By Everson Luhanga
- Bokang Lehloenya, 30, from Thandanani in Welkom, started selling motoho in 2021 after failing to find employment after graduating.
- Wa Rona Motoho is now stocked in selected Spar stores and other shops, and the business employs five people.
A young woman from Welkom turned unemployment into a business that now sits on supermarket shelves.
Bokang Lehloenya, 30, from Thandanani in the Free State, could not find work after graduating. In 2021, she decided to start selling motoho as a street vendor.
She used her National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) savings to buy what she needed to begin.
“That money helped me buy what I needed to start selling,” Lehloenya said.
At first, she sold informally, focusing on making enough money to survive. In 2022, she formalised the business and named it Wa Rona Motoho. She began supplying local shops.
Her drink is now sold at selected Spar stores, Roots, Waltloo, Welkom Mini Market and Jabula.
The business employs five people and supports a household of four, providing income in an area where jobs are hard to find.
Lehloenya’s biggest challenge is a lack of processing equipment. Without proper equipment, growing the business is difficult.
One advantage of running her own business, she says, is having control over her time. She can decide how and when to work.
Lehloenya dreams of owning a manufacturing plant one day. For now, she focuses on surviving and building step by step.
Her advice to unemployed people is direct. Selling something is better than waiting in a bad economy.
Bokang Lehloenya can be contacted on 073 865 9377.
Pictured above: Bokang Lehloenya with her Wa Rona Motoho team.
Image source: Supplied
