The awards were held on March 30 at the St George Hotel and Conference Centre, Pretoria.
Mokoena is the founder of Walk Fresh Sneaker Cleaning and Shoe Care, in Daveyton, which was founded in 2015.
The business offers various services, including sneaker cleaning, leather shoe care and polishing, and suede and nubuck cleaning.
When asked how he feels about winning, he said they are surprised they won the award, however they were looking forward to it.
“I think even now we still getting our heads around it with my team,” said Mokoena.
Previously, Mokoena said he saw an opportunity to create employment for his peers, who were not privileged enough to go to university.
“I decided to change their faith and find something that would benefit my peers,” said Mokoena.
Mokoena graduated from the University of Johannesburg with a Ba in Corporate Communication in 2014.
After he completed his studies, there was the question of whether he should get a job or start a business.
“One day I was sitting with a friend and he was washing his mother’s sneakers; that’s when I saw the business opportunity,” said Mokoena.
“That’s how Walk Fresh was conceived.”
The business is made up of Thabang Mkadimeng, Thanbo Manzini, Kamogelo Boikhutso and Kabelo Moswenke.
Mokoena will be launching his first flagship store in partnership with J&B Hive on April 15.
The 25-year-old said this will the first of its kind in Benoni, as there will be a workplace for local entrepreneurs, who can come in to draught proposals, make phone calls and make use of the wifi.
The J&B Hive is a community-driven collaborative space and a financially-supported incubator.
“The idea to have a working space for entrepreneurs was because of J&B Hive’s principle of supporting upcoming local businesses, he said.
He added that there will also be a bookshelf filled with African literature books inside the store, which will be available for everyone, as they are encouraging reading in the community.
Also read: Giving local designers a platform to shine
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