By Neo Kolane
The 30-year old Disc Jockey (DJ) Tśepo Shale fondly known as ‘EssAfrica’, believes that dreams are there to be a motivation tool in people’s lives and that is the reason why he has achieved his 2020 goals and does not mind if the year ends.
Born and in Mohale’s Hoek, Shale developed the love of entertainment in his early adolescent ages when he moved to Johannesburg.
Shale is the last born of four boys, two of whom are have already passed on along with his parents.
“Even without both parents, my growing up was normal like any Mosotho kid’s would be, the only thing that was a challenge was changing of domiciles every now and then. I moved from one from one family member to another”.
He eventually went to live with his brother in South Africa at the age of 13 and since then his brother has been playing the roles of parents and sibling.
Moving to South Africa, Tśepo joined a theatre group in 2003 called Sizani Youth Group in Johannesburg where they played all over the big stages in South Africa including Market Theatre and Grahamstown Arts Festival in Cape Town.
“I left theatre when I was given a chance to present a show with one of the biggest television stars in South Africa right now by the name of Amanda Manku “Elizabeth Thobakgale” of SABC soapie Skeem Saam, but it only lasted for a couple of months I had to go back to school.
“My love for DJing began in 2008. “In 2009 I went to study at Wits University but I dropped out due to financial problems; that is when I started working at the club.
“I currently co-host with a young talent from Maputsoe by the name Limpho ‘Daizee’ Chelete on an online radio called Impulsradio Africa. I started last year and my show “The Frontier” airs on Fridays from midday to 3:00p.m, already it’s making waves as it is now the second most listened show on radio.”
He mentions that the show also got nominated on the Mzansi Radio Awards in April but it did not get an award, nevertheless they are both grateful that it was recognized.
“That really uplifted our spirits to work even harder. All we need is support from our people,” he says.
EssAfrica is also a resident DJ at Sawubona Café in Maboneng and Uluju Café in Braamfontein, both in Johannesburg. Not only is he making waves by himself, he says he has a company called Creative Minds which he only started recently and still growing.
He says the company has given jobs to three young people who work on a full-time basis, and they have the experience of have working widely with people from Lesotho, Botswana, South Africa. They were about to hit Eswatini when Covid-19 brought the world to a screeching halt.
“My partner (Letsosa Letsosa) and I have been doing very well for Creative Minds because we have also spread to some of the SADC countries (Lesotho, Botswana, Eswatini and Zimbabwe), and that I consider an achievement looking at how 2020 has been.”
