Author: Tebello Tsotetsi

The following article is solely based on my observation. It is my opinion and you have the right to disagree with it but not on my wall.

Last week we saw the premiere of 'controversial' businessman and self proclaimed 'King of Sushi' Kenny Kunene's reality show "So What". Social networks went crazy as everyone from every little corner of South Africa wanted to voice their opinion on what they thought of it and what they think of the man himself.

From what I've observed its pretty obvious that people hate the guy. One of the comments I read on Facebook read:"Kenny is a criminal who shows off his wealth. Motsepe is a self made billionaire but he doesn't show off like that." There were many other comments that had Kenny and Motsepe in the same sentence- why, I don't know. I don't want to jump onto Kenny's defense but, I think one of the worst mistakes that people have made is to look at the bling side of his life and not take time to read into his story on how he got to where he is. The media has also contributed to the negative perceptions that people have because they constantly sell us the bling side of his life. Think about it; the guy is more famous for sushi and girls but we are hardly told about how he started his business, the ZAR EMPIRE. I think that's unfair. What's worse than that is the comparison people make between him and Motsepe.

Ok, let me get to the point of this article. I personally find Kenny's story more inspirational than Motsepe's rise to wealth story. Why? Kenny worked hard to get to where he is; from jail to selling Gayton Mckenzie's book to becoming his agent to selling fish in the streets to becoming partner in a mining consultancy business to establishing ZAR.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to say Motsepe didn't work hard for his wealth but we all know that he is a beneficiary of BEE. From being a lawyer to partner at law firms Bowman Gilfillan and Witman Chingwaramusee to being Non-Executive Director of Absa Group and Sanlam to founding African Rainbow Minerals which changed to ARMgold after merging with Harmony Gold Mining Ltd, in 2002 when is it was listed on the JSE Security Exchange. Motsepe is also the founder of African Rainbow Minerals Platinum (Proprietary) Limited and ARM Consortium Limited which later equally split ownership with Anglo American Platinum Corp Ltd; all these are BEE DEALS.

According to Wikipedia, such success is called oligarchy. Many people have complained that the country's 1994 transformation from apartheid to democracy has benefited only the elite few. The criticism stems from laws that require substantial black ownership in certain industries, including mining. A handful of politically connected individuals have grown enormously wealthy as a result. One of Motsepe's sisters, Bridgette Radebe, who's married to transport minister Jeffrey Radebe, heads a mining company and is said to be among the wealthiest black women in the country.

Kenny's story inspires young people who aren't politically connected and would like to be rich one day. That's why I say I have more respect for him. Look beyond all the bling, sushi and naked models and you'll see that the guy is a DREAMER who works hard to get what he wants.

That's my opinion.

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