Like father, like daughter
OBSERVATORY – Dikeledi is using the business skills her father taught her to empower women.
She’s a woman who comes from a family of entrepreneurs, so it is not surprising that Dikeledi Seleka has so much passion for business.
She has come a long way since the days she called Ramokokastad her home. Although she was born in Joburg, she grew up in the rural town just outside Rustenburg. She now lives in the more upmarket Observatory in Joburg, but her experiences growing up apparently made her a strong-willed woman.
At one point, her parents were informal traders selling vegetables and liquor, built bricks and sold river sand, ran a tuck shop, owned a taxi business and were even cattle farmers.
“I’m the firstborn child, and looking after others has always been my thing. Being the firstborn child allowed me to have hands-on experience and help in running most of the family-owned businesses at the time. I would go and sell at the shop during lunchtime, quickly rush back to school, only to go back to the shop after school,” said Seleka.
“Entrepreneurial skills were instilled in me from a young age, and that is what inspired me to do what I do now.”
Seleka is the founder of Sister Empowerment Circle. “We are a networking group providing leadership and a business coaching platform aimed at re-branding black-owned businesses to change the negative perception around it. This is done through the implementation of an educative empowerment principle.”
She said her biggest inspiration is her late father because, in spite of the challenges he experienced, he neither gave up on his businesses nor traded in his values.
“I’m a dreamer and that pushed me to take a big step and resign from my employment in pursuit of my passion. It was not easy but sacrifices had to be made in order for me to reach my dream.”
Seleka never imagined she would one day become a public speaker and encourage people to reach their goals. However, her wealth of experience allowed her to see her strengths, which she is now imparting.
And the rest, as they say, is history.
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