KasiMarket was not created overnight.
It was built from years of curiosity, struggle, learning, failure, and a vision that never changed.
My journey with technology started in 2012 when I accidentally broke my new computer. I was too scared to tell my mother because the computer was still new, so I decided to try fixing it myself. That moment changed everything for me.
What started as fear turned into passion.
I began learning how to fix computers, both hardware and software. From that point, I fell deeply in love with technology and spent years teaching myself how computers work.
In 2017, I completed Grade 12. The following year, in 2018, I moved to Gauteng looking for opportunities to further my studies. I had not applied to any institutions during my final year of high school, so I had to search for late applications after arriving in Pretoria.
I did not know Gauteng well at the time. I stayed at my grandmother’s place while searching for colleges. Because many institutions already had long registration lines and late applications were limited, I eventually enrolled at Tshwane North College (TNC) in Mamelodi to study Information Technology and Computer Science.
At first, I thought I would continue learning mainly about fixing computers. But when I arrived, I discovered that programming and software development were a major part of the course. It was completely new and unfamiliar to me.
As time went on, I slowly started falling in love with programming and mathematics.
By 2019, I became obsessed with learning more than what we were taught in class. I realized that many deeper concepts in programming required self-learning and constant practice. I spent countless hours teaching myself development skills and building real projects.
I created music hosting platforms, mobile games, social media platforms, and many other experimental projects. I was not just learning programming — I was learning how to solve problems through technology.
Then in 2020, while I was still studying, I started asking myself an important question:
“What will happen after graduation when unemployment is increasing every year?”
That question stayed in my mind.
I began thinking about how technology could help ordinary people create income opportunities for themselves, especially young people and communities struggling with unemployment.
That was the beginning of the vision behind KasiMarket.
I wanted to build a platform where people could sell products from home and start earning using what they already have access to.
While I was in Limpopo, I noticed that many University of Limpopo students were renting rooms outside campus and often struggled with shopping and convenience. I came up with an idea for a platform where students could order groceries or products online, and I would personally do the shopping and delivery for them.
Unfortunately, the project failed.
It lacked proper planning, structure, and development experience. But even though the idea failed, the vision never disappeared.
I continued building smaller projects, improving my skills, and refining my understanding of technology, business, and user experience.
In 2023, I developed another marketplace platform similar to KasiMarket. I dedicated almost the entire year to building it. Every day, I focused on improving the project and trying to create something meaningful.
The platform officially launched in 2024.
But once again, I faced major challenges.
The platform suffered from poor planning, performance problems, limited optimization for mobile users, and gaps in my experience at the time. Users complained about speed and usability issues, and despite trying to improve and rescue the platform, it eventually failed.
Receiving constant complaints, emails, and user frustrations became emotionally exhausting. Eventually, the platform was terminated.
But failure taught me something important:
experience matters.
Instead of giving up completely, I used every failure as a lesson.
Then in 2025, I decided to start again from scratch.
This time, I came with more experience, more technical knowledge, more understanding of users, and a clearer vision.
That new beginning became KasiMarket.
KasiMarket was created with one mission:
to help fight unemployment by giving people an easier way to start earning through local commerce and community-driven opportunities.
The vision that started in 2020 never changed.
Today, KasiMarket is more than just a marketplace. It is a platform built from real struggles, real failures, and a real belief that technology can help transform communities.
It is for the hustlers.
It is for the young people trying to survive.
It is for small businesses that deserve visibility.
It is for communities that need opportunities.
KasiMarket is not just about buying and selling.
It is about building a stronger kasi economy and creating opportunities for people who are often overlooked.
