Lekau Sehoana, founder of Drip Footwear, launches new sneaker brand KITE SA after Drip Footwear’s liquidation due to a R20 million debt to Wideopen Platform.
Credits: Lekau Sehoana (Facebook)
By Duncan Mnisi
Gauteng – Lekau Sehoana, founder of the well-known sneaker label Drip Footwear, has bounced back with a new brand, KITE SA, after a turbulent period that saw his original company liquidated.
Sehoana’s entrepreneurial journey began humbly, from selling eggs and running a car wash to building Drip into a household name with more than 25 stores nationwide.
But some costly decisions, including a store at the V&A Waterfront and a R20 million billboard campaign, added pressure to the business. Compounded by stock import challenges and financial losses during peak seasons, the brand eventually collapsed.
“A black business biting the dust at this stage is a setback, but it’s also a lesson for others,” one observer reflected.
Despite his challenges, Sehoana created more than 500 jobs in a struggling economy, a fact often overlooked in the criticism he received online. “Everyone has become a business expert without knowing the facts,” a close associate remarked.
After five years of operation, Drip Footwear was liquidated with losses amounting to about R20 million. Yet Sehoana insists his story is far from over.
“Six years ago I founded a brand called Drip. After five years of successful trading and job creation, it was liquidated. Yesterday, I launched my new brand called KITE SA,” Sehoana announced.
He describes KITE as a symbol of perseverance and growth: “KITE is a brand that I look at and think of growth and maturity — while also having fun and reflecting on past mistakes to learn from them.”
On persistence, he remains firm: “You must keep trying over and over until you get it right.”
The new KITE sneakers have already attracted attention from sneaker fans, with early feedback suggesting strong support for the brand’s fresh start. Sehoana hopes South Africans will continue to back local innovation and resilience.
He closed with a message of inspiration: “Keep building, keep innovating, and let your work speak louder than opinions. Success is the best response. Fly high.”
