Kefilwe Mabote takes on luxury lifestyle with The APEX Club

For years, Kefilwe Mabote has been a familiar face in South Africa’s fashion, beauty and luxury lifestyle spaces, building a personal brand through high-profile partnerships and an aspirational online presence.

But the influencer-turned-entrepreneur is now looking beyond brand endorsements, setting her sights on building a luxury lifestyle business that brings together motorsport, hospitality and premium experiences.

Her latest venture, The APEX Club, marks a new chapter in that ambition. Founded under her automotive business, Kefi Wheel Torque, The APEX Club aims to introduce a more immersive approach to motorsport hospitality, bringing together racing, fashion, food, music and networking.

The concept was launched at Kyalami, one of South Africa’s most recognisable motorsport venues, against the backdrop of the South African Endurance Series’ Nine Hours race.

For Mabote, the idea was born from observing the enthusiasm surrounding her Kefi Wheel Torque Breakfast Runs, which have hosted seven editions. She says the events showed her that the country’s automotive community wanted more than simply admiring cars from a distance.

“Motorsport is the ultimate expression of that passion, yet in South Africa it has mostly been experienced from the grandstand,” she says.

Having watched how international racing weekends combine sport with fashion and hospitality, Mabote wanted to bring that atmosphere to South Africa with what she describes as a proudly African interpretation of luxury.

Mabote told Sunday World that the venture represents her desire to move from helping other brands tell their stories to building something she can own.

“There comes a point where you realise you have spent years helping other brands tell their stories, and you start asking which story you want to own,” she says.

While brand partnerships helped establish her profile, she believes entrepreneurship offers an opportunity to create lasting value through experiences, employment, partnerships and community building.

Her approach also challenges the perception that an influencer’s involvement in luxury automatically translates into a sustainable business. For Mabote, there is a significant difference between presenting an aspirational lifestyle and creating a commercially viable operation.

Also Read: I don’t mind sinking this ship with all of us on it – Kefilwe Mabote

Kefi Wheel Torque, she says, operates as a registered company with a team, systems and business partners, with every experience expected to make commercial sense.

“Some of the most important work happens far away from the camera, in budgets, contracts and planning meetings. The lifestyle is the face of it, but the business is the engine,” she says.

Organising an event such as The APEX Club requires months of preparation, substantial financial investment and coordination between numerous suppliers and service providers.

From production, decor and catering to security, medical teams, accreditation and content creation, Mabote says the scale of the operation is often underestimated.

She also believes the right partnerships are essential, particularly when building a new concept that requires long-term support rather than brands simply seeking visibility.

The APEX Club is intended to become the hospitality arm of Kefi Wheel Torque, with plans for a continued collaboration with the South African Endurance Series and a broader 2027 calendar of automotive experiences.

Among the planned initiatives are additional Breakfast Runs, a community-focused event supporting schools in Soweto, and a Women’s Run during Women’s Month.

In the longer term, Mabote hopes to establish The APEX Club as a recognised name in premium hospitality, extending beyond motorsport into other major lifestyle and sporting occasions.

However, building in the automotive and motorsport industries has not been without challenges.

As a woman entering a traditionally male-dominated environment, Mabote says she has had to contend with being underestimated, particularly because of her background in the influencer industry.

“When you come from the influencer space, people sometimes assume you are there for the pictures rather than the business, and in a male-dominated industry like motorsport, you can find yourself earning your seat at the table twice,” she says.

Access to capital is another obstacle she identifies for women-led businesses, particularly those pursuing ambitious ventures in emerging markets.

She credits the importance of building relationships with women who are also pushing boundaries in the industry, including South African Endurance Series CEO Liyema Letlaka.

Beyond the business, Mabote’s understanding of luxury has also evolved. While designer fashion, expensive cars and exclusive experiences remain part of the lifestyle she enjoys, she says her definition of luxury now centres on something less tangible.

“Today, luxury means time, peace and the freedom to choose how I live and where I spend my energy,” she says.

She also believes South Africa has the potential to develop its own premium experiences instead of relying on international luxury concepts.

With consumers increasingly interested in experiences that offer a sense of belonging, exclusivity and memorable occasions, she sees opportunities for local hospitality businesses, creatives, chefs, designers and emerging entrepreneurs.

“We do not have to import luxury. We can create it here and share it with the world,” she says.

Ultimately, Mabote wants to build an African luxury lifestyle business recognised for its substance as much as its style.

Through the Kefilwe Mabote Foundation and initiatives aimed at opening doors for young people and women, she also hopes to use her growing platform to create opportunities beyond the world of luxury experiences.

Also Read: Influencer Kefilwe Mabote ties the knot again, keeps husband’s identity secret

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