Local businessman Dr Richard John Pelwana Maponya died early on Monday morning after a short illness.
He was 99 years old, reports EWN.
The Limpopo-born entrepreneur, often referred to as “the father of black retail”, co-developed Soweto’s Maponya Mall in 2007.
Family spokesperson Mandla Sibeko confirmed the news to iReport SA News.
The business legend was born on December 24, at Lenyenye in what is now Limpopo province.
He trained as a teacher before starting small grocery stores in Soweto in the early 1950s, which led to various businesses including a butchery, liquor stores and supermarket, car dealership and filling station. The most visible sign of his success is his 65,000m² Maponya Mall in Soweto. In 2007, former president Nelson Mandela cut the ribbon at the opening of the landmark township development.