Lubhalwe nguPalesa Matlala
- Usomabhizinisi waseSoweto uTshepo Lepote uqale uhlobo lwezicathulo olubungaza ubu-Afrika ngezicathulo zesikole.
- Ngemva kweminyaka eminingi yezinkinga, ibhizinisi lakhe lendawo aziqhenyanyo ngalo manje selingenisa inzuzo futhi lidala amathuba emisebenzi kubantu abasha.
UTshepo Lepote owazalelwa eSoweto wayeka umsebenzi ebhange ukuze alandele iphupho lakhe: ukwenza izicathulo zesikole ezikhombisa ubu-Afrika.
Manje, uLepote (36) ubudala, uthe wabona igebe emakethe eminyakeni engu-12 edlule lapho ebona ukuntuleka kwemikhiqizo yabantu abamnyama eyayiklama futhi yenze izicathulo zesikole ezingakhethile ubulili.
“Sekuyiminyaka engaphezu kuka-100 izinkampani ezinkulu zenza lokhu, kodwa sibone kukhula kancane,” usho kanje.
Ngo-2021, wasebenzisa imali ayeyongile ukuze ethule i-Heritage Sole ngemuva kokuzabalaza ukuthola uxhaso.
Kuthathe iminyaka emithathu yokuhlela, ucwaningo kanye nentuthuko ngaphambi kokuthi ibhizinisi ligcine lithole inzuzo ngo-2024.
“Amakhasimende avame ukucabanga ukuthi ama-brand asenesikhathi eside asezingeni elingcono, ngakho bekunzima ukungena,” esho.
Kodwa okwenza i-Heritage Sole ihluke imininingwane: Amaphethini ase-Afrika acindezelwa kwungaphansi lazo izicathulo.
“Siklame izicathulo zesikole ngenhloso – ukugubha ukuba ngum-Afrika ngokweqiniso,” kusho uLepote. “Besifuna ukwakha umkhiqizo okhuluma ngokuthi singobani.”
Uthe izingane zaseSoweto zihlobene nezicathulo, hhayi nje ngenxa yesakhiwo, kodwa ngoba zenziwa emagcekeni azo.
Ibhizinisi manje selinezimboni ezimbili ezincane e-Orlando West nase-Dobsonville.
Amanani abo awashintshanga iminyaka emibili, okwenza zikwazi ukuthengeka kalula emindenini esebenzayo.
ULepote uthe basinde kulolu bhubhane lwe-Covid-19 ngenxa yokuthengisa kwi-inthanethi kanye nesitolo sabo esiku-Takealot.
Lokhu kukhula kubavumele ukuthi bakhe amathuba emisebenzi engeziwe entsheni yaseSoweto.
“Inhloso yethu wukukhulisa lo mkhiqizo ezweni lonke, sivule imboni enkulu, siphinde sisize ekwakheni amakhono entsheni,” usho kanje.
Osesithombeni ngenhla: UTshepo Lepote.
Umthombo wesithombe: Sinikezwe nguTshepo Lepote