Two young graduates from Soshanguve Block XX, who completed their studies in Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) recently established their business venture on the side of the road, selling scones wearing their graduation gowns.
The 26-year-old Thato Mokatsi is a qualified Interior Designer ad has resorted to selling scones and muffins with her associate, Perm Stomberg (26), who has a Somatology qualification.
They operate their business on the side of Aubrey Matlala Road, near Soshanguve Crossing Mall.
Both graduates said they later decided to be innovative as part of encouraging other unemployed graduates to also start their business.
The two graduates started their business by posting images of them selling muffins and scones wearing graduation gowns and found that the gesture was admired by many individuals while others disapproved.
The two said they were criticized for upstaging others who were already in the industry and did not have qualifications.
“All we wanted to do was to encourage unemployed graduates to be innovative and to do something with their lives.
“The negative feedback we received on social media made us to be self-aware and to be clear that we are doing this for ourselves and we also embraced ad appreciated the positive feedback,” said Ms Stormberg.
Ms Mokatsi encouraged unemployed graduates to discover anything that will assist to sustain themselves.
“Being an unemployed graduate is hard but we need to rise up and be innovative to earn an income because jobs are scarce in South Africa.
Ms Mokatsi said baking and selling scones was not ideal for them but the lockdown and Coronavirus widened their vision.
