaction — conducting site visits with travel agencies, government entities, corporate representatives and festival organisers that lifted hotel occupancy above 40% average room rate.

Results-orientated and multidisciplinary, Lusapho brings vision, proven leadership and an entrepreneurial spirit. He is organised, disciplined and articulate at all levels, and actively seeks systems innovation with a strong focus on return on revenue.

General Manager - Seasons Golf Leisure & Spa Resort by Touchdown

(2025-07)

Direct report to the Chairman, CEO and Board of Directors. Interim General Manager responsible for Policies & Procedures, resort turn-around strategy and improved service standards — training all Food & Beverage staff on 5-star service.

• Introduced a new revenue stream: Halfway delivery application to Eco Estate homeowners, lifting Food & Beverage revenues and improving food cost.
• Provided strategic and operational leadership across all departments and their Heads of Department.
• Managed a staff complement of 210.
• Set departmental targets to drive improved revenue streams and efficiencies.
• Launched the Halfway Delivery App for 600 resort guests, golf club patrons and estate homeowners.
• Chaired the Estate Homeowners Association.
• Drove guest satisfaction across all touchpoints.

General Manager - City Lodge Hotel Newtown

(2015-11 - 2025-07)

148-room hotel with 30 staff members; facilities include a restaurant, gym and function venues hosting 220 guests.

• Compiling of budgets — capex expenditure 2024/25, 2023/24, 2022/23.
• General expense budgets 2024/25, 2023/24, 2022/23.
• Head of Department Health & Safety Committee, Employment Equity and Fire Drill.
• Chairing monthly and quarterly Service Level Agreement meetings.
• Ensured smooth running across all departments — front office, group & individual reservations, food & beverage, marketing, housekeeping, maintenance and security.
• Managed a staff complement of 50 Front of House.
• In charge of staff, budget and month-end.
• Provided IT assistance and concierge duties as required.
• Introduced a highly profitable steak dish into the hotel menu.
• Daily supervision of staff; mid-month and month-end reconciliations.
• Supplier management and beverage stock control; compiled trading summaries at month and year end.
• General running of the department including scheduling, stock take & control, stock ordering and purchase orders.
• Mid and month-end reports; liaising with suppliers, the Group Directors and JC Security.
• Negotiated and maintained service level agreements with contractor companies.
• Corporates: First National Bank, Standard Bank, ABSA & Nedbank.
• Travel agents: CCMA.
• Events: South African Book Fair, Back to the City Hip Hop International Festival, Constitution Hill, Johannesburg Children's, French Music Festival, Africa Rising Film Festival.
• Lodgix system, Point of Sale, City Lodge standards, policies & procedures, induction, labour relations, grow sessions, e-learning platform oversight and guest mystery shopper programme.
• Students from University of Johannesburg and University of Mpumalanga.

Marketing Director & Member of the Board - Newtown Improvement District

(2018)

NPO — volunteering role (ongoing)

• Head of Marketing — rebranding the Newtown Precinct, Johannesburg to a global audience for tourism as an arts, culture and innovation hub.
• Drafted the marketing strategy document for the precinct.
• Engaged with business and government stakeholders including the Mayor of Johannesburg, Johannesburg Development Agency and Shot' Left Tourism.

Senior Assistant General Manager - Road Lodge Hotel (Rustenburg, Centurion, Southgate) — City Lodge Group

(2021-07 - 2021-08)

COVID-19 period stretch assignment assisting at sister hotels within the City Lodge group, deployed wherever needed to generate revenue.

Front of Office Late Duty Manager & Reservations - Capital Moloko Executive Apartments

(2014-12 - 2015-10)

Front of office late duty management and reservations.

Night Audit Duty & Operations Manager - Standard Bank Global Leadership Centre

(2013-04 - 2014-11)

Operations management of rooms, restaurant and conference facilities, including night audit duty.

Night Audit Operations Manager - The Saxon Boutique Hotel, Villas & Spa

(2011-04 - 2013-05)

• Operations of the night audit processes for the hotel, villas, spa and conferencing.
• Management of staff; drafted the Night Audit Manual.

Revenue Management - Shambala Game Reserve (owned by Saxon)

(2011 - 2011)

Dual employment with Saxon — completed project.

• Revenue management; drafted the Night Audit Manual for the hotel.

Sales & Training Manager - PI Direct (affiliated to Innovage International)

(2010 - 2011)

Headhunted to move back into the hospitality industry.

• Sales and training management.

Night Audit Manager - Radisson Blu Hotels (214 rooms)

(2009 - 2011)

Marketing opportunity presented and sought to upskill.

• Operations of the night audit process and management of staff.
• Drafted the Night Audit Manual and trained staff at both Radisson and Park Inn hotels.

Assistant Night Manager & Internal Night Auditor / Reception - Protea Hotels

(2006 - 2009)

Accepted a more senior position at Radisson Blu Hotels.

• Assistant night management, internal night auditing and reception duties.

Performer / Facilitator - Arepp: Theatre for Life

(2004 - 2004)

Project completed.

• Performance at primary schools in the Western and Eastern Cape provinces.

Night Auditor - Cape Grace

(1999 - 2000)

Accepted a more senior position at Radisson Blu Hotels.

• Night audit duties at a luxury hotel.

Graduate Advanced Diploma - Hospitality Management - City of Guilds of the United Kingdom (2019)

Programme for Management Development - Management Development - University of Pretoria GIBS (2009)

New Managers Programme Certificate - Management - UCT Graduate School of Business (2007)

Licentiate in Drama - Drama - Waterfront Theatre School / Trinity College of London (2003)

Matric - National Senior Certificate - Camps Bay High School (1997)