Durban entrepreneur makes the wheels go round

SAFE, quality tyres form the bedrock of GT Wheel & Tyre’s business in Durban.

Fayez Raidan, 31, runs GT, which sells stylish rims and tyres.

The young entrepreneur’s business in Chris Hani (North Coast) Road is geared to provide a superior service.

He said GT Wheel & Tyre was set up to become the “go to” business for all things tyre- and wheel-related for the average motorist, fleet owners and car dealers.

But who is the man behind the business?

Raidan was raised in Lesotho and attended Ladybrand High School.

His father is from Mozambique, his mother from Lesotho, which became a safe haven for his family amid unrest in Mozambique.

They moved to South Africa in 2003 after securing citizenship.

Notwithstanding his IT qualification obtained through Damelin College, business is in Raidan’s blood.

Born into a business family, this mind-set has been cultivated from a young age.

Brainstorming of ideas and new ventures hold much appeal for him.

GT Wheel & Tyre supplies and fits shocks, brakes, batteries, wheels and tyres and carries out minor services and suspension work.

“Business can never be an overnight success,” said Raidan.

“To build an empire takes patience, tenacity and very hard work – qualities instilled in me as a youngster.

“Emerging entrepreneurs need to accept there will be setbacks and failures, but positive thinking and determination go a long way,” he said.

Raidan said he operated with the ethos of superior customer service and quality, applying what he had learnt in the past to map out a route to success.

He said he stayed motivated by believing that every failure was a learning experience and an opportunity to grow.

Failures should never be