Inspiring entrepreneurship in the TVET sector

By Emily Setona

QWAQWA – Goldfields TVET College won first place in three of the four categories in the Allan Gray Makers (AGM) Entrepreneurship Inter-College competition of 2024, whipping the competition which was Motheo and Maluti TVET Colleges on Maluti’s home-ground.

Maluti TVET College’s acting principal Motlalepula Tsotetsi quoted from Dr. David Molapo’s book titled Choose to Change: You can Transform Yourself when he wrote, “On the other hand, lemonade is made by cutting the lemons and literally squeezing out and extracting the juice from the ripened fruit, it’s refreshing fruit. However, notice that it could be enjoyed after the process of being crushed, that is the only time it could be enjoyed.”

According to Tsotetsi, the students were in the process of being crushed in order for them to refresh themselves.

He was speaking during the office opening of the AGM Entrepreneurship Inter-College competition at the Kwetlisong campus of Maluti TVET College on 16 August.

Motheo TVET College’s Mohau Tau did outstandingly well in the tech business category and won first place for his college. He said his winning formula was focusing on what was required because as a business owner, he told the judges a story of the reality that he is experiencing.

“I’m the founder of Teachme APP which is a peer tutoring platform for tertiary students. I’m excited to be going to the national finals. I have so many emotions, but the prevailing one is that I am thankful for the opportunity. I am thankful to the TVET colleges for partnering with Allan Gray and coming up with this initiative because it gives us young entrepreneurs – ‘studentpreneurs’ – the opportunity to share our ideas, share our businesses and most importantly market our businesses to potential investors and customers,” Tau said.

In the middle winner founder of Teachme App Mohau Tau.

Wendy Silinyana, an award-winning entrepreneur and women and youth empowerment advocate was one of the judges of this competition and this is what she had to say in an interview with this publication:

“Entrepreneurship is a journey; it is not for the faint at heart. You must be patient and persevere through all the challenges and in that way, you will make it and reap the rewards.

“Entrepreneurship is not for those who want to make quick money.”

The competition had four categories, and each had two winners, and the first-place winners will be representing the Free State TVET Colleges at the national finals which will be held in September.

The following were the winners in the four categories: Category one was business idea and the second place winner was Thato Ramohlabi from Motheo and the first place winner was Okuhle Ntswayi from Goldfields, category two was artisan business and the second place winner was Thoriso Lethale from Motheo and the first place winner was Lucas Mahlatsi from Goldfields, the third category was tech business and the second place winner was Boitumelo Dikane from Goldfields while the first place winner was Mohau Tau from Motheo, finally the fourth category was general business and the second place winner was Thabo Makupane from Maluti and the first place winner was Princess Malindi of Goldfields