Sponsored: SBD leads tech transformation to bolster service delivery
From humble beginnings, HP’s 2024 Managed Print Services Partner of the Year, SBD Business Systems PTY Ltd (SBD), has evolved into a leading provider of turnkey solutions in print, electronic document management, physical communications infrastructure, digitisation, and more.
01 June 2025
What began as a small startup in 2015 has grown into a transformative force in public sector service delivery. SBD Business Systems (SBD), an HP Managed Print Services (MPS) partner, started with no funding or surplus capital, only deep technical expertise and a vision to revolutionise how government departments operate. While many tech startups struggle to find their footing, SBD has defied the odds. As one of the few truly black-owned printing and technology specialists in South Africa, its growth has been fuelled by strategic discipline, market insight, and a relentless focus on delivering impact.
“Our initial mandate was clear: move government from outdated legacy systems to cutting-edge technology,” says Rolf Wolhuter, Managing Director at SBD. “We wanted to bring public sector operations up to the level of private sector performance.”
Bridging the divide
SBD’s deep-rooted understanding of public sector challenges comes from lived experience.
Group CEO Themba Ndhlovu spent over two decades in senior management at both national and provincial government levels. He witnessed firsthand how inefficiencies, from not maximising the transformative power of technology, poor management, lack of technical skills and competencies, lead to fragmentation and impede service delivery.
His perspective on the country’s development gap is stark: “South Africa has two economic tracks, one where government is nearly two decades behind in technology adoption and innovation, and another where the private sector competes globally.”
SBD’s mission is to bridge this divide by offering a platform to facilitate collaboration between small and large enterprises.
“There’s a disconnect between the public and private sectors, and even between big business and the Small, Micro and Medium Enterprises (SMMEs), with each operating in silos and in competition against the other,” says Ndhlovu. “We aim to create mutually beneficial growth through integration and partnership.”
With a comprehensive offering of turnkey solutions and the backing of HP’s robust solution portfolio, SBD locates its initiative within the government’s District Development Model. The goal is to provide custom-made solutions that streamline and coordinate service delivery through smart, scalable technology.
Looking ahead, SBD is eyeing investment in emerging technologies, including Electronic Document Management Systems (EDMS), the digitisation of learning, audio-visual communications infrastructure and drone technology. These innovations will further bolster its capacity to support government in the pursuit of its priority of building a capable, ethical and developmental state.
As HP’s 2024 MPS Partner of the Year, SBD exemplifies how local expertise, global partnerships, and a bold vision can deliver transformative impact.
Ms Bronwyn Redman
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