The World Cup-winning Springbok captain who became CEO of a security company with 9,000 employees
John Smit has seen his career move from playing professional rugby to becoming a security CEO, which is a path that is more common than one might expect.
Smit was born in Pietersburg, modern-day Polokwane, in 1978. He would go on to study at Fields Primary School in Rustenburg. His family would move around as his father worked as an engineer at the mines.
His family wanted stability and decided to put Smit in Pretoria Boys’ High, given the school’s central location, where he would go on to become head prefect.
He initially wanted to become a tennis player. However, when he was in standard nine (grade 11), a successful Craven Week and World Cup hysteria led him to pursue rugby.
He also attended the University of Natal, which has now been integrated into the University of KwaZulu-Natal, for his tertiary education.
He would go on to play for the Durban-based Sharks and make his international debut at 22 in 2000 against Canada.
He would appear in a record 46 consecutive test matches between 2003 and 2007. After being named captain in 2004, he would go on to lead the nation to the World Cup trophy in 2007.
He would also lead the nation to a 2-1 series victory over the British & Irish Lions in 2009 and win the Tri-Nations crown that same year.
He would retire from the Springboks in 2011 as the most capped Springbok in history with 111 caps, a record 83 times as captain.
The record would be broken several times, with Eben Etzebeth currently the most-capped Springbok.
In 2011, he would also move from the Sharks to the UK-based Saracens for the final two years of his playing career, where he would win a title.
He would return to the Sharks in a corporate role, becoming CEO of the Sharks rugby franchise from July 2013 until 2016.
He was elected to the South African Rugby Union (SARU) as a players’ representative in April 2018.
Smit is also highly involved in philanthropic endeavours, including his own foundation, the Barney Army, which aims to support vulnerable children, abused youth, and injured rugby players.
He has also signed several brand partnerships, including a recent partnership with Hyundai Automotive South Africa.
Move to SSG
Smit joined Gauteng-based SSG Holdings in February 2019 and was promoted to CEO, overseeing 9,000 employees.
“Being a natural leader, John quickly gained the respect and trust of the SSG team and has aligned the company for sustainable and responsible growth through an innovative and clear-cut strategy,” said SSG.
The company was created in early 2014 to develop commercially viable security, facilities management, and cleaning services for the South African market.
Fidelity Services Group, Southern Africa’s leading provider of integrated services and risk services, acquired a majority stake in SSG in 2025.
The deal expanded Fidelity’s footprint to more than 256 locations and grew its workforce to about 69,200 employees across Southern Africa.
Notably, Fidelity is also led by a former Springbok in Wahl Bartmann, who is the Group CEO. Bartmann played for the Springboks in the 1980s and 1990s.
“This deal strengthens Fidelity’s leadership in commercial integrated security, cleaning, and facilities management,” said Bartmann.
“Welcoming SSG’s experienced leadership and committed team to the Fidelity family is completely aligned with our continued focus on operational excellence and innovation.”
Smit echoed similar sentiments, noting that the company was excited by the opportunities this partnership presents to our customers, stakeholders, and employees.
“Fidelity’s diverse expertise and deep resources will allow us to elevate our services even further, while remaining true to our commitment to service excellence,” said Smit.
“We are immensely proud of what the SSG team has built and confident that this partnership provides the right foundation for our future growth.”
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