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Thapelo Mashiloane – better known as MashTee when hitting the decks –did not crumble to the pressure when the pandemic lockdown took DJ’ing off the table. In fact, he used that time in 2020 to open his restaurant. Spot-On chats with Thapelo about Solid Liquid Eatery. Pages 8 & 9
Zamakhuba Radebe, founder of agro-processing company African Indigenous Enterprise, hopes for real change from government
South African National Blood Service – Join the Good Hood
Meet the young fast-food business pioneer Tracey Mbuli from DiChips
Sibusiso Khambule: Tembisa’s innovative electrician
Thuma Mina Online – Tshepang Masuku is heeding the call to serve Tembisa
EnviroCare Thembisa: Working to make Tembisa cleaner
Ensuring the youth are the future – Spot-On speaks to
Dube
Dr Isaac Boshomane: An effective
of development in the
Boitumelo Thage – A young woman on a mission
The Manjik touch of David Mahlangu
Q&A with TX Theatre – making it work, despite challenges
Hendrick Kekana voices his opinion about the main reasons behind poverty and the declining number of economically active citizens
Tembisa is a Nguni word that means “promise” or “hope”. The township is situated in Ekurhuleni, a Tsonga word that means “place of peace”. So, you can imagine the surprise when this place of hope and peace was overcome by violent protests in July and August.
Government buildings and other properties were torched by angry residents who were protesting incorrect billing and power outages in the township. It was rather strange witnessing the Tembisa shutdown, since the township doesn’t necessarily have a history of protesting and has been one of the best paying municipalities in the country.
As a Tembisan myself, there was a sense of pride in seeing community members stand up for what they believe in. That said, the fact that a fire was started at the Customer Care Centre, which is supposed to serve the community, was most disappointing.
The shutdown was a result of the culmination
If
of people’s frustrations with the general rising cost of living affecting many parts of the world, especially South Africa’s poor. In an opinion piece, renowned businessman Hendrick Kekana writes about the recent Tembisa shutdown and looks at how government could make life better for its people by a simple change of policy.
While Tembisa has had its share of woes in the last few months, we aim to inspire the community by shining the spotlight on those individuals doing amazing work in the township.
Nonhlanhla Dube, founder of the non-profit iMibala Foundation, has a keen interest in developing and implementing creative youth development interventions to meet various
know of a business in any township
community challenges. SpotOn visited Dube at one of her sessions to see the work she does in one of the most impoverished sections of Tembisa, called Vusimuzi.
While we’re in the heart of Ekurhuleni with this issue, we figured we’d also take a peek beyond Tembisa. We profile and bring to light issues faced by Zamakhuba Radebe, the founder of agro-processing company African Indigenous Enterprise. Radebe is one of 517 residents of Thinasonke Ext 4 next to Thokoza, whose RDP houses are incomplete, after construction started more than four years ago. Due to corruption, they are yet to be finished. This has, of course, impacted businesses in the area.
On a lighter note, we have a
Q&A with Mxolisi Masilela of Tembisa’s TX Theatre, about the work the theatre space has been doing for almost a decade, with international accolades!
There’s often a stereotype that says people living in townships aren’t interested or have the slightest care for the environment or nature in general. Samuel Mashimbi, founder of EnviroCare Thembisa, bucks that notion, and we discuss his dedication to nature conservation in Tembisa.
Enjoy the read and see you next time.
South Africa
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Being a DJ arguably comes with an innate skill of being able to think on your feet when the pressure is at its peak. Thapelo Mashiloane – better known as MashTee when hitting the decks – did not crumble to the pressure when the pandemic lockdown took DJ’ing off the table. In fact, he used that time in 2020 to open his restaurant, Solid Liquid Eatery.
Like tourism, the entertainment industry could not function properly during those early days of the pandemic when the country was at a standstill. That’s when Mashiloane decided to broaden his professional horizons. “I’ve always been passionate about food but never got any formal training. I learnt everything through Google and YouTube,” he tells Spot-On.
The 32-year-old with a thick beard says the name of the business isn’t a new one. “My first business was an ice business called Solid Liquid, which was established in 2019. I didn’t want to play too far from my first, so I named the food joint Solid Liquid Eatery.”
Solid Liquid Eatery is situated on the outskirts of Tembisa, in Esselen Park Ext 2. At least Mashiloane doesn’t have to worry about paying rent, as he operates the business from home.
