Young entrepreneur opens community cinema
Kasi Biskop brings hope to varsity dropout Sepeng
The children of Soshanguve, north of Pretoria, are kept warm behind closed doors on weekends and holidays by a local cinema, Kasi Biskop.
On arrival the Sowetan team, is hushed and instructed to come in quickly in the minimally lit shack.
“Please rush in we don’t want to disturb the little ones during the movie,” said co-owner Tshegofatso Sepeng.
Engrossed in Ice Age: Collision Course Purple the boys and girls hardly noticed the noisy adults chatting about Kasi Biskop.
Sepeng, a media student dropout from Tshwane University of Technology, said he was passionate about films. He established the cinema last month.
“I could not complete my studies because of funds. Then I thought I can set up a movie [house] for the community and so my uncle provided me with this place and we co-own the venture.
“I saw the way people love cinema [but] cannot afford to visit them. Firstly, they need transport and then money for movies and snacks. The nearest movie [house] is in Wonder Park shopping centre and it costs R40 for a return taxi trip,” said Sepeng.
Although Wonder Park shopping centre is 19km or a 15 minutes drive away, many in the Soshanguve community find it too far.
Ten-year-old Koketso Khoza said: “I like these movies [and] the place [Kasi Biskop] is in my street. In the past we used to have to go to Wonder Park.”
Sepeng shared some of his experiences with the little ones.
“Sometimes I must sit with them because they are scared of the dark. I also play trailers to keep them entertained while waiting,” he said.
Sepeng, however, said he was strict on show times: “During the day we normally show cartoons and from 5pm the movies for adults start. We check age restrictions of the movies we show.
“We are against piracy, we only show movies that are out on DVD. We only show trailers of the movies on show at the [established] cinemas,” he said.
For just R5 the little ones were chuckling. Adults pay R10. Popcorn sell for R2.
Oratilwe Mabelane, 8, said: “I don’t know the name of the movie (Ice Age) but I really like the elephant [Manny, the mammoth]. [But] my favourite movie is Barbie Girl,” she said.