Building dreams with faith and purpose

When David Sussman appeared on the screen from Israel to accept the Investec Business Icon Award at this year’s Investec Jewish Achiever Awards, the audience erupted in applause. “I didn’t expect this award,” he said, “I’m so grateful. We [the Jewish community] have always punched above our weight.” 

Sussman, the legendary founder of the JD Group, spoke not as a titan of retail, but as a humble South African. In the tribute video he recalled the beginning of his career, “I landed up in the Joshua Doore Boksburg warehouse. I was assistant to the receiving clerk. Every Saturday – I didn’t have to but I wanted to – I was on the showroom floor.” 

The busy showroom, he said, inspired his love of retail and the passion and perseverance that built his career. In a couple of years, he became second in command in the Joshua Doore Group. His friend, Motty Sacks, himself a titan in business in South Africa, described Sussman as “a rare individual” who “led with vision, strength, and an unshakeable moral foundation”. 

Sussman recounted taking over Joshua Doore from Mervyn King, and how he dismissed King’s concerns by telling him, “Joshua Doore is in my DNA. I promise you, I’ll turn it around”. 

At 77, Sussman remains characteristically forward-looking. Those close to him say that he is still dreaming, still mentoring, still believing. Sacks described Sussman as confident and optimistic. 

Beyond business, Sussman’s philanthropy, particularly in education, speaks to his moral compass. In 1985, disturbed by the inequities of “Bantu education”, he opened a school near Soweto called The Freedom Centre that grew into a beacon of empowerment. He has since supported numerous projects aimed at skills development and literacy. 

This project resulted in a call from former president Nelson Mandela asking him to build a school in Pongola, a town in KwaZulu-Natal. During the call, Sussman had the chutzpah to ask Mandela to write a note to his son and daughter-in-law who were about to get married. Mandela not only wrote the note, he also made a speech – at the wedding. 

In November 2013, his wife, Roz, was diagnosed with Neuromyelitis Optica. Realising that her care would require his full attention, he chose to retire so he could take care of her. “Today, thankfully, my wife is as fiery as she ever was. We’ve been married for 54 years, and have four grandchildren. We love being in South Africa. The Johannesburg that we live in, we love.” 

Senior counsel Arnold Subel congratulated Sussman on the award, saying that he truly deserved it. In his acceptance speech, Sussman thanked Sacks and Subel for their kind words, describing them as icons in their own right. 

Even in retirement, Sussman’s presence looms large in South African business circles. Those who know him describe an entrepreneur who valued people over profit, and saw growth not just in numbers, but in the lives transformed along the way. 

Sussman’s affection for his homeland and community shone through in his speech. “We admire the South African Jewish community. We love being in Israel, and we love being in South Africa just as much. G-d bless you all, and G-d bless South Africa!” he said.