LETTER: Successful entrepreneur makes Mogale proud
Resident writes about entrepreneur Goodhope Ledwaba who started a community radio station and recently celebrated its 10-year existence.
• Thabile Mange writes:
Goodhope Ledwaba played rugby in high school. Ledwaba was so good in rugby that Krugersdorp High School (KHS) poached him and did he make the school proud on the sports field.
When he completed his matric, I thought he was going to continue playing rugby or take part in sports. It was not to be. Instead, he focused on being an entrepreneur.
In the late 1990s, he started a community newspaper in Mogale City. Due to a lack of advertisements, the newspaper folded after a year. Two years later, he started another one but it also closed shop for the same reason as above.
Ledwaba has a never die spirit. In 2013, he started a community radio station Westside FM. This year, Westside FM is celebrating 10 years of existence. Many community radio stations don’t live that long.
Last year, criminals broke into the studio and stole some equipment. Weeks later, they came back and stole again. However, the community radio station is still operating.
Not long ago, he launched an e-hailing company called Shuma. His point of entry to the market is price. Shuma is currently operating in Kagiso, Mohlakeng, and Soweto.
E-hailing is the future. It is providing a solution to the long-standing problem of transport. Not only that, it is also providing an alternative and healthy competition to the taxi industry.
However, there is resistance from the taxi industry, which is fighting e-hailing operators. The industry sees this form of transport as a threat than competition.
Lastly, e-hailing is a new and innovative way of transport. It meets the needs of its customers. For instance, It takes them from the comfort of their homes and put them in their destination. Ledwaba is in good company.
