By Saul Molobi
Thato Molamu is a social entrepreneur, philanthropist, marketing brand strategist, film director, and Media personality. He is also Director of Gateway Media, a 100% black owned multimedia production company that has been successfully running for five years and aims to provide innovative and creative solutions for brands. Gateway Media is the first black creative agency to establish its own digital skills academy, Leaders in Motion Academy (LIMA), which is currently training 100 students in digital skills.
He is the Founder of the Leaders in Motion Academy (LIMA), which is a digital creative skills academy and production hub based in the township of Eersterust in Tshwane and Alexandra in Johannesburg. The Academy affords young creatives from disadvantaged backgrounds an opportunity to gain valuable work experience through well-crafted, accredited, fully funded theoretical and practical courses. LIMA’s main goal is to normalise access to digital creative (technical) and business skills for township-based creative entrepreneurs and to connect them to markets in Africa and beyond. As we are in the digital transformation era, LIMA’s key focus is to encourage and assist individuals and SMMEs to transition their content to digital platforms, while equipping them with the skills they need to survive and thrive in the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR), especially since they are at the forefront of driving social and economic growth.
Being passionate about community development, Thato established the Thato Molamu Foundation, where he affects positive change by contributing significantly to empowering the youth and communities of South Africa. Recently launched, The Boy Without an Identity and The Girl Without an Identity programmes/campaigns are about promoting engaging and thought-provoking conversations between men and women about various topics that influence who we are as individuals and as a society and how we can address and overcome challenges collaboratively.
His impressive career includes winning the hearts of over 20 million viewers across the continent of Africa through his acting skills in some of the country’s most successful television shows for almost two decades now; including Generations, Greed and Desire and The Queen.
A true reflection of Black Excellence, he has been a champion and influencer of the Beijing Treaty – a multilateral treaty which regulates copyright for audio-visual performances and expands the performers’ rights.
Not only has he spearheaded the first-ever township Film Academy, he also serves as a member of the Advisory Board at the Tshwane University of Technology. A scholar himself, he graduated from the Henley Business School where he obtained a Post Graduate Degree in Managerial practices.
Click this link to view one of LIMA’s previous productions:
LIMA: Empowering the youth film skills
Leaders In Motion Academy in partnership with RMA, Compensation Fund, Department of Labour, Gateway Media and Thato Molamu Foundation are giving an opportunity to youth and those aged up to 40 years to pursue studies in the following cinematic fields:
- Animation
- Gaming
- Film and Television
This is a fully funded scholarship for 30 aspiring creatives and the qualifications are graded at NQF Level 5.
To register | apply on
We look forward to making a difference with you.