Each year South Africa commemorates National Youth Day on 16 June.
The theme for this year is promoting sustainable livelihoods through the resilience of young people for a better tomorrow. We chat with five inspirational young entrepreneurs positively contributing to the travel and tourism industry in Cape Town.
Keron Basson
Founder of Western Cape Tours & Transport (WCTT), Keron started his entrepreneurial journey at the age of 20 right here in Cape Town. With a deep desire to create opportunities for others, we catch up with Keron to find out what drives him as an entrepreneur…
What is Western Cape Tours & Transport?
WCTT is a start-up business. Since 2019 our focus has been on providing vehicle rentals nationally. We have extended this focus to include personalised travel and tour experiences in 2022.
We offer tour packages and services to local travellers and international tourists including transfers, chauffeuring, corporate transport, and nationwide car rentals.
What motivated you to join the travel and tourism industry?
From a young age I’ve had a burning desire to provide reliable transport to the tours and travel and corporate industries. I operate in various other business industries, however, the desire to fulfil my dream of providing reliable transportation to the tours and travel industry, and to expand the business into the tourism sector has always been close to my heart.
Where do you see Cape Town, as a tourist destination, in the next 5-10 years?
There is so much to celebrate in the Mother City such as our people, our diverse culture, our beautiful beaches, and wonderful national parks. But we must take care of our beautiful city so we can continue to thrive in its glory.
If all key players continue to do their bit, to remain relevant to the consumer, and provide offerings that meet their travel and tour needs, Cape Town won’t go ‘out of fashion’ or be removed from travellers’ bucket lists.
Cape Town has so much to offer, so in the next decade Cape Town will still be the must-go-to destination for travellers.
To find out more about Western Cape Tours & Transport visit wcbtt.co.za
Busisiwe and Gugu Sibongile Ngcelwane
From Johannesburg, twin sisters Busisiwe and Gugu are co-owners of Twin Venture.
Their idea to start an adventure tour business was sparked on a vacation to Cape Town, when all the tour operators for quad biking were fully booked. They saw a gap in the market, and a month later they were back in Cape Town, and Twin Venture was born. This is their story…
What is Twin Venture?
We started Twin Venture in 2021. We’re based at the Witzand Aquifer Nature Reserve in Atlantis. We are the first female-owned tour operator in Atlantis offering quad biking and sandboarding experiences.
We’re hands-on with everything. We are the faces of the brand, the mastermind behind it, and the makers of it. We’re the tour operators, instructors, marketers, and administration.
What motivated you to join the travel and tourism industry?
We love travelling, nature and meeting people from abroad, from different walks of life, and making friends with our visitors.
When we joined this industry, we never looked at the odds, we just looked at the opportunity as just getting there and making it.
As hard as it may seem now, the future is bright. And tourism is the way to go. And we love Cape Town.
Where do you see Cape Town, as a tourist destination, in the next 5-10 years?
Cape Town is the heart of Africa. There’s so much to do and you get to see everything. You can go to the nature reserves, to the beach, and experience city life. You get to experience it all in Cape Town. The way we see Cape Town in the next five years, we see it on the map. We see it at the top.
To find out more about Twin Venture visit twinventure.co.za
Mzikhona Mgedle
Father to a five-year-old daughter, Mzi grew up in a small village near the Eastern Cape. He has a huge passion for commuter cycling and bridging the gap in communities that have been isolated for many years.
After being retrenched, during the hardship of the COVID lockdown, Mzi defied the odds and started the now thriving Langa Bicycle Hub. Here’s Mzi’s story…
What is Langa Bicycle Hub?
It’s been almost two years since we’ve established. We are a local enterprise, advocating for non-motorised transport, and for public spaces to be much more environmentally friendly and accessible to the community, especially for children.
We offer bike sales and rentals, we teach people to cycle, and we offer bicycle tours in Langa. We are expanding to a new site, a complex indoor centre with a pump track, a project with the City of Cape Town.
What motivated you to join the travel and tourism industry?
When I worked at Open Streets Cape Town, we had interns from overseas who wanted to enjoy the experience in Langa. So, I would take them on informal bicycle tours. People often asked me why I don’t start a tourism company, but my focus was on bicycles and teaching people. It was only after I started Langa Bicycle Hub that I saw a huge gap for bicycle tours.
Where do you see Cape Town, as a tourist destination, in the next 5-10 years?
I see Langa as the most diverse community in Cape Town. It’s a promising community with a rich history. We attract visitors from around South Africa, and from all over the world. I see a lot of potential for Langa to become the first no colour zone area for tourism in Cape Town, and in the next five years I see a lot of positive things for tourism in Cape Town.
To find out more about Langa Bicycle Hub visit facebook.com/Langabicyclehub
Mbasa Siyaka
Passionate about job creation, Mbasa started working in the family business as a security guard, then a runner, before becoming the manager. Now at 23 years old, he is the director of Mzansi Restaurant. Let’s hear what this young entrepreneur has to say about his journey thus far…
What is Mzansi Restaurant?
Mzansi Restaurant is a second-generation family run business based in Langa, the oldest township in the Western Cape. Over the years we primarily catered to the influx of international clients that frequented Cape Town. We also offer services for off-site catered events.
We pride ourselves on creating business-to-business partnerships in the township, to boost the economy, and keep the rand circulating among local businesses.
What motivated you to join the travel and tourism industry?
I grew up in a family business. My parents were in the entertainment industry hosting jazz events. In 2008 they opened Mzansi Restaurant. It was the idea of my late grandmother. When she saw the buses of tourists coming in and out of Langa, she convinced my parents to open a restaurant, to entertain the guests. I started as a security guard and worked my way up to taking over the reins in 2018.
Where do you see Cape Town, as a tourist destination, in the next 5-10 years?
I see us finding our new normal. COVID has affected us very strongly and we have had to redirect our offerings, catering to a more domestic and younger demographic, to attract more business. I strongly believe, because of the travel awards Cape Town has received, that we will have an influx of tourists again, or even better than it was before.
To find out more about Mzanzi Restaurant visit mzansi45.co.za
