Pretoria - The founder of Sky Tents, Isaac Mbatha, marked Freedom Day yesterday by motivating small entrepreneurs in Mabopane.
Mbatha, who started his business when he was 24, said the “real power struggle was not really about opening a co-operative company and starting to get tenders because that is not a long sustainable wealth”.
He told his audience he decided to go into business after spending some time washing and repairing tents in KwaMashu, Durban.
“A lot of people don’t see it in their heads or a lot of people see it in their heads, but they don’t really understand the journey,” he said.
According to him, many people were afraid to fail in their endeavour to pursue their aspirations in business.
He expressed hope that his story would inspire aspiring businesspeople.
He said one of the challenges facing businesses in townships was that “when you are a small business, nobody really believes in you”.
He recounted that he started in KwaMashu streets, where people would put up tents for weddings, parties, umembeso ceremonies and funerals.
He started going around washing tents and then he started repairing.
“The market gave me a business idea and in 2015 I took a leap of faith into manufacturing and that’s when Sky Tents started.”
His company is now in nine provinces and has won him an award.
Pretoria News