By Tebogo Molefe
SIKHALO SOBHUZA SIKHONDE, 28, did not have it easy in life but that did not set him back at all. He runs an events company Lenstword out of Etwatwa, on the East Rand in Daveyton, Benoni. The business facilitates events for businesses. He runs a non-profit organisation, while he is a tax practitioner on top of being a sub-contractor for the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA).
He organises events for entrepreneurs and career exhibitions for learners in this settlement. This area is populated with lazy people, he says, and is hell-bent to find the dust-laden jewels “here because events management and digging gold nuggets are my passion.” His love for unearthing jewels out of nothing grew while he was at Kopanong Hotel and Conference Centre where he was centre manager in 2007.
He was successful at Kopanong, where he says highlights of the events he organised include events for the ANC, NUMSA, and SAMCO conferences, and trainings in 2006. The most stressful part was that of delegates being difficult. ‘’I remember when SAMCO held their event which lasted for a whole seven days and delegates were irritated.
Kopanong is out in the woods, where the nearest cafe is miles away. Some of the guys ran out of money buying cigarette at the centre. So they resorted to ‘loose draws’. Unfortunately for them ‘loose draws’, could only be bought a few kilometres away. Such incidents were stressful because people were getting difficult.”
He left Kopanong to organise events on his own. ‘’I went to the NYDA to find out what they did and researched a lot. After that I went to the dti. When all the research was done I established NPO to help me facilitate my work. I went to Social development, asked questions, asked for help, kicked every door, and worked hard because I believed in my dreams.’’
Sikhalo is not successful yet, but is definitely on his way to the top. He has not made his first million, but that is not his dream. All he wants to do is to empower young people, work with them to create possibilities and opportunities to make millions together. He says young people of Etwatwa are lazy because the government gives them opportunities to thrive.
He remembers an occasion when he and other youths had to go to the department of labour for training. The department was giving away several grants of up to R40 000 for the participants. Four hundred youths promised Sikhalo that they will attend but, alas, on the day of the training only three people showed up.” People have business registration certificates, but they decide to put them under the beds, then go look for work elsewhere.’’
He was born on the 26th of April in 1985 in Maboloka, North West. His birth name is Sello which is Sikhalo in Zulu. He was so named because on the day he was born his father’s leg was amputated, in the same hospital where he was born. ‘’My father, Piet Rampone, was a fiery student leader. On the day I was born he led a protest march which turned violent, and he was shot in the legs and arms.” His leg was amputated to save his life.
In 1998 Sikhalo moved to Daveyton with his mother, and his father left back in Maboloka. He saw his father again in 2002, but felt lost without his guidance and warmth. ‘’Growing up without a father life was hectic; there were things that I needed like love and guidance, and there were things I wanted but my mom could not afford them, so I had to look for a job as a gardener so that I could have those things.”
After a few years in Johannesburg, his mother met someone whom he considers a father. The step-father provided us with the basics of life and made sure there was a plate of food on the table and he still respects him for that.
Sikhalo started his schooling at the Jorge Mbilase Primary, and later went to Phandimfundo Secondary. However, he did not do any business subjects, and instead opted to do mainly science inspired subjects. He did Mathematics, Biology, Physical Science, English and isiZulu. After grade 12 he went to Boston Business College to study Marketing and later corresponded with UNISA to study Events Management.
In 2009 he met his gorgeous wife Tumelo, a legal assistant practitioner. They met and married in a bizarre situation. He explains: “We met in a strange way.
Sikhalo was a singer and an official in a church choir. At one of their concert no one of the sold-out tickets turned up and the group was puzzled, to say the least. A decision was taken to hold the concert outside the venue on the lawns but then it was discovered they were a singer short. That is when Tumelo stepped in to take their place. And we did a duet with me. We performed a Black Coffee ditty and one of Busi’s songs.”
At the end of the duet, mesmerised by the intensity of the song and the ululations and the wolf whistles, they kissed. So started a love affair that, according to Sikhalo, is still smouldering. That’s when we started dating. In 2010 I paid lobola, and in 2012 our son, Junior Lungile Tshiamo, was born. I am happily married, and I love my wife and son immensely.
Sikhalo was nominated for an Entrepreneurship award in 2012. The following year he was nominated again in the same category, but this time by the SAAYC.
