MEET LEVI MNGUNI, THE MAN BEHIND THUTO STATIONERY

One of his earliest memories of school, was a dislike for the cheap stationery that he had to use. Not being from a wealthy family, he had to make do with what could be cheaply bought. He described how flimsy the books were, cheap brown blotting paper that tore easily with paper so thin that pen or pencil would leave permanent ridges in the paper. He said that even the butcher wrapping the meat for clients, had a higher quality paper.

Levi attended school and made do with the lowest quality stationery through necessity rather than choice. This has also impacted on Thuto Stationery and the offering that they bring to the market; but first, more about the man behind the brand.

Levi left Mpumalanga and came back to Shoshanguve, where he finished Grade 12 and went on to enrol at Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) but dropped out shortly after; as the eldest son, it fell to him to assist the family financially. So having a true entrepreneurial spirit, he set off and started his first venture, an African Kota business that catered to mainly students – this was way back in 2008.

Levi gave up the kota business and in 2011 focussed his energy into his next venture, which was placing students that came to study in the city in rented accommodation with various landlords in the area. He named this venture Masihlalisane. Now, this name was coined in the mini-bus or taxi industry when taxis were scarce or if it was the last taxi for that route. Essentially it means “share your seat” or “make a bit of space for just one more” (yes, overloading occurred, but that’s not the point). Levi spoke to landlords and asked them to make space for just one more. This was a service for students that were new to the city, that hadn’t yet secured rooms and were uncertain where to go, or where they would be safe. Levi earned a living, the students were accommodated and safe and the landlords (informal or otherwise), made some money.

His next venture two years later in 2013, was assisting student with bursaries to find accommodation. He raised funds to pay the rent while the student was waiting for the funding from the bursary to come through. This allowed many students to find accommodation and start their studies while they waited for their funding. He still has notes of gratitude from those that he assisted. At the age of 25, Levi became a father to Musa Blessing, his son. Musa is now nine years old and has been joined by a sister, Mbali, who is four.

In 2016, Levi established Compubooks, of which he is CEO, which was essentially a reseller of stationery, books, text books and digital devices like tablets. In 2020 he established his brand, Thuto Stationery and began trading in 2021. Thuto means “education”. With this name Levi (which means to join or unite) wants to unite stationery with education and students and brings an African ethnic vibe, which is stunning in its’ simplicity and originality.

The range under Thuto includes exercise books, counter books, pencils, pens, erasers, glue sticks and rulers. Several differences are evident in his offering when compared to products offered by competitors. The most striking difference is the bright, eye-catching designs. This goes back to his days as a scholar, when the books were flimsy and an ugly shade of brown, covered in cheap brown paper, that singled him out as a poor boy. The Thuto range of books need no cover. There are different designs to consider, from Classic and Ndebele to Limited and Jazzy and he has included a soul sister and super-hero edition too.

The books all come with a large label area, pre-printed for the name, subject, school, grade and year, this coupled with the vibrant design and extra thick cover means that the only cover you will want to add is a protective plastic cover. The design is gorgeous, the quality is excellent.

The other stationery, for instance glue stick, also carries an eye-catching design and retails at a reasonable price.

The wrapper on the Thuto eraser not only bears the unique design but also comes with perforation to allow the user to unwrap as they use. This means that you don’t have to push the eraser up and have a bunch of cardboard at the base, it protects the eraser and gives a good grip to the user – innovation and logical application!

Lastly, looking at the plastic display files, it comes with a hard cover and a brilliant design with a space for the students’ name and project name.

All their offerings are available via Products – Thuto Stationery at really affordable prices. They have a really clean, fresh website and the shopping experience is easy and enjoyable.

Now where to from here? Levi would like Thuto Stationery to be a household brand name that is synonymous with quality and excellence. Ideally, he would like to be able to open factories in townships to stimulate the township economy and provide jobs. That is his long-term goal but in the short to medium term, he is focussing on getting the brand out there. He would like to collaborate with schools and tertiary learning facilities to do branding with the school emblem.

We can honestly say that Levi is very engaging and he wants to give back and inspire, he is an entrepreneur that has consistently looked to make an impact in areas where there is a need. Helping

those that need assistance and those who come from a disadvantaged background. Thuto Stationery through their unique and creative designs to encourages children to be excited about school and take pride in the books. Levi wants Thuto Stationery to be his legacy, ultimately making its mark not only in South Africa, but on the continent and eventually globally. The brand is being recognised not only for the unique look and feel, but also for the affordability and the outstanding quality and functionality. We’re sure that Levi and his team will produce more innovative designs and the range will develop and morph as time passes.

As Nelson Mandela said, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”

Realising this, Levi has not created new products, but he has added a local flavour to make education more fun for the current generation. Thuto Stationery have created a range to engage a child’s mind and creativity; it’s not just children, we too, admit to being fans. �