STORIES OF CHANGE: In Conversation with Tumi Makgobotloane
- bongiwe53
- 3 days ago
- 7 min read
What happens when losing a job becomes the beginning of building something of your own? From retrenchment to representation, this story is a reflection on how Tumi Makgobotloane is building a platform for new voices for the Komati Community.
For Tumi, the answer has been Komati News Flash - a community media platform born from a period of uncertainty, shaped by a desire to serve others and strengthened through mentorship, learning and belief in an idea.
Long before she became a media entrepreneur, Tumi had a driving calling.
“I always knew that I wanted to tell stories,” she says.
Her early inspiration came from magazines such as True Love. She would read them page by page, paying close attention to how stories were constructed and how particular words and phrases were used. She would even look up unfamiliar words online and make notes.
After completing her Journalism studies, Tumi entered the media industry through an internship at SABC News. The experience introduced her to storytelling across both television and radio and provided the foundation for what would become her career in media.
But, like many careers, her journey did not follow a straight path.
Turning a setback into an opportunity
One of the defining moments in Tumi’s journey came when she was retrenched and found herself without work.
Unemployment can take a toll on confidence and self-esteem. Rather than allowing the experience to define her, Tumi made a conscious decision to use the time as an opportunity to learn, reflect and rethink what was possible.
“I had to dig deep and reflect on my strengths, while finding creative ways to use my skills to stay focused and not allow the experience of unemployment to consume me,” she recalls.
She enrolled in courses to expand her knowledge, including digital marketing. More importantly, she began to question whether her next step had to be another job.
Instead, she started asking a different question:
What could I create for myself?
That shift in perspective became pivotal.
During this period, Tumi also discovered a growing passion for charity work and community service. She found fulfilment in contributing to others, and this helped her think differently about what she wanted her work to achieve.
A conversation with a friend about opportunities in the media industry eventually planted the seed for what would become Komati News Flash.
Rather than simply looking for employment, Tumi began thinking about creating a media platform of her own.
Giving a community a voice
The idea emerged from her awareness of a community in Mpumalanga and the lack of local stories and information about the area.
At the heart of her thinking was the community’s experience of the Just Energy Transition.
For many years, communities in the area have relied on coal for livelihoods and employment. As South Africa transitions away from coal, residents face uncertainty about their economic futures, employment prospects and livelihoods.
Tumi saw an opportunity for community media to play an important role, not only by reporting on these changes, but by ensuring that the people experiencing them are part of the story.
She began imagining a platform that would represent the community, keep residents informed and create space for stories that might otherwise be overlooked by mainstream media.
That vision became Komati News Flash.
“The change I am most proud of contributing to is creating a platform that gives a community a voice and puts local stories at the centre,” she says.
Although the platform is still young, Tumi sees its potential as much bigger than simply publishing news.
For her, community media can become a vehicle for connection, information, opportunity and empowerment.
From an idea to a living platform
Tumi's entrepreneurial journey received an important boost when she discovered fraymedia Foundation’s EntreprenHer programme in 2025.
At the time, she had already been contemplating creating a printed newspaper for the Komati Village community. When she came across the programme, it immediately caught her attention.
“I had the idea; I just needed that extra push, guidance and support to turn it into something tangible.”
The programme offered more than skills development. For Tumi, it provided an opportunity to test her idea, share it with other women entrepreneurs, receive mentorship and begin seeing herself differently: as an entrepreneur capable of turning an idea into a viable venture.
“What stood out for me was that the programme seemed to recognise the potential in women with ideas and give them the tools, mentorship and confidence to take those ideas forward.”
That support proved transformative.
Tumi ultimately walked away as the 2025 EntreprenHer programme winner, receiving the prize that helped her move Komati News Flash from an idea towards becoming a functioning platform.
“I entered the programme with what was, at that point, essentially a concept, an idea I had been thinking and talking about, and I walked away with something that was beginning to take shape as a living, breathing platform.”
For Tumi, that transformation is one of the most meaningful parts of her journey.
“It reminded me that an idea can start very small, but with the right support, mentorship, resources and belief, it can become something tangible that creates value for others.”
Learning to lead through uncertainty
Building a media venture in an evolving media landscape requires more than an understanding of journalism. It requires adaptability, resilience and a willingness to keep learning.
For Tumi, continuous learning is central to her leadership philosophy.
