The man who went from selling perfumes to owning a luxury nightclub which South African celebrities love

Business • 1 November 2026 • Kirsten Minnaar

Kutlwano Pitso went from selling fragrances to founding Konka, a luxury nightclub in Soweto that was frequented by celebrities, musicians and wealthy partygoers.

While the venue closed its doors in 2024, it is still remembered as one of the city’s most iconic nightlife destinations. Many are now watching what the businessman’s next venture will be.

Pitso grew up in Orlando East, Soweto, where he would later go on to start Konka. studied at the IMM Graduate School in Johannesburg, where he obtained a qualification in marketing and brand management.

While he was a student, Pitso worked as a sales representative at African Sales, where he sold fragrances. He later said the experience taught him about consumer behaviour and how people make purchasing decisions.

In 2010, he joined Johannesburg-based market research company Foshizi as a junior researcher. The role gave him experience in research and strategy.

Pitso joined M-Net in 2011 as a marketing assistant. He was promoted to marketing executive in 2012 and later became a brand manager.

His work involved entertainment channels including Mzansi Magic, Channel O and Mzansi Music.

The experience exposed him to the marketing and promotion of entertainment brands and helped him understand how to reach audiences across different platforms.

He told Pop Bottles Entertainment that working here set the foundation for his career, since it taught him how the marketing process operates and how to take a creative idea and distribute it across different platforms.

“But what was more important for me at this stage was that I got to meet very influential people within the industry. People who had businesses. People who were doing well.”

“I got inspired by this process, I got inspired by these engagements, and I finally had the courage to open my own business.”

Entering the business world

The first business Pitso launched was Moja Café in Orlando East in 2016. The business combined a restaurant, an entertainment area, and a car wash. This business quickly took off.

“It became very popular,” Pitso said. “People came through in numbers. We were doing well week-on-week. The business was very comfortable from a consumer-facing point of view.”

However, while Moja Café may have been a hit with customers, Pitso was dealing with challenges behind the scenes.

“In the background, if I have to be honest, we struggled a bit from operations to tracking our finances to HR documents and things like that. We had challenges here and there.”

The experience taught him the difference between attracting customers and building the systems needed to manage a growing business.

The rise of Konka

Pitso returned to the hospitality industry with Konka, which opened in Pimville, Soweto, in May 2021. He acquired the former Icon Soweto nightclub, renovated the venue and relaunched it as Konka.

The business positioned itself as a premium restaurant and nightclub, which offered food, drinks and live entertainment. It was designed to attract customers seeking a high-end nightlife experience in Soweto.

Konka gained national attention for its celebrity clientele, lavish setting and expensive drinks.

The venue also attracted public figures and became known on social media for luxury cars parked outside and expensive bottles of alcohol, with some bottles selling for more than R14,000.

Artists and entertainers seen at the venue included Cassper Nyovest, the late AKA, DJ Maphorisa, Black Motion and Kabza De Small. Even Julius Malema has reportedly been seen in attendance.

Konka soon established itself as one of Soweto’s most recognisable nightlife destinations.

Its success also brought scrutiny, including allegations of money laundering and links to criminal activity made by social media users in 2022.

Pitso denied the allegations. The club’s public relations representative also rejected claims of wrongdoing, saying the business focused on providing a premium lifestyle experience.

In 2024, Konka announced that it would close its Soweto venue as it prepared to move to a new location.

The announcement described the closure as the end of one chapter rather than the end of the brand. Konka said it planned to continue hosting lifestyle and outdoor events, including events outside South Africa.

The Soweto venue held its farewell season between February and May 2024. The announcement said the brand would open a new home later that year, though no new location has been announced yet.