Solid Liquid Eatery is a fast-food joint that sells an array of meals, but Mashiloane says customers have their favourites. “The ribs and wings platter is the top-selling item on the menu followed by our kotas and burgers.”
Due to the limited travelling during lockdown, the eatery relied on deliveries. “I’ve been using a delivery service from day one. It’s a Tembisabased delivery service.”
Publicising the business has been his biggest challenge. “Marketing and actually getting people to come through to the shop is one of the challenges,” says Mashiloane. The rampant blackouts by Eskom have not made things easy for the entrepreneur. “Load shedding is the other one, as all the equipment in the kitchen uses electricity.”
Fortunately, because the business isn’t in the heart of Tembisa, it didn’t really feel the effects of the recent strike by residents of the township. “I wasn’t affected by the recent Tembisa strike as my shop is located at the edge of Tembisa. A lot of people don’t really come to this side,” says Mashiloane.
The business has four dedicated employees and Mashiloane confirmed to Spot-On that he is entirely self-funded – not relying on government or any external investors. His ice business is still in operation and he hopes to see the restaurant grow. “I’m planning to open a few more branches outside of Tembisa in five years’ time.”
MashTee, as he’s known behind the decks, still DJs. As a popular performer, he sometimes travels to different parts of the province and the country, while also usually filling a slot on Tshwane FM.
One of the eight promises that Ekurhuleni’s Executive Mayor, Tania Campbell, made to Tembisans when she eventually addressed the masses at Mehlareng Stadium, was to deal with the issue of waste management in the township.
Among the biggest proponents of environmental care in Tembisa is Samuel Mashimbi, the founder of EnviroCare Thembisa. “Tembisa is clean; unfortunately, human behaviour contributes negatively. The problem is how an individual discards waste hence, over time, the area becomes unclean, even though collection of household waste is done on a weekly basis,” Mashimbi tells Spot-On.
To counter this issue, Mayor Campbell said the City of Ekurhuleni will distribute 27 000 wheelie bins to residents to combat illegal dumping. “We will also clean up all the illegal dumping sites around Tembisa. We appeal to members of the community to stop illegal dumping and conserve the environment,” said Campbell.
Mashimbi has been an environmental activist in Tembisa for a number of years. He, together with several volunteers, had a clean-up campaign of the Hennops River in Tembisa. The river, which begins in Kempton Park and flows in a northerly direction towards Tembisa, is one of the most polluted waterways in Gauteng. The river then turns northwest, flowing through the centre of Centurion. It continues in this direction, flowing through the foothills of the Magaliesberg range before flowing into the Crocodile River (Limpopo) on its right bank.
Regarding the clean-up, Mashimbi recalls a shocking discovery the team made: “A foetus was discovered – it was the first time during our clean-up campaigns.” The clean-up took place along the Esiphetweni and Vusimuzi informal settlements stream, and was a successful partnership between Wits University, Hennops Revival and EnviroCare Thembisa.
EnviroCare Thembisa is a registered nonprofit company with three members and 15 volunteers. The organisation works tirelessly, yet still needs assistance from government and residents. “The waste department assists with issuing refuse bags and the collection of waste. Government must enforce by-laws. Tembisans must initiate clean-up campaigns at a sectional level street sweeping, litter picking, and being the watchdog then the place will be cleaner and better.”
Mashimbi says the community’s attitude towards the environment should change, because it is they who litter at the end of the day. “Pollution has been visible for years. For example, the municipality will clear an illegal dumping site and, in less than a day, there’s more rubbish.”
Mashimbi says the community’s attitude towards the environment should change, because it is they who litter at the end of the day
Arthur Badzanane and Samuel Mashimbi of EnviroCare Thembisa
Ask almost anyone and they’ll tell you: South Africa’s leaders today are out of touch. That’s why we’re in desperate need of more people like Nonhlanhla Dube, who are committed to building our communities and making a difference in young people’s lives.
One of the biggest problems with our leaders today is that they are out of touch on the issues facing ordinary citizens. There was a time when community leaders resided in townships among the people, not what we see today in the elite who lead from posh, suburban homes.
The paucity of leaders who are obsessed with serving the community is glaring. Nonhlanhla Dube, a Tembisa resident, is one of the few shining lights in the community through the work she does.
