Luka is a small village on the outskirts of Rustenburg, in the platinum mining province of North West.
Apart from mining and farming, not much else goes on in this mostly rural province that many consider “laid back”.
As for villages in the province, young people’s expectations are limited by the circumstances that condemn many of them to perpetual poverty.
However, two youngsters – 17-year-old Utlwanang Mmeti and 21-year-old Boitshepo Khunou, have found ways to overcome the limitations of village life.
One sells sneakers for a profit, and the other is a farmer – yet both these business-minded young people are still students.
Mmeti is awaiting his Matric results, while Khunou is studying Agricultural Economics at the University of Limpopo.
He said he opened his first sneaker brand, Dapper Shooz, a footwear shop and factory in Midrand last month.
“As the youngest sneaker entrepreneur in Africa, I like calling myself a ‘Sho(E)ntrepreneur’,” Mmeti said in a recent interview with The Bulrushes.
“I’d like to thank each and every person who has invested their hard-earned money to purchase Dapper Shooz sneakers.”
Asked what influenced him to enter the sneaker brand business, Mmeti said he was inspired by other people from the townships that successfully created their own sneaker brands.
“I passionately wanted to show the world that even village kids can create reputable businesses,” Mmeti said.
He said his business peaked while he was preparing for his final matric exams.
Mmeti said it was not easy to juggle his studies and business.
Now that he has completed his Matric and has some free time while he waits for his results, Mmeti said he was solely focused on his sneaker business.
Asked how he raised the capital to start the business, Mmeti said his family and relatives contributed in the form of a loan.
Before embarking on the footwear business, Mmeti said he spent a year researching.
Even though he got financial assistance to start the business, Mmeti said: “This is strictly a solo business, I’m running it by myself. When I’m at school, I ask someone to handle my whatsapp queries”.
He said his main objective was to get a slice of the local sneaker market and create jobs in the process.
Mmeti described Dapper Shooz as a stylish, trendy brand that offers quality footwear in a variety of beautiful colours at reasonable price prices.
Mmeti has drawn up a 10-year plan with Dapper Shooz, to see the brand having an African footprint with different designs, colours, and sizes for everyone and also an international presence.
Besides the sneaker business, Mmeti said he was interested in computer-related studies and was fascinated by video games.
The young man with big dreams said he was “taking one step at a time”.
Mmeti is aware of the high numbers of unemeployed young people and hopes that with enough support for his business venture, he can help to create jobs for other youths.
The other enterprising youngster who won’t let village life limit her ambitions to feed the nation is Khunou.
She has always lived and loved her family’s farming lifestyle.
Farming is in her genes, so she said
Khunou told The Bulrushes that her interest in farming was heightened during her second year at university.
That was two years ago. She decided to specialise in pig farming.
“During the Covid lockdown period, and as I was home, I started with pig farming,” recalled Khunou.
“That’s when I did my research based on where I live, and I found that there was a gap in the pig farming sector since everyone was going for cattle, goats, and chicken rearing”.
Though she was born into the farming lifestyle, Khunou says it is not easy being a female farmer, especially as young as she is.
Khunou said she always has to fight against being undermined by her male counterparts.
On the other hand, being a young female farmer has its advantages, she said.
Khunou said she has met supportive people who are keen on grooming young farmers.
“They will go all out to see you progress and meet ups with other young female farmers, who would encourage one another to push harder for success,” Khunou said.
Her advice for other young females is that “anyone can be a farmer”.
Khunou said it was necessary to do research to find a niche.
“My ambition is to see myself supplying big brands and owning an abattoir,” said Khunou.
