WATCH | Not the usual Khayelitsha bike tour

It’s not the usual bicycle tour through a crowded township of over two million people.

Neither is Siyabonga Mbaba the usual entrepreneur. Mbaba aims to uplift young people and change people’s perception of his suburb, Khayelitsha.

Mbaba is the founder and managing director for ‘Ride 2 Empower’, which not only runs bicycle tours through Khayelitsha but also focuses on micro-enterprise development. He aims to attract funding opportunities for social entrepreneurs from marginalised communities.

Siyabonga comes from a poor background but is determined to not let his disadvantage hold him back.

“I don’t allow my circumstances to determine my destination,” he says.

He says he is motivated by doing what he enjoys and strives to collaborate with young people who share his ‘can do’ mentality. In so doing he hopes to inspire his community through education and by tapping into the creative spirit flowing there.

By introducing people to the latent talent bursting out of townships like Khayelitsha, Mbaba hopes to challenge people’s perceptions of resource-poor neighbourhoods. For Siyabonga, eliminating poverty means creating more opportunities and uplifting the future leaders of South Africa.

This article was published in partnership with ACTIVATE! ,  a network of young leaders equipped to drive change for the public across South Africa. 

• Video produced by Content Lounge