Dube is the founder of non-profit company iMibala Foundation, a community development organisation with a keen interest in developing and implementing creative youth development interventions to meet challenges in the community.
Currently, Dube runs a learning support programme for early childhood development centres in Tembisa called iMibala Lit & Art Club. Her focus is on Early Childhood Development (ECD) centres that are situated in disadvantaged parts of Tembisa and are under-resourced.
“I offer curriculum support, literacy and art lessons to them. Through this programme, I help ECD practitioners give their Grade RR and R learners the support they need to get ready for Grade 1. Through this programme, I aim to empower my learners academically, socially and emotionally,” Dube tells Spot-On
Dube has a passion for literature and community development – a combination of the things that led her to where she is. She resides in one of the most disadvantaged areas in Tembisa, called Vusimuzi, was raised by a single mother, and became a teenage mother after falling pregnant in her matric year. “All these circumstances influenced me to look at the options I could take to enrich my life and be
a positive influence on my children. Education was the obvious choice, as I’ve always loved reading and writing since primary school,” says the 31-year-old.
In 2017, Dube ran a holiday book club programme with other changemakers in the community, called the Kiddies Book Club. “We hosted these book clubs in various places around Tembisa, including local libraries, local art spaces, a local primary school and even in my living room when we couldn’t secure a different venue.”
As a practitioner who has been working on the ground for years now, Dube says there is a massive gap in townships when it comes to accessing books and other educational materials. “The issue is not just accessing books and learning materials, but also having access to relevant materials,” she says.
“Working in this space therefore requires one to be out there all the time, speaking with the right players who have access to these materials. You need to be creative and build
relationships and networks with the relevant people. Even the few libraries we have are outdated and do not serve our needs as young people who should be occupying these spaces. Most of our schools don’t have libraries – this speaks to this big gap we have in our education system in the townships.”
According to Dube, the initial idea was to take the iMibala Lit & Art Club into primary schools as an after-school programme, like they did previously with the Kiddies Book Club back in 2018. However, schools have a lot of red tape and rules, which makes it difficult for people like her to operate.
“This challenge forced me to be flexible
Most of our schools don’t have libraries – this speaks to this big gap we have in our education system in the townships"
with the programme and present it to ECDs, where there are no gatekeepers and no school governing bodies. Working in ECD also has its own challenges: some ECD practitioners think I’m there to compete with them when I present the programme. I bring my own art materials to all the sessions, so I have challenges in keeping the art materials cabinet fully stocked,” says Dube. These are just some of the issues she encounters working in the community development space.
Dube was recognised for the work she does in the community by the Activate! Active Citizen Awards. Active Change Drivers is a network of young leaders equipped to drive change for public good across South Africa. Dube joined the community in 2016 and has gained so much from being part of it.
“Since then, there have been moments where it all felt pointless, with a lot of challenges arising and receiving very little support. However, things took a turn for the better this year for the iMibala Lit & Art Club, as we received funding from the National Arts
Council, and now this award. To me, these recognitions mean I am actually making a positive impact with this programme, and it is bigger than me. It feels like a confirmation from the universe that I’m on the right path and a thumbs-up to keep on going.”
Dube believes Tembisa can still do more as a community in terms of community development and voluntary work. “We have so many unemployed, skilled young people, but we still have a shortage of things like a functional youth desk in our police stations. This is voluntarily community development work.
"I feel like we have no culture of volunteerism;
everyone wants to do something motivated by what materialistic value they’ll get out of it. We don’t have things like ‘clean-up’ days anymore because even the young people at primary school level believe they must be compensated in some material form for them to take part in developing their communities. This limited thinking leads to so many missed opportunities, for young people especially,” she says.
She has big hopes and ambitions for iMibala Lit & Art Club, and would like to see the organisation employing and empowering more young community art facilitators and literacy ambassadors, increasing the impact of the iMibala Lit & Art programme, and expanding into the after-school space in primary schools.
“I would also really love to see us with a specific home where we have an edu-art centre, where young people go for education, empowerment and entertainment. I’d like to create safe spaces for young people to meet at after school, during the weekend, on school holidays. I believe this is what we need in order for us to take our children off the streets and away from all the negative influences and unnecessary pressures that may lead them to places they don’t need to be in.”
