Meet gogo, the go-getter of Bekkersdal

They say not all heroes wear capes. Take gogo Setyenzwa Makibi for example who has a passion for humanity and her community.

Setyenzwa, 66, who was among 13 nominees for the Randfontein Publicity Association’s (RPA) 2021 We Salute You campaign spends her time mentoring and leading by example.

In an exclusive interview with the Herald, the energetic and vibrant gogo said despite many hurdles in her way she never gave up. She doesn’t want the youth to give up either which is why she gave some advice as an upstanding member of society.

“Younger generations are looking to me for strength. I therefore cannot disappoint them. Life is about winning against all the odds stacked against you,” Setyenzwa said.

Born and bred in a rural town called Dordrecht in the Eastern Cape, Setyenzwa came to Gauteng as a young girl in the early 70s in search of opportunities.

After realising that many of her fellow residents of Bekkersdal weren’t exposed to enough opportunities, she rolled up her sleeves to help them be sustainable and develop.

“I came to realise that people in informal settlements like ours here (Spooktown in Bekkersdal) are more often worried about what they’ll eat next than actually investing in themselves or their children to be self-sustainable, let alone attaining a certain level of education,” she said.

Therefore, in 2017, Setyenzwa went on to establish an organisation called the Shepherd Community Resources Centre where she teaches skills, catering, agriculture as well as being responsible and upstanding members of society to entrepreneurs young and old.

“We also help to further rehabilitate ex-convicts so that they’re well integrated into society,” Setyenzwa said.

One day, Setyenzwa said, she’d like to see young people not affected by the continuously rising unemployment trajectory, helping them to find innovative ways of surviving in this turbulent economic climate. In one of her latest projects, she’s assisting to get their own bakery running.

“It’s really not about the money; it doesn’t matter how much money you have, for as long as you’ve got goals you’ll make it. I am proud to say that I’ve mentored people to start their own gardens in their backyards and earn a little profit,” Setyenzwa said.