Lekau Sehoana
By Lerato Mpembe
In a raw and honest interview on the Relebogile Mabotja Podcast, South African entrepreneur Lekau Sehoana has finally broken his silence on the dramatic collapse of his once-thriving Drip Footwear empire.
The 37-year-old businessman, who rose from poverty in Ivory Park to build a multimillion-rand sneaker brand, shared the painful details of compliance failures, financial woes, and personal losses that led to liquidation.
But amid the heartbreak, Sehoana revealed his comeback with a new venture called Kite, a brand inspired by childhood resilience and designed for a more sustainable future.
This story of rise, fall, and rebirth offers key lessons for aspiring entrepreneurs across Mzansi, highlighting the harsh realities of rapid growth in a tough retail market.
Sehoana’s journey has captivated South Africans since Drip Footwear exploded onto the scene in 2019, becoming a symbol of local pride and streetwear culture. Yet, behind the flashy billboards and celebrity endorsements, cracks began to show as early as 2022, culminating in the brand’s liquidation in 2024. His podcast appearance, released in mid-October 2025, comes at a pivotal time as he launches Kite, proving that setbacks do not define success. With South Africa’s youth unemployment hovering at over 45%, stories like Sehoana’s inspire hope while underscoring the need for strong business foundations.
Humble Beginnings: From Ivory Park Shacks to Sneaker Dreams
Born in 1988 in Limpopo, Sehoana’s early life was marked by hardship after his parents divorced when he was just two. Raised by his single mother in Johannesburg’s townships—first Alexandra, then Ivory Park—he grew up in extreme poverty. Ivory Park, ranked as one of South Africa’s most dangerous areas with high murder rates, exposed him to violence and struggle from a young age. Yet, these challenges sparked his entrepreneurial fire.
As a child, Sehoana went to school barefoot at times, a stark reminder of his family’s dire situation. He learned to sew from his grandmother, mending torn clothes out of necessity. By grade 8 in 2003, he was crafting his own sneakers from recycled denim and old bags, turning creativity into a survival tool. “I wanted to change my family’s life, but I had to do it differently,” he recalled. High school saw him as the “fashion guy,” experimenting with unique styles amid poverty that hit hardest as a teenager, when government feeding schemes ended and peer pressures mounted.
His absent father, whom he met properly around age 15 or 16, left a void, but Sehoana credits his mother for filling it. She raised four children alone, instilling values that kept him on a straight path. This foundation drove him to escape poverty through business, starting with small hustles like poultry farming and shisanyama stalls after losing construction jobs.
Building Drip: A Meteoric Rise Fueled by Hustle and Hip-Hop
Unemployed in 2019 with a wife and two kids, Sehoana pivoted back to fashion. Inspired by hip-hop icons like Kanye West and Jay-Z, he focused on one product: sneakers. The name “Drip” came from township slang for being stylish, a term he wanted to own before big corporates swooped in. Starting with no capital, he sourced prototypes from China, navigating forex and imports.
Drip Footwear grew explosively, opening 25 stores nationwide and expanding into the Drip Group with 35-plus outlets. Diversification included Kitty’s Republic (denim), Domain (another clothing line), fish and chips shops, and more. At its peak, the group employed over 300 people, consumed 300,000 pairs of shoes yearly, and boasted endorsements like Casper Nyovest. Billboards dotted townships, and the brand survived tough times like Covid-19, when many retailers folded.
Sehoana built to sell, aiming for global scale. His team of eight designers created enough prototypes for one new sneaker weekly for a decade. Drip became a top admired brand in South Africa, even ranking in the top 10 in 2025—after not trading for a year. Revenue hit hundreds of millions, with valuations speculated around R650 million at prime, though Sehoana keeps figures private.
The Cracks Emerge: Compliance Nightmares and Financial Freefall
Trouble brewed post-2022, tied to compliance issues with the South African Reserve Bank (SARB). Drip relied on Chinese suppliers, importing stock on consignment—goods worth millions without upfront payment. Forex rules required matching invoices, payments, and customs declarations. A mismatch in paperwork for R150 million worth of stock led to SARB blocking payments and seizing R3 million.
“We were blocked from bringing in stock, crippling us during festive season,” Sehoana explained. Without inventory, sales plummeted, draining savings. Diversified ventures like Kitty’s Republic piggybacked on Drip’s funds but became unsustainable. He liquidated non-core businesses voluntarily to focus on Drip, but it was too late.
Attempts to restructure failed. Banks and funders shunned him due to SARB flags on his ID as sole director. Legal efforts yielded nothing, and even MEC interventions came too late. Creditors lined up—packaging suppliers, malls, staff—while low margins in retail amplified losses. The Tembisa Hospital corruption scandal and buried forensic reports added to public scrutiny, though unrelated.
Liquidation Heartbreak: Emotional Toll and Private Probes
In 2024, Drip Footwear entered liquidation—not voluntary, but forced by inability to pay creditors. Assets were seized, stores closed, and 150-180 staff let go (down from 300 at peak). Sehoana described a tearful Zoom call with employees: “I cried because they encouraged me. They said I gave them experience without demanding five years.”
Liquidation meant auctioning assets to pay debts, with SARS first in line, then staff and creditors. Rumours swirled: unpaid Kitty’s staff (later settled via estate), lavish lifestyle funded by company money (denied by Sehoana). He faced private commission of inquiries—Zondo-style probes into assets, IP, trademarks, and operations—to rule out collusion or fraud. No criminal findings emerged, but the process was gruelling, involving frozen accounts and asset seizures.
Personally, the strain ended his marriage. Long hours and exhaustion changed him: “If you don’t water the plant, it doesn’t grow.” His ex-wife, Lebogang Sehoana, claimed in a 2024 podcast she funded the brand early on, sparking debates. Sehoana respects her as his son’s mother and avoids public details.
He took a year off, reflecting at his Limpopo family home and helping with supermarkets to learn retail basics like inventory and low margins.
Bouncing Back: Drip Sportif, Supermarkets, and Kite’s Takeoff
Sehoana’s resilience shines through multiple comebacks. In February 2025, he launched Drip Sportif’s “Rebirth” collection via TAPE stores, competing with global brands. In April 2025, he ventured into retail with EasyPrice Holdings, opening a Soweto supermarket targeting low-income areas with groceries and liquor.
Now, in October 2025, Kite (or Kite SA) marks his latest chapter. Inspired by childhood kites in Ivory Park—symbols of perseverance amid failure—the brand’s tagline is “Take Flight.” The first sneaker, “Runners,” retails at R1,499 online. Kite focuses on consumer stories, sustainability, and calm growth, not Drip’s rapid pace. “I’m not rebuilding Drip; I’m doing it differently,” he said.
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