“I believe that as a leader, it is important to have a spirit of continuous learning.”
She actively seeks opportunities to develop her knowledge, whether through short courses, acquiring new skills or simply finding information that can help her improve.
But she also believes that learning does not necessarily come from people who are older or more experienced.
The rapid evolution of digital media has made young people important sources of knowledge, particularly when it comes to new platforms, technologies and changing patterns of news consumption.
“I believe leadership also means being humble enough to learn from others, regardless of their age or experience.”
Her approach to leadership is rooted in empathy.
“I try to lead with love, empathy and understanding.”
For Tumi, leadership means being able to correct, guide and hold people accountable without diminishing their confidence or sense of possibility.
“It is about grooming people while imparting knowledge, creating an environment where they can learn, make mistakes and grow.”
That philosophy is closely connected to her vision for Komati News Flash.
Building more than a news platform
Tumi's ambition is for Komati News Flash to become more than a source of local news.
She wants it to contribute to economic opportunity in the community, particularly for young people.
Her long-term vision includes creating opportunities for young people to develop skills in media, writing, digital communication and storytelling—skills that can help them navigate an increasingly changing media environment.
“I would like to create employment opportunities in the community, particularly for young people.”
In this way, her vision for community media extends beyond representation. It is also about skills development, employment and creating pathways for the next generation.
The platform has the potential to give young people not only a place to consume information, but a place to learn how information is created and how stories can shape communities.
The power of mentorship
If there is one lesson Tumi repeatedly returns to, it is the importance of mentorship.
She believes having someone to guide, challenge and support you can make a profound difference, particularly when building something from the ground up.
“Mentorship has helped me become more accountable, but it has also taught me how to navigate challenges more effectively.”
For Tumi, mentorship has encouraged her to implement ideas faster, recognise mistakes earlier and confront challenges instead of avoiding them.
It has also given her perspective.
“Sometimes, when you are building something yourself, it is easy to become too close to the problem.”
A mentor can step back from the situation, ask difficult questions and offer a different perspective; something Tumi says has helped her think through solutions and navigate challenges more effectively.
Most importantly, mentorship has contributed to her growth as a leader.
She has become more confident in making decisions, more comfortable with learning and more willing to acknowledge that she does not always have all the answers.
That, she says, is one of the most valuable lessons she will carry forward.
Just start
For young African women considering media entrepreneurship, Tumi's advice is simple:
“Just start.”
She believes ideas become more powerful when they are put on paper and turned into action.
“Do your research, speak to people who have walked the journey before you, ask questions, listen and learn, and then build from there.”
She acknowledges the voices of doubt that can make entrepreneurship feel impossible, the voices that say an idea is too big, resources are insufficient or the timing is wrong.
But her own experience has taught her otherwise.
“Nothing is impossible, and I say that with so much gratitude in my heart.”
Komati News Flash began with a conversation between two friends. Tumi did not have all the answers, resources or certainty she would eventually need.
She had an idea. And she was willing to start.
The EntreprenHer programme helped her see that the idea could become something more. Mentorship helped her navigate the journey. The support and resources she received helped turn the concept into a platform.
Today, Tumi is continuing to build. From being heard to creating space for others
Tumi's story is ultimately about more than overcoming retrenchment or launching a community media platform.
It is about what becomes possible when a setback creates space to rethink what you are capable of building.
Her journey began with a young girl reading magazines and studying the art of storytelling. It continued through journalism, an SABC News internship, retrenchment, upskilling and an unexpected shift from searching for employment to imagining entrepreneurship.
It has now become a mission to tell stories that matter to a community and to create opportunities for others to find their own voices.
Her vision for Komati News Flash is therefore both journalistic and entrepreneurial: to put local stories at the centre while building a platform that can create skills, opportunities and employment for the community it serves.
And she credits fraymedia Foundation’s EntreprenHer programme with helping her take a crucial step towards that vision.
“I am incredibly grateful to fraymedia Foundation and the EntreprenHer programme for believing in my idea and giving me the opportunity to turn a concept into something real.”
Tumi's story is a powerful reminder that change does not always begin with a fully formed business plan, significant resources or a clear roadmap.
Sometimes, it begins with a conversation.
Sometimes, it begins with a setback.
And sometimes, it begins with a simple decision:
Just start.
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