Entrepreneurship runs in Mokgadi Khadjo Matlebjane’s veins and despite wanting to take a break from business, she was unable to stay away for too long.
Mokgadi started Kazi Peanuts in 2019 and attributes her calling for entrepreneurship to her father, Morwamocha Matlebjane.
“He used to sell fruit and vegetables and we used to help him when we were children. When he came back from stocking up, we would wash and package it. I also sold sweets in primary school to make some money. Business is in my blood,” she explained.
Over the years, she has sold atchar, meat and even owned a hair salon at some point.
She decided to walk away from business and focus on other things. She enrolled at the University of Limpopo for a management development programme, however, the calling was too strong and after she completed the programme, she went back into the lion’s den of entrepreneurship.
Mokgadi met two young men in 2019, who changed the course of her life. One of them, Ike Lekgoro encouraged her to not waste her business mind and start a business.
“We decided selling peanuts would be a good idea because I enjoy them,” she said.
Mokgadi went knocking on doors to sell her product and with a lot of encouragement from Edward Kgarose, her hard work paid off as her nuts are now available at Goseame Fresh Produce Market, Total Savannah, SevenEleven, Spar Thabo Mbeki and BP Mankweng.
She also does individual sales. “I have a full-time job but the calling of business is just too strong to ignore. I use my weekends to focus on growing my business,” she said.
Mokgadi is grateful to the people who assisted her along the way, because they made the journey bearable as venturing into business is a difficult journey.
Visit her Facebook page; Kazi Peanuts, for more on information.