I feel like we have no culture of volunteerism; everyone wants to do something motivated by what materialistic value they’ll get out of it"
Spring is in the air, and with the change in season, you might feel like making some healthy changes in your life too. We all know that exercising is good for you, but with today’s busy lifestyles – commuting, working, taking care of the family – we don’t always put ourselves and our health and fitness first. Well, we’re here to say no more! We have a way to help you eliminate some of the hurdles to staying healthy – introducing our Ultrafit Range, exclusive to OK Furniture!
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While the benefits of a home gym are clear, it has always seemed quite costly. Luckily, we’ve made it more affordable for you with our Ultrafit range – available on cash, credit or lay-by. As always, we offer you the lowest credit instalments guaranteed, and you can quickly apply for credit on our website or via SMS.
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In describing leadership, British-American author and motivational speaker Simon Sinek says a boss has the title, while a leader has the people – and that accurately describes what Dr Isaac Boshomane is to his community. The experienced and educated mechanic is a shining light in the township of Soshanguve through his establishment, Kgabo Cars Training Centre.
Founded in 2001, Kgabo Cars Training Centre is a two-part business. It is primarily a car service operation with branches in Soshanguve, Rosslyn and Boksburg, which repairs and services vehicles of all makes and models with modern equipment. Its secondary aspect is training and assisting apprentices to become fully qualified, skilled automotive technicians.
Boshomane is a qualified technician, trainer, instructor, assessor, moderator, mentor, coach, skills development facilitator (SDF), and parttime university of technology lecturer. He has
an NDip from Tshwane South TVET College, an ETDP certificate from RAU (now UJ), as well as bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate degrees from Logos University (USA).
He worked at Cartoria Toyota as an apprentice then as an artisan, moved to Soshanguve Tech High School to teach, then lectured at Tshwane South TVET College before going to Mercedes-Benz to work as a passenger cars trainer, subsequently as a learnership and skills programmes coordinator.
He has been involved in Kgabo Cars on a full-time basis since January 2012 and shares his wealth of about 35 years’ automotive experience with staff members and students alike.
“Unbelievably, when I was young, I hated teaching yet rejoiced when helping others. I only found out later that it was not teaching itself, but the way it was presented to me that I hated. After seven years in the automotive industry, battling to develop as an artisan, I decided that no one in my surroundings should go through what I did to become a motor mechanic artisan. That is why I went to teach the youth at Soshanguve Technical High School before starting my own workshop and training centre,” the respected Boshomane tells Spot-On.
“Making a significant impact in a small way, with what we have and where we are, is our key differentiating factor to create and develop hope in our youth to take it upon themselves to become responsible and independent citizens.”
Boshomane took a conscious decision to assist young women who are among the last to receive opportunities in society.
“A woman, especially an African one, has been triple oppressed historically, yet they are the backbone of every successful family, business, community and country. They were previously not allowed to be educated, to work, to play any significant part in community matters yet they are the ones who, when given the opportunity, get things done professionally and have attention to detail. To date, their salary disparity is not making sense.
“They are the ones whose children sleep with full stomachs no matter what. Upskilling
women reduces the chances of GBV because, if the relationship is toxic, they are financially able to move out alive without fearing a lack of source of income.”
To date, 141 motor mechanic artisans – of whom 42 are ladies – are qualified at a national and internationally recognised level from Kgabo Cars. “We are planning to have another graduation ceremony in November 2022 for about 61 graduates and expose what we do in the township for more support.”
Kgabo Cars has 11 full-time employees and is currently training 20 learners after qualifying 30 in March/April this year. The programme takes three years of practical application to gain the skills, experience and attributes to prepare them for the trade test.
To date, 141 motor mechanic artisans – of whom 42 are ladies – are qualified at a national and internationally recognised level from Kgabo Cars
The business receives funding from the government, through the SETAs and National Skills Fund (NSF), but it’s only 57% of the total training cost. “It helps, however we remain with a serious deficit, which prevents us from breaking even, being self-sustainable and growing as a business. If we are not profitable, then entities like NEF and SEFA cannot assist us.”
According to Boshomane, the City of Tshwane is partnering with them by providing Kgabo Cars with another workshop to cater for more apprentices. “If a fleet can be availed as per the NDP and ERRP, it will assist us with revenue for sustainability and for apprentices to have more access to apply their TVET college theory within stipulated time frames.”
