A matric candidate from Vusisizwe Senior School has made headlines by launching his own dating app, “Pitch Dating, Chat, and Date.”
Inspired by tech mogul Mark Zuckerberg, Njabulo Nkosi (19) set out to achieve greatness at a young age, driven by the mantra, “If he could do it, so can I.”
Before venturing into the tech world, Njabulo’s journey began with music. “I didn’t want to just sit at home during school holidays; I wanted to make something of myself outside academics and earn my own money because I don’t like being dependent,” he said.
Despite his passion for music, he quickly realised the financial instability in the industry. “I connected the dots that music is business.”
Through effective copywriting and marketing strategies, Njabulo successfully monetised his music on Spotify, earning in dollars. With the earnings from his music career, Njabulo invested in self-teaching coding, focusing on JavaScript and HTML.
“It was difficult and time-consuming,” he admitted, but his perseverance paid off with the creation of his app.
Launching “Pitch Dating, Chat, and Date” on the Google Play Store was a significant milestone for Njabulo, despite the financial challenges he faced. His determination and resourcefulness allowed him to raise the necessary funds to see his project through.
Speaking to Standard Breede Rivier about the potential and risks of AI, Njabulo highlighted both its promise and peril. “AI can be very dangerous – there are people who create problems through AI and solutions through AI. When you teach yourself how to code, you can create anything on the internet. You could use it to hack people’s accounts and create viruses. As tempting as it could be, I wanted to create an app that solves problems.”
Recognizing relationship issues in his community, Njabulo developed his app to address these challenges, aiming to foster healthy, respectful, and equal relationships.
Looking ahead, Njabulo aspires to study IT or Marketing after completing his matric year. His vision for “Pitch Dating, Chat, and Date” includes expanding its user base and introducing advanced features to enhance user experience and promote meaningful connections. He hopes to monetise the app once it reaches 1 000 users, ensuring its sustainability and growth.
Njabulo attributes his success to the unwavering support of his partner and brother. With “Pitch Dating, Chat, and Date,” he aims to empower individuals to build inspiring relationships.
His innovative spirit and commitment to making a positive impact on his community have set him on a path to play a prominent role in the tech world.
