This 21-year-old student used NSFAS allowance to create e-hailing app

Loading player...
The 21-year-old software development trainee gave up meals and other necessities to pursue his dream of starting his own e-hailing company, Hike.

Lekala was raised in a small town outside of Witbank, Mpumalanga, and despite his underprivileged background, his family fully supported him, and he ended up excelling in school.

The young man describes himself as having an entrepreneurial spirit. In 2020, he began by saving his Nsfas allowance to buy a printer and print documents for other students.

“I made a bit of money there and funded other ideas which, unfortunately, failed. But this did not dissuade me, and I pushed forward,” said Lekala.
10 Nov 2022 1PM English South Africa Business News · Investing

Other recent episodes

INSIDE YOUR BUSINESS: Transformation fund: opportunity or threat for SMEs?

The government is preparing to launch a revamped Transformation Fund as early as next week, rewriting incentives that have shaped corporate behaviour for more than two decades. Joining Gugulethu today is Jamell Khan from Unconventional CA (UCA), who has been vocal about the risks of centralising corporate transformation funds.
28 Jan 1PM 12 min

SAFDA’s plan to rescue Tongaat-Hulett and protect farmers’ livelihoods

South Africa’s sugar industry faces a critical moment as Tongaat-Hulett, one of the country’s oldest and most prominent sugar producers, confronts provisional liquidation despite ongoing efforts to stabilise the business. South African Farmers’ Development Association (SAFDA), led by Chairperson Dr Siyabonga Madlala, has stepped in to assure farmers and employees…
19 Feb 2PM 17 min

South African professionals are facing a new era of stress

South African professionals are facing a new era of stress, one that is no longer confined to busy periods or isolated pressures but embedded in the fabric of everyday life. The 2025 Profmed Stress Index released on Thursday reveals a workforce grappling with financial strain, toxic workplace cultures, systemic instability…
19 Feb 2PM 11 min