He is recovering mentally after losing millions of rands on the failed Burna Boy concert. US businessman Gregory Wings has since shifted attention for the “complicated” show business to focus on his philanthropic work and businesses. He has partnered with local construction companies to build affordable homes for underprivileged South Africans.
He has been a licensed contractor and Realtor since 2002. He built his first company Metropolitan Realty & Construction into a brokerage with 9 offices and over 500 Real Estate agents underneath me. “My business focused on building luxury homes and servicing high net worth clients buy and sell properties. I sold that business in 2006 to focus 100% on construction and investing into minority owned businesses,” he tells Buzz Life News. After being jailed for 10 years for money laundering and sentenced to 10 years in prison. He was released after serving 8 years on for good behaviour. “One of my main investors in my business was a big drug dealer in the US and even though he always paid me with legal money from his bank account.I was found guilty because of that. In 2014 I ran back into the same gentlemen who I had loaned the $200k USD to in 2007. He immediately offered me a job as head of sales for his company in 2014, the first year I was with the business, I sold close to $35m in construction projects and was owed so much money in bonuses and commissions that instead of paying me, he offered me 48% of the business. Of course, I accepted and went to work building the company and by 2018 we had expanded into 19 states and 3 countries,” he adds.
In 2022, he started an initiative to help struggling contractors get back on their feet and save their businesses. “I started taking submissions from contractors all over the world to be a part of my program. One of those contractors that reached out to me was from here in SA. I started investing in his projects and helping him manage his operations from the US. Because of my him being from SA, I jumped on the opportunity to come to SA and invest in a concert in 2023,” he says. “Right now, I work with many local contractors around the world to make u my workforce. The local South African company I chose to work with was because we already had a track record of working together and since I was here in SA investing in something else, I decided to explore the possibilities of building affordable housing in SA.”
The projects he is working on in SA are benefiting local under privileged families that need affordable housing that is suitable to their needs and income situation. It will help employ thousands of men and women because our commitment to partnering with local contractors only ensures the stability of thousands of jobs here in SA,” he says. “I only work with contractors that are willing to go through my program. These are contractors who know what there doing, but just need a little help with funding, management and employee retention. After going through our program, the contractor because one of our approved subcontractors and as we continue to get jobs, those companies and their employees are first in line for the subcontract.”
Cece Smith 
Bongi Sikelo 