By: Keletso Mkhwanazi
It can be exceedingly difficult to run a business in a township. There is a lack of business education, proper infrastructure, and amenities like clean water and reliable energy. Local business owners constantly persevere against all odds. Owner of Limitless Meat server, Butchery Fast Food, and Endless Bakery, Kearabilwe Motsoai, is proud of his businesses, despite the unpleasant path he has had to navigate, including dropping out of college after he lost his job as a fuel attendant. “I started my business in 2016 selling red meat online and delivering to customers’ doorsteps, but after failing twice, I had to come up with another business idea that I could be able to sustain, maintain, and keep,” said Motswai, adding that in 2017 he began selling meat on his Facebook page. “I used to put meat in my family’s freezer, travel great distances to distribute, and occasionally hire people’s cars for long distance deliveries because I didn’t have a butchery,” Motsoai added.
He said biggest headache was not being paid by clients. But he was grateful for assistance from the Small Enterprise Development Agency, which helped develop his business thinking and set achievable goals. After Motswai launched his first fast food restaurant in 2021 along with a butchery that had a physical address where consumers could find him, he then decided to open up the bakery. His enterprises are all located in Soshanguve, Extension 14. “Township residents rely largely on the local economy for employment and income. We are providing goods and services at lower costs, making them more accessible and affordable for those with lower incomes,” he told Vutivi News. “Locals continue to expect specials despite the automated price reduction, which puts the establishment in danger of closing.”
Motswai said he was currently working on his second bakery in Hebron, which would soon be operational. “… having to step in as the man of the house has motivated me to strive harder.” His objective is to “create job opportunities in Soshanguve and kill black unemployment in South Africa,” and he is open to investors who can help him achieve this goal. He has two full-time employees in each business and one casual staffer.
