At Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University (SMU), students are empowered to excel in multiple arenas, from academics to creative arts and business. Boitumelo Makofane, a second-year Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology student, exemplifies this dynamic approach. As a skilled hip-hop dancer and co-owner of a popular food business, Makofane’s journey reflects SMU’s commitment to fostering student success inside and beyond the lecture halls.
As an athlete, he recently participated in the South African Sport Aerobics, Fitness & Hip-Hop Federation (SASAFF) Provincial and National Championships 2024. He exceptionally won first place in the Provincial Championships 2024 held at Gauteng under the Adult Hip Pop Duo category. After winning first place in the Provincial Championships, he qualified to participate in the National Championships 2024 held in Cape Town, where he won second place under the category of Adult Hip-Hop Duo.
“I joined SASAFF through the university. SMU Sports Officer Busisiwe Sijora and Coach Ignitious Moeletsi facilitated all the processes and registrations. My team and I have been competing at University Sports South Africa (USSA) and have won all the competitions we have attended. This led us to join the SASSUF through Coach Moeletsi, where we managed to win at the provincial and national levels. We were proud to win the Adult Hip Pop Duo category, and I believe the unique techniques and skills we showcased on the floor convinced the judges enough,” explains the Champion.
His talent as a hip-hop dancer and choreographer elevated him throughout the years, and he arrived at where he is today as an athlete. He won first place at the USSA in 2018 and 2019 under Small Crew Hip Hop. In 2019, he entered the SMU Explosive Talent competition and won first place under the category of Trio Hip Hop. He continued participating at the USSA in 2023 and won third place under the small Crew Hip Hop category.
On the other hand, the athlete is the co-owner of Mr Marinate Chicken Dust, a cook-and-grill food eatery based in Ga-Rankuwa Zone 2, Pretoria, next to a car wash at Mmatsela. Mafokane and his partner, Thabiso Makhubela, established the affordable food eatery business in 2022, and most of their clientele consists of SMU and Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) students. Mafokane explains their business currently employs two students from SMU in response to job creation for youth.
He explains, “My love for business began in primary school when I was in Grade 4. I used to sell sweets to my classmates during lunch breaks. Initially, managing both the business and my studies was quite challenging, but we hired additional staff to improve productivity.” Mafokane continues, “In the short term, my goals include targeting a diverse range of customers, including SMU and TUT students, as well as those from nearby colleges and universities across all TUT campuses and the University of Pretoria (UP). In the long term, I aspire to develop my business into a leading national franchise, akin to other well-known food outlets.”
Makofane’s achievements in athletics, the arts, and entrepreneurship reflect SMU’s holistic approach to student development. By supporting and encouraging students to explore their passions beyond academics, SMU continues to foster a new generation of well-rounded leaders. With ambitions of growing his business and expanding his success in hip-hop dance, Makofane is a testament to the university’s role in shaping versatile and driven students poised to excel in all areas of life.
