BUTTERWORTH STUDENT EXPLORES TOWNSHIP ENTREPRENEURSHIP

WSU Butterworth Campus student Siyabonga Motha, who is in his final year pursuing a Diploma in Small Business Management and the founder of MOTHAprenuer-THE CATALYST, has published a book titled “The MOTHApreneur METHOD”.

Siyabonga was motivated to write the book by his vision of becoming a change maker in this country, aiming to transform black communities into vibrant economic hubs not only as employees, but also as decision-makers and entrepreneurs.

His method is based on the MOTHA basics: Market, Operations, Transactions, Hype, and Accountability.

His book shares stories of young entrepreneurs in South Africa’s townships. Growing up in Tembisa, he travelled to various townships, including Mdantsane, to engage with small business owners about how they manage their businesses.

He explained: “The MOTHApreneur Method is more than just a book; it is a call to action for young entrepreneurs in townships, rural areas, and resource-limited communities. It also conveys to South Africa that greatness can emerge from Tembisa, grow through real experiences, and be refined in an academic environment.”

The book unveils effective strategies, tools, and methods that Siyabonga noticed in South African small businesses, focused on Marketing, Operations, Transactions, Hype, and Accountability.

He explains that these elements are central to the MOTHA approach and represent actual practices that drive township businesses forward.

The target audience of the book includes aspiring entrepreneurs, business owners in townships and rural areas. It also targets young people who wish to start their own businesses but need guidance and motivation.

Motha encourages aspiring business owners by saying, "Any idea you have about changing the world should be acted upon and keep pursuing those dreams."

Market:

"Before you sell anything-before logos, stock, or even a name-you need to know who you’re selling to."

Operations:

“Ekasi, we’re masters of improvising. No till? No card machines? No problem. But if you want to scale, survive tough months, or attract investors, you need to stop relying on memory and muscle-and start using systems"

Transactions: "Some township businesses are always busy, but always broke. Why? Because they’ve mastered service, but not sales systems. That ends now. You’re not just building something to be proud of -you’re building something that must pay you."

Hype:

"Ekasi, attention is currency. If people are not talking about you, they’re not buying from you. And if they don’t trust you, they’ll scroll past or walk past you-even if your product is great. That’s where Hype comes in. You Don’t Need Fancy Ads. You Need a Story. People remember stories, not specials. They connect to why you started. Who you serve. What makes you different."

Accountabilty:

Township life is hard. Loadshedding. Delayed deliveries. Unpaid orders. But the entrepreneur mindset says: “I’m not waiting for perfect-I’m working with what I have.”

By Mandlakazi Khekhezwa