NOLS KOTZE
Executive Chairman of Kotzé Group, a second-generation, family-owned South African investment group, founded in 1986.
We are asset owners and business builders. For four decades we have invested our own balance sheet, beginning in land and real estate development, and progressively building operating and investment positions across agriculture, water and sewer infrastructure, industrial businesses and energy, which is today our primary focus. We invest as principals in businesses we help build, and as LPs alongside managers we trust.
Building is what I do: businesses, companies, projects, teams. I am a disciple of the Theory of Constraints: find the bottleneck, fix it, move to the next one. It has shaped how we run everything from farms to developments to investment platforms.
I see opportunities everywhere, I just have too little time.
Forty years in, the principles haven’t changed: a long-term view, patient capital, alignment before returns, focus on the people, keep it simple and do big things.
BSc Property Studies (UCT) | MBA (GIBS)
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The Legacy of
KJA Group
My parents, Nols Kotze Snr and Tersia Kotze, founded KJA Group in 1986, pioneering development marketing in South Africa. With no property experience but a strong marketing background, my father and mother built a thriving business together, setting the foundation for the company’s continued success.
1986
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University
Freedom
I began university in 2005, stepping out of Johannesburg into the world of independence. It was a time of immense personal growth, though I must admit, studying took a backseat to embracing newfound freedom and life experiences.
2005
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2008
our wedding
Walking into our wedding reception on December 13, 2014, after marrying the love of my life, Candice Kotze, was a dream come true. We met in Plettenberg Bay, knowing from the start we were destined to be together—and fittingly, we tied the knot at our favourite restaurant Enrico’s on Keurbooms Beach, where it all began.
2014
Becoming a Father
The birth of our daughter Julia was the most profound event in my life. Becoming a father shifted my perspective—instantly understanding that her well-being is more important than my own. It gave life deeper meaning and purpose.
2016
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A Son’s Birth
and Legacy
The birth of our son, Nols Kotze III, was extraordinary, sharing not only my name but also my birthday, January 20th. Knowing he continues the family legacy is an incredible blessing. We thank God every day for the joy our two children bring.
2018
maloney's eye
cherry farm
As the founder and chairman of Maloney’s Eye Cherry Farm in Magaliesburg, South Africa, I am proud to oversee one of the few farms globally producing cherries in early October. Planted in 2018, our cherries mark the start of the Southern Hemisphere season, offering a rare and exclusive harvest.
2018
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The Birth of
Carnivore Capital
A financial services company came for sale in 2018. I saw it met our criteria and we seized the opportunity to acquire it. We're branding it as Carnivore Capital. Carnivore Capital reflects who I am—bold, unapologetic, and true to my nature.
2018
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kja group
I joined KJA Group in 2008, working under my father, who always said, “Sometimes when you get to a brick wall, you can’t go around it—you bash your head against it until it breaks.” Taking over in 2012 was tough but life-changing, grounding me and shaping the leader I am today.
2024