Her aim is to inspire women to get into any business they want to
SANDHURST – Fashion stylist Bontlefeela Mogoye wants to invest in the taxi industry and bring other women on board as she feels that women can start any career they aspire to be in.
Sandton resident and fashion stylist moonlights as a taxi driver after a photo of her has gone viral.
A photo of Bontlefeela Mogoye on the driver’s seat of a taxi went viral because people thought she was a taxi driver. In fact, she was driving her own taxi to transport her styling equipment for a cover shoot she was doing for Forbes magazine. This sparked an idea for her to actually join the industry.
The viral photo had a lot of women asking for advice on how to get into the taxi industry. She thought driving a taxi could be something she does on the side. She went to Santaco (South African National Taxi Council) and proposed an idea to bring women on board. They have a young women’s desk that is used to reach out to women to get into the industry. It is not active but Santaco approves of her idea – now she only needs funding for the 10 women she wants to bring on board.
Earlier on in her career, in 2000, Mogoye joined the South African National Defence Force. The military was not her first love but after matric, her parents sent her for the year programme to find herself and decide what she wants to do. She decided to continue serving until she became a major in the force.
In 2013, she left the military to follow her dreams and become a stylist. “I got to a point where I felt that I needed to do what I love and pursue my dreams. I’ve been contemplating leaving since 2011 but this time I was psychologically ready to leave,” said Mogoye.
Coming from a family that owns taxis, Mogoye feels that she is fit for the industry as she already knows how the business works.
“Being a taxi driver is not only getting from one point to another. You have to familiarise yourself with the people you work with, which routes you work on and know which taxi association you belong to.”
In August, to celebrate Women’s Month, she and two other women will be driving taxis for the whole month and the money they make will be donated to charity.
“I think one of the things that kept me going was the discipline I learned in the military and the passion I have. I would advise women to have a sense of dignity, pride and self-esteem to overcome any inferiority complex because with social media and everything happening that is what we are suffering from.”
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https://www.citizen.co.za/sandton-chronicle/246002/quintessential-south-african-fashion/
https://www.citizen.co.za/sandton-chronicle/233171/fahion-lovers-to-be-treated/
