Exclusive: Ambitious Hustler Goes From Failing Her Matric to Awarding Talented SA Poets
- In an exclusive interview with Briefly News, Livhuwani Ratshitanda shares how she hustled her way to becoming the organiser of a poet award ceremony
- According to Ratshitanda, life was not always easy as she had to find many hustles before finding her passion for poetry
- She also shares with Briefly News where she hopes to find herself in the next few years
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28-year-old Livhuwani Ratshitanda who is originally from Gondeni but is now situated in Soweto is the epitome of sheer determination and ambition. In an exclusive Briefly News interview, she shares some of her struggles, how she managed to overcome them and where she sees herself in the future.
Source: UGC
She also speaks about the Apapa awards, an awards ceremony dedicated to shining a spotlight on South Africa's most talented poets.
1. How was your childhood growing up?
"I was not so smart when it comes to books however I was a good dancer and used to do public speaking during my high school times. At home, I was so quiet but always planning ahead."
2. Who inspired you to hustle your way to a better life? Why did you start selling things?
"I failed my matric 2010 and around 2013 I decided to study Media studies & journalism at Jeppe college but my dad decided to stop paying for my fees due to lack of understand what was media all about. I had to learn to hustle either way make I've got food and clothes.
"I taught myself taking pictures charging people as little as R200 a session when I take a look at the business wasn't making enough because now I had a child so I started selling cosmetics stock at a certain place and create my own catalogue to make it attractive and easier to distribute to my customers . It still not making enough but enough to tale care of my daughter and myself.alwys wanted to be independent."
3. When did you recognise your passion for poetry?
"When I was in high school. I used to write poems on my diary to express what I was feeling."
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4. Do you make any profits from the Apapa Awards?
"NOT much but enough to pay artist,venue going in near future will be able to do so."
5. Where do you see yourself in the next few years?
"I see myself running one of the biggest companies across the world and African Print Author's and poetry awards hosted on television as it will be the first author's & Poetry Awards ever done by black woman and just first person to come up with such beautiful initiative."
In other inspiring Briefly News, one could liken the story of Elias Pangane to one of rags to riches and Briefly News looks at the former subsistence farmer’s journey to greatness. Pangane launched his farming journey planting mielies purely to feed his family but he has since realised there's more to it.
He has managed to turn a humble backyard operation into a fully-fledged business that now supplies one of Africa’s largest retail groups, Shoprite.
As a passionate farmer, Pangane’s first love was in the construction industry as he looked for a stable and sustainable income. Pangane told Briefly News in a statement:
“While working in construction, I farmed part-time to supplement our groceries. From time to time I would have excess produce, which I sold on the streets of Hazyview out the back of my bakkie.
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Source: Briefly News
