Former South African star Reneilwe Letsholonyane may very well be remembered for his imacculate abilities on the football pitch, but his transition into entrepreneurship and business might very well be as special as his playing career.
After playing for a host of South African clubs including, Jomo Cosmos, Kaizer Chiefs and SuperSport United before retiring at TS Galaxy in 2021, the former midfielder has gone to do more big things, making quite the impression on the business world.
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The man from Soweto is a chairman, a coach, a director, co-owner of a business, and the founder of an NPO organisation. At this point, is there anything he can't do? Well it would seem as though there's nothing he can't do after conquering the football pitch and now he is well on his way to conquering the world of business too.
Letsholonyane, along with Siphiwe Tshabalala, opened up the cafe ShaYe Lounge in Soweto and, as perhaps expected, it has become quite a popular spot!
From good music to delightful cuisine, the spot that had been named after the footballing icons has it all! They host comedy nights, parties and get live entertainment into the building, making the place an absolute vibe.
According to SA Accounting academy, between 30 and 50% of businesses in South Africa fail. The fact that the business is not still running, but thriving is a testament to the business acumen the pair possess especially considering that it had been established a couple of years before the Covid-19 pandemic struck.
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His business ventures does not just stop at the lounge he and Shabba had opened. Letsholonyane decided to try his hand in the world when he opened 88 Apparel Q and according to Tagged, the business focused on tailoring clothes for various events like matric balls. It also tailored uniforms for schools and companies!
According to the publication, Shabba and Letsholonyane always envisioned starting their own business, even during the peak of their footballing careers!
"Our careers were the main focus then, I would argue. But at the same time we were coming up with plans and visualising how and what we want the place to be," Letsholonyane said.
"We put away a lot of money even though we were busy with football," he added.
"It's always been the two of us. We bought a pub and turned it into what it is today. We've always known what we want."
To add to his list of accomplishments and achievements, Letsholonyane is also the Director and a coach at Pimville Young Stars FC who play in the SAB league in the Gauteng Region.
He is also the founder and chairman of the Yeye Letsholonyane Foundation. It is a non-profit organisation that prides itself on reaching out to communities through sports, education and health.
As a player, the former Amakhosi stars while he was still on the field. Now, with his more hands-on approach, he continues to inspire those who the foundation assists as well as, perhaps, young people who would also like to start their own businesses.
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