By Everson Luhanga
- Kgosi Setlhabetsi runs Motlopi Coffee Tree of Life in Tseoge village, making coffee from the roots of the Motlopi tree.
- The 35-year-old registered the business in 2015 and at its peak it employed more than 35 people before financial difficulties.
Kgosi Setlhabetsi makes coffee from tree roots in Tseoge village in the Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompato District in North West.
The 35-year-old runs Motlopi Coffee Tree of Life Pty Ltd, a business that makes coffee from the roots of the Motlopi tree.
Setlhabetsi grew up drinking the product. “We grew up drinking this product from our grandma, she is the one who introduced it to us,” he says.
He registered the business in 2015. He left his job to focus on it full time.
Orders come from individuals, local shops and door-to-door sales in surrounding communities.
The product is open to everyone except women who are three months pregnant or less.
The raw material costs nothing. “The advantages are that the raw material is free, and the product has got health benefits,” Setlhabetsi says.
At its peak, the business employed more than 35 people. Financial difficulties forced a restart. Employment is now temporary. The business still supports households in the area.
To survive, Setlhabetsi also runs a carwash, a chesanyama and does electrical maintenance and installations for homes.
“It has helped in a way that taught me how to handle finances,” he says.
His goal is to build an industry. “I want to build an industry, create employment and fight poverty,” he says.
His advice to others is simple. “They must never give up, think of something, do it and never look back. Consistency is the key,” he says.
Pictured above: Motlopi Coffee made from the roots of the Motlopi tree in Tseoge village, North West.
Image source: Supplied
