​Atchaar street vendor and now motivational speaker, Irvin Molefe, affectionately known as ‘Chairman’ on the streets of Soshanguve and surrounding areas, says no one is born without talent.
Chairman was one of the speakers at the “Forward Thinking on Youth Economic Empowerment beyond Covid-19” Summit, hosted by the Gauteng Department of Social Development in partnership with Mamelodi based Non-Profit Organisation, Entokozweni Resource Centre held at the Department of International Relations and Cooperation, in Tshwane last week.

The summit sought to mainstream the discourse of Youth Development, by bringing Government, Business South Africa and Civic Society to address youth economic inclusion and transformation in both formal and informal economies.

Inspiring young people in attendance Chairman who started selling atchaar since 2016 said, “More than anything else, one has to discover his or her God given talent and follow suit. I had to go through tough life challenges to realise my skills. I was arrested for armed robbery and served six years in jail it is where I learnt to cook. Later I was employed as a Chef in Centurion.

He said, “I’m the only one who is selling atchaar wearing a suit. Nothing is stopping you too to be the first to start something. Sell anything you can think of except drugs and your body. I started selling women underwear’s and ventured into the atchaar business. I used to travel frequently from Marabastad in Pretoria with about 100kg of atchaar to Lichtenburg, Northwest”.