From airtime to the big time for Sanele
Sanele Gamede at his office at University of KwaZulu-Natal's Howard College telling the story of his life as a young entrepreneur. He won KZN Young Achievers Award for his Information Technology company, Ilada Technologies. Picture: Sibusiso Ndlovu Sanele Gamede at his office at University of KwaZulu-Natal's Howard College telling the story of his life as a young entrepreneur. He won KZN Young Achievers Award for his Information Technology company, Ilada Technologies. Picture: Sibusiso Ndlovu
Durban - From cellphone airtime salesman to owning an information technology company.
That is the story of Sanele Gamede, the 2016 KZN Young Achievers Award recipient.
Gamede, 28, is a masters student in Cultural and Media Studies at the University of KwaZulu-Natal.
The budding entrepreneur started his company, Ilada Technologies, in 2013, after selling airtime and running a tuck shop at the campus for two years.
He said his dream was to be a journalist, but he could not pursue it because he did not have money to study.
The setback, however, led him to another passion: business.
He started by repairing and selling laptops to university students in the township, who did not want to travel into the city to have the repairs done.
“The idea behind my company is to help students. Through the service I provide, I also visit students at their residences to help them with their laptop issues,” said Gamede.
Originally from Swaziland, Gamede said many students on campus still remember him as an airtime salesman.
“Most students saw me as a nobody back then, but now they are surprised to see my achievements, and some still tease me, even now. I remember when I graduated and it was my turn to get my certificate, one student stood up and shouted ‘’airtime”, which was one of the most embarrassing moments in my life, but I kept on going,” he said.
Gamede, who has not studied IT, said he also dreamt of one day opening an internet café in a rural area, where most people don’t have access to technology.
He believes that the government should invest more in skills development of the youth if they want to eradicate the country’s high unemployment rate.
The chief executive of the KZN Young Achievers Awards, Mthobisi Mkhize, said the awards gave recognition to young people in the province who were making a difference in their communities, and changing lives.
“Gamede is an inspiration to many young students because he is a hard-working individual. We congratulate him for this great achievement, and we hope the award will help open doors for him,” he said.