Entrepreneur assists SA's young business owners in accessing international markets

The Citizen

2 days ago

The countries that Motau and her team help entrepreneurs to access markets include Argentina and Australia.
Itumeleng Motau is an entrepreneur, business mentor and a founder of G20 Young Entrepreneurs Alliance. She is also the president of the G20 Young Entrepreneur South Africa. Picture: Supplied
Entrepreneur Itumeleng Motau is on a mission to assist South Africa's young business owners in accessing international markets.
Motau, fondly known as Itu, is the founder of the G20 Young Entrepreneurs Alliance and the president of the G20 Young Entrepreneurs South Africa (Yesa), a foundation specialising in assisting young entrepreneurs to meet and share ideas with other business people based in the G20 countries.
The countries that Motau and her team help entrepreneurs to access markets include Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, the UK, and the US.
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A few months ago, Motau led a group of young entrepreneurs to a business summit in Goiania, Brazil, where they connected with like-minded entrepreneurs from around the world.
During the event, they met hundreds of young entrepreneurs to share ideas and catalyse economic renewal, job creation, innovation and social change.
'Our objective is to promote entrepreneurship ecosystem conversations and celebrate impact projects carried out by young industrialists across G20 states,' she says.
'Our conference, set for 18-20 September at the Sandton Convention Centre, will host over 600 young entrepreneurs from G20 states and other countries.'
'Game-changer'
Apart from being a prominent figure in Yesa, Motau is also a passionate businesswoman who serves as a partner at Potlako Global Logistics, a subsidiary of MSC, the world's largest container shipping line.
As an enterprise development beneficiary, she operates on all customs and clearing services required internally, as well as freight forwarding services for some of MSC's clients.
'Holding a master's degree in maritime economics, I have found this opportunity to be a game-changer for my career. I'm also a director on the MSC South Africa board on the cargo side and help commercially with the MSC cruise business,' she says.
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Her second business venture is ITU golf wear, a golf apparel brand that embodies the spirit of 'Be Happy' – a direct translation of her Setswana name, Itumeleng. ITU Golf Wear is 100% black woman-owned. She says the ITU golf wear offers high-quality, stylish golf clothing and accessories for men, women and kids.
'Our mission is to innovate and lead in providing the best value products and services globally, while making a positive impact on our customers, business partners, employees, and communities.'
ITU Foundation
Under the ITU brand, Motau has established the ITU Foundation, which utilises clothing to advance golf development, diversity, and inclusivity.
She said the foundation has already supported 150 young golfers by providing them with clinics, allowing them game time, and supplying them with relevant apparel to help them excel in the sport. Last month, she had the opportunity to run a pop-up shop in New York.
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'The Flying Solo brand works closely with New York Fashion Week and Paris Fashion Week and gets our brands to be featured in high-end magazines like Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, Glamour and Cosmopolitan,' she says.
She urges young people who wish to emulate her to stay focused, work hard, and never give up on their dreams.
'Surround yourself with positive people and always be willing to learn and take calculated risks,' she says. Motau says she is proud to be a part of various initiatives that promote entrepreneurship, golf development, and community upliftment.
Entrepreneur's early life
The business mogul was born in Mamelodi, Pretoria, and grew up in an entrepreneurial and spiritually grounded family. Her grandfather ran a successful retail business, and her mother became a renowned entrepreneur and a game-changer in the hospitality industry. Her family raised her with a strong emphasis on education, family values, and social consciousness.
She attended primary school in Mamelodi and secondary school in Limpopo. After matric, she obtained a BSc in biochemistry and microbiology from the University of Limpopo; a chemical engineering national diploma from the University of Johannesburg; a postgraduate certificate in water engineering from University of Hanover, Germany; management advancement programme from Wits Business School; and a BCom masters in maritime economics from University of KwaZulu-Natal.
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Not yet married, she has a life partner she adores.
'While I don't have kids of my own, I'm a great mother and aunt to many. I'm very family-oriented and love cooking,' she says.
She also mentors young and old professionals and businesspeople.
'I'm passionate about taking care of future leaders,' she says.
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