Vhembe is one of the fastest economically emerging districts in South Africa and it boasts some of the best and young entrepreneurs, who can compete with their counterparts in the world.

This was said by Cllr Irene Mutsila, the executive mayor of Vhembe District Municipality when she was giving words of encouragement to an emerging young entrepreneur, Livingston Simango (32) of Makhado, who has never allowed poverty to stand in his way to success.

Simango celebrated his success with fellow business partners, politicians, clergymen and friends at a function held at the Thohoyandou Town Hall on Saturday night.

Simango joined the CTM group as a delivery assistant who carried heavy loads of tiles and other building material to the trucks, but after hard work, he is now a director of one of the 83 prosperous CTM stores in the world, at the Thohoyandou branch, which celebrated its 6th birthday this week.

During her address, Mutsila said investors are flocking to Vhembe because of the efforts performed by men like Simango who have never taken a break in the economic development of the country. "We are proud of these entrepreneurs because they place our district on the world map. There is no use to sing praise before somebody’s coffin instead of praising them when they are still alive. Looking at where he started from, there is no doubt that this man is a true example of hard work who wants to show us that everything is possible. His humble beginnings are an inspiration to the disadvantaged communities because he successfully displayed that it is possible to achieve success although he comes from a very poor background."

Simango says he owes his success to all the people who made him what he is. At his young age, Simango has tried his hand at different initiatives while trying to experiment with life. "I passed my Grade 12 in 1993 and I did not have money to further my education. I worked as a taxi marshal for some time, before I opened a spaza shop at my home. In 1988, I worked as a driver for the Albany bakery before I became a taxi driver on the Makhado – Thohoyandou route. I then joined CTM as a general assistant in July 1999. My job was very difficult and it included carrying heavy loads of tiles and other materials to the truck. I told myself that I would not die doing such heavy work because I am the master of my own destiny."