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Into the gaming zone
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Matebello Motloung
Financial Mail
Friday, February 20, 2009
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Owning a PlayStation is just about every child's dream. But ranging from R1 300 to R4 300, it's also one that most parents cannot afford.
For these children, entrepreneurs Musa Maphungwane and Amos Mtsholongo are a godsend. They run Kasty Gaming Zone, a gaming arcade-type of business with branches in Soweto and Ekurhuleni that's a hit with children and young adults.
Musa Maphungwane Being an entrepreneur can be child's play
For R1, you get to play on PlayStation for 10 minutes; R6,50 buys an hour.
Kasty Gaming Zone was Maphungwane's idea. He says he noticed how Soweto, with its numerous entertainment spots, had none catering for children.
The self-employed computer technician who has his own PlayStation at home, noticed how children in the neighbourhood wanted to play on it and would not leave. Using about R70 000 of his own money combined with contributions from his sister, Maphungwane decided in 2006 to buy a container and convert it into a gaming zone, and to buy six PlayStations and screens and pay for promotional material.
The container zones are located near schools - they also offer Internet access and photocopying facilities. "But no children are allowed during school hours, especially if they are wearing uniforms."
Maphungwane is the winner of the 2008 Soweto Entrepreneur Business Plan Competition sponsored by Virgin Mobile and this year's FNB Enablis Competition (expansion category).
The partners are completing a mentorship programme at the Branson School of Entrepreneurship and will be franchising Kasty Gaming Zone.
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