Boshomane is certain that Kgabo Cars’ model has proven to be one this country needs, looking at the paucity of skilled labour and the high rate of unemployment.
“The Competition Commission informed us, when they were going around the country to gather information from SMMEs for the Right to Repair guideline development, that we
were the only entity developing apprentices in motor mechanics in any township or rural area. For that reason, the Competition Commission invited us to open one of their conferences and talk about Kgabo Cars offerings for 10 minutes, sharing how we overcame challenges in our space to produce the sought-after results in vocational and technical skills development,” says the businessman.
“Developing motor mechanic artisans is not easy even for OEM dealerships with the highlighted support system; however, as Kgabo Cars, we are already inviting private companies – especially those outside the automotive industry – for partnership to develop not only artisans but entrepreneurs, considering the effects of the pandemic, which destroyed and closed many businesses, as well as slowed the economy.”
As Gauteng Premier David Makhura addressed a crowd at Sam Ntuli Stadium in Thokoza, Ekurhuleni, on the eve of Women’s Day in August – where he promised that the Gauteng Retailers Programme would prioritise support for woman-owned businesses – many female entrepreneurs listened and hoped for tangible, positive change, and not the usual lip service.
One such woman entrepreneur is 29-yearold Zamakhuba Radebe, founder of agroprocessing company African Indigenous Enterprise (Pty) Ltd, which produces healthy snack alternatives such as dried fruits, vegetables and biscuits. Radebe runs her business from her home in Thinasonke Ext 4 next to Thokoza but, for the last few years, the business has faced the unforeseen challenge of insufficient space.
“In the community where I stay, there’s a huge problem of incomplete housing. Construction started over four years ago but, due to corruption, the houses aren’t finished,” Radebe tells Spot-On.
Her house is one of the 517 stands affected by this inefficiency from responsible departments. “Some houses have been left as wall plates for over four years. Others have foundation slabs but no building, others haven’t even been started at all, while some just need finishing touches like plumbing and electrical transfers,” says the entrepreneur.
Radebe’s business was founded is 2018 and formally registered last year. Due to the incomplete construction work in her area, her business’s progress has been halted. “I am using the backyard rooms intended for production space as a living area for my family while we wait for the house to be finished,” she says.
“It has set me back in receiving the relevant food production certificates needed to take my business to the next level. As a result of the situation in Thinasonke Ext 4 in Alrode South, I have to seek an alternative place to rent to facilitate production.”
Radebe says the community has engaged with the City of Ekurhuleni’s Cllr Mziyanda Mketsu of Ward 53 over the past years and there has not been a resolution to the problem. “We haven’t secured an appointment with Executive Mayor Tania Campbell since her recent appointment into office, as we had been engaging with the previous Mayor on the matters of service delivery for our community,” she says.
Just like many other entrepreneurs, she’s had to try to keep her operations going even through Eskom’s blackouts. “It has negatively impacted on my business, as I rely on electricity to produce. So, with load shedding reaching its peak of several blackouts in a day, it dramatically decreased production capacity and created a backlog in fulfilling orders to other businesses that work with us and our individual clients.”
Even though the businesswoman finds herself in a spot of bother because of government’s incompetence, she still manages to produce her goods, which are available in other parts of the province. “I distribute my products through The Box Shop (Soweto), as well as Vital Delights by
Anbesa Trading & Projects at TUT and Ekurhuleni Agricultural College in Benoni.”
She is part of the Ekurhuleni Business Collaboration, which regularly hosts events for members to sell their products in different areas in the community. “I also attend different events to get the products to the people,” she says. Her tasty treats are a combination of dried fruits – namely bananas, pineapples and apples – dried vegetable chips, muesli, oats and biscuits.
“Our products are infused with moringa, baobab, black seed oil, among other herbs and spices, to incorporate healing properties and boost nutritional value. The products have been well received so far and we still need to educate the community more about healthy snacks and healthy eating in general, so that people can better understand the benefits of our products,” says Radebe, who hopes to open a health shop to sell a variety of healing products soon.
African Indigenous Enterprise isn’t government funded nor does it have external investors, although Radebe is part of the Agro Processing Unit of the City of Johannesburg’s Department of Social Development, as well as the Wakanda Food Accelerator’s localisation programme.
