Sammy Mhaule creates fashionable sportswear

Sammy Mhaule is the founder of a successful sportswear brand.
The creator recalls his journey from selling ice cream on the streets of Thembisa to running a national sportswear firm and collecting awards.
Kicks Sportswear creates athletic clothing, sneakers and accessories that are both fashionable and functional.
The 39-year-old created his sportswear brand for sports fans who want to flaunt their active lifestyles with stylish yet efficient athletic attire.
Some of his awards include being named the SADC’s Top 100 Young Leaders in 2018, receiving the SA Small Business Awards (Top 20), the 2018 Gauteng Premier’s Service Awards, Inclusive Economy Award 2019, Game Changer Awards 2019, CEO Today Global Awards 2019, Global Excellence Awards 2019, Checkers Gauteng SME Supplier of the Year Award 2019, nominated for the BBQ Awards 2020 and Africa Excellence Awards-Best Emerging Beverage Company 2020.
The Thembisan sat down with Mhaule to talk about his motivation for clothing, his history in sportswear design and what he has been up to amid the pandemic.
“I am a Kempton Park-based award-winning entrepreneur. I’m also a mentor, a business speaker, a township entrepreneur developer, and an accredited business advisor with a SAQA-regulated Institute of Business Advisors SA.”
His entrepreneurial experience began when he was 14 years old in Thembisa.
“Like most township children, I struggled with a variety of issues, including poverty and had to share everything with my three siblings. I needed to discover a method of being self-sufficient and do things that my parents couldn’t.
“My sportswear brand flowed from a desire to create sportswear that makes you feel good, looks fantastic and is fun to wear. The coolest part is being able to take designs and bring innovation and art to life.
“I simply enjoy creating high-quality sportswear that others would enjoy wearing. My roots and the idea to create sportswear that is from Africa to the globe, thus the first of its kind excites me.”
He adds that his entrepreneurial path taught him the importance of preparing ahead, being able to prepare for contingencies, receiving a variety of input and avoiding speed traps.
“Even after so many years as an entrepreneur, not being able to slow down because someone else ‘doesn’t get it’ or needing to concentrate on a single aspect for too long is still a problem for me,” said Mhaule.