A wise man once said, "When getting into the entertainment industry, always have something to fall back on" and Idols SA season 18 winner Thapelo Molomo is doing just that. Thapelo sells eggs and atchaar as a side hustle. He hates being broke and he would do even the smallest of jobs to combat poverty.

REMAINING A COP

Before auditioning for Idols SA, he was in the South African Police Services and he never left his job even after he emerged a winner in one of the most hotly contested seasons. He continued serving and protecting as a warrant officer at the Brits Police Station in North West. "I am back at the police force as a counsellor. This is a passion for me but to also have a sustainable income. It's important for musicians to have a stable income somewhere, if they can manage their time right. It might not be a nine to five or SAPS like I have chosen but something to balance cash flow," he adds. Thapelo says some of the people at the police force get excited when they see him in police uniform, but he remains professional. "I'm able to distinguish between being a counsellor and a musician. I am very passionate about this. I have been doing it for some time. From singing in church, I only decided to pursue music recently. It doesn't discredit my career in the police force."

VENTURING INTO THE EGG BUSINESS

Thapelo says besides helping people through the police force, he is also very business minded. In a recent video making rounds on social media, he is seen selling eggs door to door. Some people have made comments on the tough South African economy and how it has driven even the most talented and prestigious to "stoop low." But Thapelo is not fazed by the criticism. He is all about finding different streams of income. "I knew that people would judge me. I was expecting negative criticism. I wanted to deal with the narrow-mindedness of how people perceive small businesses. People would be put down for selling tomatoes in the street and get judged. I am trying to show people that any form of income is good. You don't have to wait to get millions before having a big establishment, you can start small where you are," he says. "We all start somewhere, even one of the biggest chicken franchises started with a mere spice and grew from there. I chose this business to educate people on how we should not stop thinking," he said.

He advises young people to take that R500 they use to buy branded sneakers and start a small business with it instead of blaming President Cyril Ramaphosa on everything or wait for someone to come and save them."If you have a chance to do something about your life, do it. I am selling door to door, but I will get to a supply stage. I am not broke. I am a hustler and want to expand into the business world. It's bigger than just selling eggs," he added. As an Idols SA winner, Thapelo walked away with an impressive prize haul of over R1 million cash, a car, a fashion voucher, musical equipment; and a recording contract with Kalawa Jazmee Records.

WORKING ON NEW MUSIC AND PLANS FOR 2023

He is currently in the studio and working on a three-track EP due for release in February. "The sound is Afro-Soul and Gospel and I am working with Kalawa Jazmee." This year he hopes to have his first live recording. "That is one of my plans for the year 2023, get a lot of collaborations and most importantly, make lots of money."