The Gauteng Township Retail Programme is a Gauteng Provincial Government partnership with Family Tree Holdings, which is set to benefit some 15 000 township businesses to the value of R100-million. Radebe hopes hers will be among the businesses to receive support.
“I am confident and hopeful that the programme will have a positive impact on township development and look forward to seeing how the government will reach out to us people at the grass roots of ekasi to help us make our businesses a success – so that it can visibly impact the economy of the country and, most importantly, create employment opportunities for people in the townships who greatly need financial freedom.”
Due to the incomplete construction work in her area, her business’s progress has been haltedZamakhuba in front of her incomplete house
For the converted, blood donation is a no-brainer. Just 30 minutes can save lives. The story is a little different for those who aren’t familiar with donating blood. Fear of needles and access to donor centres are common reasons why people do not donate blood. But, the South African National Blood Service (SANBS) wants to change that.
SANBS is bringing blood donation to the people. Often seen as a timeconsuming activity, the Good Hood campaign aims to bring community-minded individuals together to conveniently arrange blood donations.
“As we launch our [Good Hood] campaign, we want to show donors our gratitude by not
only making the donation process convenient, but by also addressing the misnomer that setting up a blood drive is an admin-intensive, lengthy process,” says Thandi Mosupye, senior manager: Marketing and Communication, SANBS.
While not a revolutionary approach, as mobile blood drives are frequently set up in community spaces, it certainly does tackle the challenge of people’s unwillingness to travel to donate. SANBS also wants to give individuals in communities who have always wanted to get involved, a chance to make their valuable contribution through blood donation. This campaign presents an excellent opportunity for young people to contribute to their local communities by placing donation sites right on their doorsteps.
The campaign is rooted in getting communities to band together to make a difference for blood recipients who live among
them in their neighbourhoods. To recognise the generosity and selflessness of each participating community, SANBS will publicly acknowledge and celebrate them for being a Good Hood.
“We want to appeal to everyone’s inclination toward their civic responsibility, to help us achieve success through our campaign,” Mosupye adds. “Being celebrated as a Good Hood will show others that blood donation does not just have to be an individual activity – it can become a community and a family activity.”
SANBS urges everyone to band together and be a part of the life-saving movement in the spirit of togetherness.
Born in March 1994
– weeks before South Africa began its democratic journey – Tracey Mbuli is the first family member in three generations to obtain a university degree. She is also the first in her family to become a businesswoman, earning her the respected title of being her family’s very own pioneer.
Mbuli is the proud founder of DiChips – a successful fast-food business specialising in loaded chips and burgers. With pop-up stalls and bookings at events around the city lined up for most of the year, DiChips is fully loaded and growing from strength to strength.
A self-motivated, energetic and astute hustler at heart, Mbuli is currently a solutions analyst at a leading media company and a proud business owner, holding a certificate in Business Analysis, BCom Business
Management degree and BCom (Hons) in Business Management. Things didn’t come easy for Mbuli; she’s had to work hard for her success. She believes her daily mantra –“Victory loves preparation” – and her work ethic have prepared her today, to be victorious tomorrow.
Mbuli says she was primed to thrive in an “adapt or die” environment and remembers having leadership skills and natural business acumen from an early age. “As early on as primary school, I was everyone’s go-to person because of my networking skills; I knew almost everyone in the school. I was in Northern Academy in Polokwane back then and it was here that people started saying I was destined to be a businesswoman.”
With high hopes of passing matric with flying colours, Mbuli dreamt of becoming a businesswoman and pursuing studies in commerce. Unfortunately, she didn’t achieve the results she needed to register at the university of her choice, so she moved to another province to take an extended programme that allowed her to enrol with the marks she had obtained so she could study the course she had planned on.
“I was told to study something that I could qualify for, but my fighting spirit wouldn't settle for just anything. My eye was focused on my goal, so I decided to travel to the University of Limpopo. With grace, luck and a few disheartening challenges, I was accepted into the BCom degree I wanted and went on to be awarded top student,” she recalls.
Meet the young fastfood business pioneer whose perseverance, passion – and potatoes – have driven the success of her freshest business venture.
Despite the challenges of being a young black woman from a home of humble means, Mbuli describes varsity life as “awesome” yet filled with lessons. At the age of 21, and three years into her studies, Mbuli fell pregnant.
