Board of Directors

My association with racing is partly attributable to my student days “pencilling” for a bookmaker, then a brief stint as a bookmaker, being closely associated with my cousin Clive’s racing interests and then more laterally as a racehorse owner.
As a director of the RA, I hope to bring to bear my extensive executive management, skills and business experience to help foster accountability, governance, transformation and sound business practices within the RA for the benefit of all its stakeholders and the racing industry as a whole. In working with the CEO alongside with my fellow directors and other players in the industry, I expect to contribute to the sustainability of horse racing in the country, while at the same time helping improve the experience for all RA members and other key participants.

Jessica Motaung is an accomplished sports marketing and events industry leader and a household name in South African football, who is now firmly establishing herself in the horseracing industry as a burgeoning racehorse owner.
Arguably the most influential woman in South African football, Jessica is the Marketing and Commercial Director of Kaizer Chiefs, the largest and most successful soccer club in South Africa.
She has been an integral part of the legacy that has built the Kaizer Chiefs brand into the iconic status it enjoys today as a successful juggernaut both on and off the field.
She is constantly stepping outside of her comfort zone by challenging the status quo. In doing so, she has once again broken barriers with her new passion for the elegant and refined sport of horseracing. A member of The Racehorse Owners Association, she has investments and shares in three racehorses on the South African horseracing circuit, viz Lady Zultanite, Brave Viking and Harold The Duke. Jessica was approached to come on to the Board of the Racehorse Owners Association and we are pleased to announce that she has accepted the nomination.
Jessica is a long-serving member of the Kaizer Chiefs Board of Directors and her responsibilities as the club’s Marketing and Commercial Director include overall marketing, commercial affairs, business development, event co-ordination, sponsor relationship management and directing the various departments in her portfolio. These include the club’s communications, brand, sponsorship, digital, retail, publishing, legacy, supporters, and commercial division.
Jessica forged her career as the owner and manager of a successful production company that hosted numerous top local and international events.
She has been instrumental in fulfilling Kaizer Chiefs’ vision to become a globally recognised brand, while bringing new focus and value to the club’s millions of loyal fans in South Africa.
Jessica serves as a member of the Premier Soccer League Board of Governors and on the Compliance Committee as well as on the PSL Adhoc Commercial Committee. She has also served on the Board of Tennis South Africa and most recently has been appointed as a member of the Confederation of African Football’s Organising Committee for Women’s Football.
With more than 20 years of professional experience in business, ranging from retail to TV production and from direct marketing to executive directorships, Jessica is a consummate professional and a natural leader.
She is a creative thinker who loves to read and discuss new ideas and strategy. She is passionate about getting South Africa to read. Jessica has a highly developed and instinctual communication ability and radiates a truly unique charisma. Her positive attitude and sense of humour makes her not only a role model to a whole generation of women, but she inspires greatness in all that meet her.

Passion for racing via family from young age.
Uncle Natie Kotzen was a jockey/trainer, Late cousin Grant Kotzen was a jockey ,cousins Glen and Nathan Kotzen and wife Sharon Kotzen are trainers.
Have been in the corporate world my entire career, Academic achievement NQF Level 7, now retired as senior manager from the DCD group.
Currently assisting SKR as racing manager, and a trustee at our complex.

Racing Highlights

1) 2008: My 1st Winner as a Owner: Shipwreck: Trained by by cousin Glen Kotzen
2) 2015: Have a runner in the S A Derby: Save The Rhino: Trained by Mr Ormond Ferraris. The winner that year the Amazing Legal Eagle.
3) 2018: Wining My first listed Race. Just Chaos: the Racing Association Stakes. Trained by my Wife Sharon Kotzen (SKR)

Proposed plan as Board Member: see younger people being brought into the racing game and to ensure more transparency and confidence in the racing industry. Looking after the needs and the interest of All the Owners involved in East Cape Racing.

Qualifications – BA LLB LLM (Masters in Media Law) Studies were at University of Port Elizabeth and Masters Degree at Wits University. I also studied journalism at Rhodes University as part of my BA

Admitted Attorney of the High Court of RSA, practising in commercial law as Mogul Consulting since 2007. This practice deals primarily with mergers & acquisitions and provides legal advice to bouquet of SMEs and large companies in South Africa and internationally. We have a full company secretarial service in South Africa and work with various well-known CEOs and directors of companies in the technology, manufacturing, sports, property, mining and others.

Shareholder and Director of Mogul Equine (Pty) Ltd, which supplies equine equipment including compression hoods and related items for the benefit of horses.

Shareholder and Director of USA Delaware tech company which focuses on payment processing

Racehorse owner holding shares in various horses. In total our family owns 14 horses.

Passion – my family and my equine family.

Goals in relation to RA – to bring balance

Garth completed a B.COMM LLB at the University of the Witwatersrand in 1993, and
joined FTSE 100 listed CPG company Kimberly-Clark, holding numerous senior
management and executive positions in South Africa and the United Kingdom, with
responsibilities across the Middle East, Eastern Europe and Africa (MEA) region,
culminating in the Managing Director role for sub-Saharan Africa from 2008-2013.He
contested the 2014 South African national general election with a newly formed
political party, Agang-SA, winning two seats in the National Assembly.

Garth subsequently joined the Ethos Private Equity Group in 2014, completing the
acquisition of a number of CPG companies and successfully leading to the
establishment, integration and operation of the Twinsaver Group. He has recently
completed a 3-year contract as Group Chief Executive Officer.

He is a former Board member of the South African American Chamber of
Commerce (AmCham), Vice-chair of the South African Paper Manufacturers
Association (PAMSA) and current Board member of the South African Institute
of Race Relations (SAIRR).

Garth has been a member of the Racing Association for over a decade and has
horses in training with the Sean Tarry yard.

Natalie Turner joined the RA in 2009 after completing her articles and holds a B. Com degree in Financial Accounting. She managed Finance, HR and Administration until her appointment as CEO in July 2020. In addition, she oversees the transformation projects of The Thoroughbred Horse Racing Trust which include the Work Riders Programme on the Highveld and Eastern Cape as well as the Gauteng Jockey Academy. Natalie also represents the RA on the South African Jockey Academy Board.

She registered her individual colours in June 2020 and has been involved in various partnerships. She has an inherent passion for the industry, strives to serve not only members but all participants in horseracing and is determined to make a meaningful difference.