Zakiti: Revolutionising the Township Weekend Economy

Medupe Segwe A strategist and innovator with expertise in digital transformation, AI, and Extended Reality (XR), Medupe has spent his career at the intersection of technology, business, and social impact. Before Zakiti, he co-founded Royal McGrady Ed-tech, leading AI-driven Climate Risk Modeling projects and XR learning solutions for industries like mining and petroleum. He also played a key role in South Africa’s first IPMA Young Crew International Conference, shaping the future of project leadership.

VUSI VOKWANA 

Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (Hawaii Pacific University) 

Vusi Vokwana is an emerging markets specialist with a focus on building inclusive  economies where resources are scarce. Her work is about being a catalyst for change and  building new ecosystems and value chains in the township space hence her company is  called Kasi Catalyst. She is an expert at community engagement and stakeholder  management. She coaches and runs mentorship programmes for Enterprise Support  Organisations (ESO). She is also a keynote speaker and does talks about entrepreneurship  in the township in schools, churches, community halls and conferences. Her work is also  focused on building SMEs in the township space to grow and expand beyond the township.  

In her work, she has supported big corporates to enter the township market and supported  government to implement inclusive economy projects in the township and informal sector  space which led to the establishment of the First Pick n Pay Market Store in the Western  Cape, First Vida e Caffe eKasi and the First Black Fintech Fempreneur solution - iMbokodo Finance. As a market penetration strategist, she has also supported global companies  entering the SA market like French company PayGas, which came to SA with the intention  to open 2 sites but she helped them understand the township market and advised them on 

their roll-out strategy which ultimately planned to open 52 sites nationally. She sat on the  board of Retail Capital before it was acquired by Tyme Bank. 

Vokwana has volunteered her time in local Business Chambers and Associations to assist  communities to leverage their buying power, their community assets and their social  capital to counter the legacies of spatial planning in marginalised communities. She is the  National African Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NAFCOC) WC Provincial Secretary,  Township Economy Commission of South Africa (TECSA) WC Chairperson, Women  Economic Assembly (WECONA) WC Township Lead and Lagunya Business Association  General Secretary. She has the most comprehensive database of entrepreneurs and  MSMEs collated over two decades whilst also managing one of the largest commercial  property books in a township with title deeds. 

Vusi Vokwana is the Quote This Woman+ Voice of the year 2022 winner for the Economics  category for her work in township economies.

Teko Motlhabi is an entrepreneur with experience in the Engineering and Property sector. He possesses significant knowledge of the township market, especially in the affordable housing sector, having founded the Backroom rental PropTech startup.

With a profound understanding of the township and rural landscape, plus a passion for Tech solutions, his vision aims to empower excluded and underserved communities with digital tools that encourage manufacturing, foster entrepreneurship, and create market access for businesses operating in rural and township communities across the continent.