Itumeleng Sekwale – from footballer to successful businessman

Many athletes tend to struggle with the transition from earning big cheques to having to work a regular 9-5 job, and end up being unable to make ends meet after the fall of their careers.

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Fortunately, that wasn’t the case for former South Africa junior national team player Itumeleng Sekwale, who has played for SuperSport United, Jomo Cosmos, Moroka Swallows and Thanda Royal Zulu, and who also had a brief stint in Cyprus for Chitikaya.

It was back in 2007 that Sekwale was forced to retire due to a knee injury whilst he was still in Cyprus. The pain of having to come back home was immense for the winger, whose game was based on skill, speed and a powerful shot.

He knew that with no higher educational background, he needed to earn some money in order to make a living.

And with an celebrity status still hanging on his shoulders shortly after hanging his boots, Sekwale opted to open a Chicken Dust just outside his family in Mohlakeng, Rand West in Johannesburg, before going on to open a car wash in the Vaal with the help of friends.

With no fear of being gossiped around as someone who had it all and now standing in the corner selling chicken and gizzards, he was brave enough to admit that the fame is slowly fading away and what was important was to put money on the table.

“I went home and started to think about ways to make some money. That is when I ended up deciding to sell braai chicken and gizzards at home. I didn’t care about what people were going to think – what I knew is that I just needed to make some money,” Sekwale reveals.

“Another opportunity came for me with the help of my friends who own a pub in the Vaal. They gave me a space just outside their place to run a car wash. I was now washing cars as a former footballer because what mattered to me most was to make money.”

Striving to make money and not caring about his status or what he used to be was the motivation for Sekwale, as he went to venture into a bigger business with the help of his brother, Bishop Saki Sekwale. And thanks to his love for fashion and style, he knew what he was doing as they opened a clothing store.

“My family knew that I love clothes and when my brother decided to go into business with me I was more than happy. We were in business for five years and I used to travel to China and Turkey to buy stock,” he says.

This year, Sekwale, who is a father of two daughters, has opened a boutique with a friend in Sammy Marks in Pretoria called Youngry , where they sell the latest fashionable clothes and sneakers from abroad. He says they faced some challenges prior to opening the store.

“Covid-19 was really bad, it delayed a lot of things. But I am just happy that the store is running now and everything is set. I have daughters whom I have to raise and I have to teach them about working hard for their money because nothing comes easy in life. I also have to thank my girlfriend who has been supportive since I retired, she stuck with me and they are the reason I am still standing strong,” he added.

With many football players struggling after their playing days, Sekwale believes this is due to their behaviour while they were still in the limelight.

He says most players tend to turn their backs on family and close friends when they are living the life of fame, and once they are out of the celebrity lifestyle, they don’t have anyone who has their back. Luckily for him, he never changed his attitude towards anyone when he was in the spotlight.