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From Unemployment to Illumination: How Makatu Tshivhula Built The Light Candles from Soweto

From Unemployment to Illumination: How Makatu Tshivhula Built The Light Candles from Soweto.

August 21, 2025

With a psychology degree in hand and no job in sight, Makatu Tshivhula faced a crossroad many graduates know too well. Rather than wait for opportunity to knock, he decided to make his own path. While working at a candle factory for six months, he discovered a passion for crafting light. In 2021, he took a bold leap and founded The Light Candles in the heart of Soweto. This was not just a business, it became his way to bring healing and comfort to people, using light as his medium.

Shining Light on Spirituality and Everyday Needs

Makatu’s brand serves unique market needs. His customers include spiritual individuals, churches, and those navigating load-shedding or households without electricity. The candles he crafts bring more than illumination, they are tools for spiritual healing and resilience. His background in psychology gives him insight into the emotional impact of his craft, connecting consumers to more than just a product.

Quality That Lights the Way

Quality has been a standout feature from the start. His candles consistently burn longer, rated up to 11 to 12 hours, with a robust catalogue that includes scented candles, church pillars, dinner candles, moulded designs, and glass-jar options. This commitment to excellence isn’t just marketing, it’s built trust. Customers know that The Light Candles delivers reliability alongside spiritual comfort.

From Soweto Depot to National Reach

Operating from a small storefront and back manufacturing room in Pimville near Maponya Mall, Makatu began supplying his neighborhood directly through walk-ins and local deliveries. But he didn’t stop there. His reputation for quality and connection helped him expand peppered across South Africa. Today his business reaches all nine provinces and even extends into Swaziland, Lesotho, and Zimbabwe.

Growth and Knowing When to Shine Brighter

A pivotal moment came in 2023 when Makatu entered the Engen Pitch & Polish entrepreneurial competition. Out of some 2 000 applicants, he made it to the top eight. Though he did not win, the mentorship and exposure he received shaped his business acumen deeply, improving how he pitched, managed, and scaled his vision.

Entrepreneurial Lessons from a Young Candle Maker

Makatu’s journey offers valuable insights for entrepreneurs across all industries:

Create purpose from your background – His understanding of psychology and desire to heal shaped a brand with emotional resonance.
Start where you are – The modest space in Soweto became the launchpad for a brand that now serves multiple countries.
Prioritize quality – Exceptional burn time and variety of formats helped his candles stand apart.
Lean into your niche – Serving spiritual and practical needs created a loyal, emotionally invested audience.
Use platforms to sharpen your business – Pitching competitions offered not just prizes but mentorship and clarity.
Think big, start local – His vision includes becoming a household name across Africa, and every small sale works toward that goal.

Lighting up Africa, One Candle at a Time

Today, The Light Candles is more than a brand, it is a beacon of resilience and purpose. From psychological insights to practical challenges like load-shedding, Makatu has turned each into an opportunity to shine. His candles illuminate not only spaces, but also community and entrepreneurial hope. His dream? To have branches in every province, be stocked by major national retailers, and provide employment opportunities along the way.

For aspiring entrepreneurs, his story offers encouragement: opportunity often starts where need and passion intersect. With faith, quality, and persistence, anyone can find their way from unemployment to creating something that truly lights the world.