From the classroom to owning her own workshop in Greenside

POLOKWANE – Modiba Motapa is a proud welder who hones her craft everyday and has a strong determination to succeed.

Motapa recently shared her story of how she became a welder on social media and said she used money she saved from the time she worked as a teacher’s assistant at Phunyako High School to get her business up and running. At the young age of 21, she now owns her own welding and carpentry company called Divine Project in Greenside.

Motapa makes tables, chairs, gates, braai stands, sinks, burglar doors and steel window frames. She decided to share her story on how she started her business on social media in an effort to showcase her welding and business skills.

“I initially wanted to become a climatologist, but later decided to enrol in a boilermaker course after I researched what careers are in demand. I realised by becoming a boilermaker, I can use the skills I learned in the course I completed at Lephalale TVET College and make a name for myself.”

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She started her business in 2020 out of her backyard after she worked as a teacher assistant for six months.

“Both my parents were self-employed when I grew up and that set a good example for me.”

Despite the challenges and stereotypes she faces, such as being judged for being such a young woman working in a male-dominated industry, as well as marketing the business, Motapa says it is really rewarding to be able to do what she loves every day.

“I work from Mondays to Thursdays and on Fridays I do all of my deliveries. My working hours and days are flexible and I always deliver what the customer needs on time.”

Motapa added she hopes to make enough money to be able to hire people to work at Divine Project.

“My advice to anyone who wants to start a business is to aim to win and remember that just by getting started you have done half of the job.”