Here is Sikhalo Sikhonde with some of the nominnees and, bottom, with wife Tumelo
He organises events for entrepreneurs and career exhibitions for learners in this settlement. This area is populated with lazy people, he says, and is hell-bent to find the dust-laden jewels “here because events management and digging gold nuggets are my passion.” His love for unearthing jewels out of nothing grew while he was at Kopanong Hotel and Conference Centre where he was centre manager in 2007.
He was successful at Kopanong, where he says highlights of the events he organised include events for the ANC, NUMSA, and SAMCO conferences, and trainings in 2006. The most stressful part was that of delegates being difficult. ‘’I remember when SAMCO held their event which lasted for a whole seven days and delegates were irritated.
Kopanong is out in the woods, where the nearest cafe is miles away. Some of the guys ran out of money buying cigarette at the centre. So they resorted to ‘loose draws’. Unfortunately for them ‘loose draws’, could only be bought a few kilometres away. Such incidents were stressful because people were getting difficult.”
He left Kopanong to organise events on his own. ‘’I went to the NYDA to find out what they did and researched a lot. After that I went to the dti. When all the research was done I established NPO to help me facilitate my work. I went to Social development, asked questions, asked for help, kicked every door, and worked hard because I believed in my dreams.’’
Sikhalo is not successful yet, but is definitely on his way to the top. He has not made his first million, but that is not his dream. All he wants to do is to empower young people, work with them to create possibilities and opportunities to make millions together. He says young people of Etwatwa are lazy because the government gives them opportunities to thrive.
He remembers an occasion when he and other youths had to go to the department of labour for training. The department was giving away several grants of up to R40 000 for the participants. Four hundred youths promised Sikhalo that they will attend but, alas, on the day of the training only three people showed up.” People have business registration certificates, but they decide to put them under the beds, then go look for work elsewhere.’’
He was born on the 26th of April in 1985 in Maboloka, North West. His birth name is Sello which is Sikhalo in Zulu. He was so named because on the day he was born his father’s leg was amputated, in the same hospital where he was born. ‘’My father, Piet Rampone, was a fiery student leader. On the day I was born he led a protest march which turned violent, and he was shot in the legs and arms.” His leg was amputated to save his life.
In 1998 Sikhalo moved to Daveyton with his mother, and his father left back in Maboloka. He saw his father again in 2002, but felt lost without his guidance and warmth. ‘’Growing up without a father life was hectic; there were things that I needed like love and guidance, and there were things I wanted but my mom could not afford them, so I had to look for a job as a gardener so that I could have those things.”
After a few years in Johannesburg, his mother met someone whom he considers a father. The step-father provided us with the basics of life and made sure there was a plate of food on the table and he still respects him for that.
Sikhalo started his schooling at the Jorge Mbilase Primary, and later went to Phandimfundo Secondary. However, he did not do any business subjects, and instead opted to do mainly science inspired subjects. He did Mathematics, Biology, Physical Science, English and isiZulu. After grade 12 he went to Boston Business College to study Marketing and later corresponded with UNISA to study Events Management.
In 2009 he met his gorgeous wife Tumelo, a legal assistant practitioner. They met and married in a bizarre situation. He explains: “We met in a strange way.
Sikhalo was a singer and an official in a church choir. At one of their concert no one of the sold-out tickets turned up and the group was puzzled, to say the least. A decision was taken to hold the concert outside the venue on the lawns but then it was discovered they were a singer short. That is when Tumelo stepped in to take their place. And we did a duet with me. We performed a Black Coffee ditty and one of Busi’s songs.”
At the end of the duet, mesmerised by the intensity of the song and the ululations and the wolf whistles, they kissed. So started a love affair that, according to Sikhalo, is still smouldering. That’s when we started dating. In 2010 I paid lobola, and in 2012 our son, Junior Lungile Tshiamo, was born. I am happily married, and I love my wife and son immensely.
Sikhalo was nominated for an Entrepreneurship award in 2012. The following year he was nominated again in the same category, but this time by the SAAYC.
Here is Sikhalo Sikhonde with some of the nominnees and, bottom, with wife Tumelo
Sikhalo was nominated for an Entrepreneurship award in 2012. The following year he was nominated ag
ain in the same category, but this time by the SAAYC.
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