Phillip Tinyiko Mhlanga — or PT for short, because even his name needed a shortcut — was born in the humble Matsavana Village at Agincourt, Bushbuck ridge, Mpumalanga. From day one, destiny clearly had him penciled in for greatness... or at least a very busy CV.
Raised by both his parents until they divorced while he was still young, PT quickly learned that life comes with plot twists. He kicked off his academic journey at Matsavana Primary, then leveled up to Muzila High School,
before finally unlocking the Grade 11 and Matric achievement badges at Ndlamakhhosi High — a school so far away (35 km!) it probably felt like a marathon just to get there.
After conquering matric, PT marched off to the University of the North (now University of Limpopo) to bag his LLB degree. With his law books still warm, he briefly swapped suits for aprons, serving tables at the Sheraton Hotel in Pretoria. Rumor has it he was the only waiter who could recite constitutional law while balancing a tray of drinks.
Next stop: Witbank, where he did his clerkship with the Legal Aid Board. After ticking that box, he joined Mohube Setsoalo Attorneys in Middelburg, got admitted as a practicing attorney, and in 2006 launched his own law firm in Johannesburg — PT Mhlanga Incorporated. But PT wasn’t just about law; business was in his DNA. Inspired by his entrepreneurial father, he dabbled in ventures like taverns and hardware stores. Then came the childhood dream: running a funeral business. In 2009, PT Mhlanga Funeral Services was born — because why not add “funeral mogul” to the résumé? By 2016, he pressed pause on law to focus on growing the business, which now boasts 21 branches across Mpumalanga and Gauteng.
And just when you thought he’d retired his lawyer’s robe In 2024, Mr. Mhlanga re-established his law firm in Pretoria, while simultaneously reviving his music studio “PT MHLANGA MEDIA HOUSE” and launching and agricultural venture “ PT MHLANGA FARMING” in Kriel.
These strategic undertakings reflect his commitment to diversification and his vision of building sustainable enterprises across multiple sectors.
