LIMPOPO – After acquiring the necessary skills from the Bopcons Company in 2016 and having worked at Sasol Secunda as an artisan, Thomas Livhuwani Sithagu (37) from Tshituni tsha Fhasi village in Nzhelele in the Vhembe district established Dr Steel a few years ago.
Starting a business requires money, patience, many hours of hard work, and the understanding that there might be some challenges along the way. Sithagu has experienced all of these, but his passion for working with steel motivates him not to give up.
Mathagu also holds a qualification as artisan boilermaker from Ekurhuleni Artisans and Skills Training Centre.
Dr Steel first opened its doors in 2019 in Tshtuni tsha Fashi village, specialising in burglar bars, window frames, carports and palisade fences.
“I worked for four years until I realised there are gaps that needed to be bridged as far as artisanship is concerned. At Dr Steel we aim to help villagers with any kind of steel issues,” said Sithagu.
He told CV that his dream is to grow the business to employ more people to break the chain of poverty. “I always preach the gospel of learning to my employees so that they can one day start their own businesses and employ more people. The time has come for us to eradicate poverty by creating projects, instead of just saying there are no jobs,” he said.
He says with the work he is doing, he is able to support his family. “When I started the business four years ago it sometimes felt like my efforts were in vain. I couldn’t always produce my products due to a lack of materials but I didn’t give up. Today, I design good quality products for local people, and I want to supply big companies across the country with my products,” he said.
He advised youths to not depend on the government or expect anyone to help them. “We should create our own businesses as young people and avoid being all over the streets taking drugs and alcohol as this can prevent us from reaching our goals. Use everything around you to realise your dreams. It is not about luck, it is all about your attitude,” he concluded.