“My parents decided to revoke my monthly allowance, which meant I had to act like a mom and not a girl anymore. I decided to use the last allowance I had to buy second-hand clothes in Joburg CBD and sell them at school. This gave me some financial freedom, and I quickly learnt to be independent and take care of myself.”
Mbuli’s son, now six years old, remains her main source of motivation. “My son and family are so proud of me, and they’ve been walking this journey with me from day one. He always motivated me to push my business, my career – even personal goals.”
As a young mother in varsity, Mbuli started a small informal food market called House of Eden. The event – where she and other vendors would sell street food on campus –became popular among her fellow students. She continued juggling these income streams until she completed her honours degree, finally landing a job at Prime Meridian Direct in Johannesburg.
The Covid-19 pandemic came with many challenges for Mbuli and her family. She lost her grandmother in 2020 and was retrenched from work a few months later. This sent
her spiralling into depression; however, she refused to remain a victim of her situation.
“I decided to pick myself up and use the little money I had to start my business again –but this time in Joburg. This meant working with what I had, and I made it work for me.” Her family stepped in to assist her during this period, helping her buy equipment and other essentials to get the ball rolling.
With a simple formula – burgers and chips loaded with cheese and other generous toppings – Mbuli soon grew DiChips into a formidable business. While she was in the process of finding a property to house her business permanently, her aunt, Julia Thobakgale, forwarded her an advert calling for applications for a work-readiness programme at Afrika Tikkun Services.
Mbuli applied to the programme and, while she was waiting for a response, enrolled in the Global Skills Initiative offered at Afrika Tikkun Services. Through this, she attained qualifications in project management, data analysis, customer service, IT administration and software development. She has recently completed the work readiness programme. She credits her recent success to Afrika Tikkun Services for affording her an opportunity to work under the organisation’s small business incubation programme. Mbuli encourages other young entrepreneurs to reach out to such skills and youth development organisations who help disadvantaged youths acquire skills and resources to become entrepreneurs or find employment opportunities.
With her success rooted in tenacity, courage and resilience, Mbuli hopes to inspire other women to follow their dreams and not to settle for second best. As 19th century American writer Charles Dudley Warner said, “What small potatoes we all are, compared with what we might be!”
With grace, luck and a few disheartening challenges, I was accepted into the BCom degree I wanted and went on to be awarded top student.” Mbuli recalls.
Despite Eskom’s excessive load shedding, electrician Sibusiso Khambule has been powering his business – Zookasi Communications – and the Tembisa community since 2019.
Sibusiso Khambule’s name for his business was inspired by his background and the significance of the old South African silver 5c coin which is known as zooka in the township. “At the time, my mindset was kasi and very township. So, putting the word kasi and zooka together just made sense to me. It sounded like a word.”
As the name suggests, Khambule started a marketing and communications entity. “So, for the company to be known as Zookasi Communications, my aspirations were actually running a communications and marketing company where we help people identify their market and clients, as well as come up with strategies of how to get to their clients,” Khambule tells Spot-On
The name has remained, but Zookasi Communications trades in a totally different space now. “As I was doing research, I realised a marketing business is largely challenged by the power given to people by the internet. People
can create their own brands and market it themselves without relying on a marketing company.”
Khambule is a formally trained and qualified electrician, and in 2019 decided to turn the marketing company into an electrical installation and maintenance business.
According to the 29-year-old, the electrical installations and maintenance space is a competitive one. “A whole lot of people in South Africa know how to get around minor electrical challenges like replacing a switch or changing a light bulb. Some people do it as a way of making extra income, without looking into quality and safety assurance.”
Khambule says he comes across various challenges in his business; these, he says, are issues he never foresaw at the inception of his company. “One of the biggest challenges is insurance,” says Khambule. He recently saw the importance of having insurance after accidently breaking a customer’s expensive stove, which he had to pay for. “Finances are at play if you’ve damaged something. You have to pay for it as the person who was asked to come do the service.
“When you are working with electricity, you’re working with dangerous energy and safety is all important. The challenges are that you find people with installations that aren’t up to standard, and you have to work there. The dangers are big,” Khambule says.
“The recent shutdown did affect the business but not as much because some of the work I needed to do on the day of the strike was just to check and replace. There was only this one task I couldn’t get done because hardware stores in my area were closed and I couldn’t buy the materials, and there wasn’t a way to travel to other places outside of Tembisa because taxis and Bolt services weren’t working,” he says.
