By:  LUYOLO MKENTANE

JOHANNESBURG – A creative and dynamic duo have teamed up to tap into the multi-billion rand promotions industry in South Africa and create much-needed employment for young unemployed youths.

Ngwenya on the other side earned a national diploma in information technology: communication networks, from Tshwane University of Technology.  He left his job at the Office of the Chief Justice where he worked as an IT technician to follow his dream of becoming an entrepreneur.

Malefane, who works from Johannesburg, says they are very passionate about brand promotions and explains the meaning behind their company name, Creative Brand Studio: “When we were starting the company we told ourselves that we are going to be creative with every brand that we work with. The name studio represents the board, you know, a sitting where we are having a brief with the client on how we should expose their brands.”

In 2016, Creative Brands Studio received a call from Pete Gottgens, general manager of the five-star Asara Wine Estate & Hotel in Stellenbosch, Western Cape.

Ngwenya, who works from Pretoria, says what he loves most of their company, which employs 17 young people, is the fact that they are a 100 percent black-owned company, which they funded out of their own pockets.  “We love promotions because it’s what we know best. If it was not for promotions, Tshepo would be in IT and I would be hustling for an acting job somewhere,” says Malefane, who is the company’s head of marketing.

Ngwenya, who is the firm’s head of account, says what sets them apart from other promotions companies is the fact that they take product knowledge seriously.  He says after an intensive short training their staff writes a test to gauge their knowledge of the product they would be marketing.   Only those who score 85 percent and above are allowed to go on the field as they are deemed fit to represent the brand, adds Ngwenya.