He was terrified for a day or so when Eskom withdrew its services from Tembisa after there were rumours swirling that one of the transformers was torched by protesters. But luckily the angry mob only burnt a shack that housed the security personnel guarding the substation. “I only have work because people rely on electricity, but if people were left in the dark without electricity, I think I’d also have the challenge of not having work.”
Khambule would like to see Zookasi Communications working in public spaces such as schools. “A whole lot of public schools that I’ve been to recently don’t have proper electrical installations that are safe or efficient to use. I’d like to see the company being able to help such spaces… like production spaces to have enough power outlets and enough lighting. I’d also like to have basic electrical safety consultations with community members, where we try to share information about how to save electricity or how to use electricity wisely.”
The challenges are that you find people with installations that aren’t up to standard, and you have to work there. The dangers are big." Khambule says.
Prep time: 20 minutes, Cook time: 30 min, Serves:
probably have all the ingredients for this easy homemade barbeque sauce, a perfect pairing to
refreshing puthu salad.
Ingredients:
Sauce
Pieces Goldi Mixed Portions
tomato sauce
Tbsp sugar
Tbsp vinegar
tsp cayenne pepper or paprika
Tbsp water
Tbsp oili
C water
tsp salt
Salad:
C maize meal, soaked overnight
cucumber, sliced
chilli, finely sliced
Tbsp oil
tsp vinegar
C amasi
Method:
chicken dry.
tomato sauce, sugar, vinegar, cayenne pepper and water. In a frying pan, heat oil to medium, add chicken and brown both sides, 4 minutes a side.
Coat your chicken pieces with barbeque sauce, cover chicken and continue to cook for 20 minutes.
the chicken covered will prevent the sauce from catching and burning.)
Remove lid to let chicken crisp, and baste with any remaining barbeque sauce.
To make salad combine oil, vinegar, chilli and cucumber. While the cucumber is marinating, bring water and salt to a boil in a medium saucepan.
Reduce heat to a simmer and add maize meal, cover and cook for 15 minutes. Fluff with fork and let cool.
To serve, add cucumber with marinade juices to the pap and drizzle with your desired amount of amasi. Serve alongside barbeque chicken. in colour.
ur name is inspired by the African way of doing things. We would like for the world to know us as a cultured business that you can trust to go everywhere, with tech of course,” Tshepang Masuku tells Spot-On. The 32-year-old from Tembisa is the founder of Thuma Mina Online.
Masuku defines Thuma Mina as a tech start-up that offers many solutions to enable businesses to operate in the Fourth Industrial Revolution. “However, we do offer deliveries as a service through software integration,” she says.
Founded in 2019 by Masuku and a former high school friend, Thuma Mina Online was initially known as Thuma Mina 1632. “I was the first person to introduce the Uber way of doing things at home. One day, while I was at work, my mom asked me to ‘uber’ her a McDonald’s meal as she felt a bit too ill to drive to the outlet herself. This is when I realised the opportunity to solve many community
and Uber; however, our blueprint is a very unique one,” Masuku says. “We pride ourselves on taking the time to understand African problems and dealing with them the African way. The delivery space is a large one and no one has quite figured it out.”
Being a delivery company that operates in the Ekurhuleni township, Masuku recalls being badly affected by the shutdown of Tembisa in July/August, which lasted for about three days yet caused some enduring damage. “Our business was affected by the recent protests. The first impact was due to businesses not operating on those days and some have
still not reopened. Second, we had trouble fulfilling different customer needs due to the inaccessibility of roads and – most importantly – our independent drivers were vulnerable and didn’t feel safe.”
The young businesswoman is an optimist who clearly sees the glass half full. “Like any business, challenge is what brings us closer to finding the best possible ‘way’. Ours is no different. To highlight a big one: technology is not as apparent in our communities, so instead of us providing tech solutions, we often find ourselves spending lots of time and resources educating our clients rather than just converting them.”
Thuma Mina Online has two permanent employees, eight freelancers and 320 delivery partners. “We are in the final stages of launching a product that will soon change how our last-mile logistics work. With this new technology, we are going to empower key industry players to serve our target market the way they should,” says Masuku.
When quizzed about this new product, Masuku was mum. “We are in a highly competitive environment. Many businesses that have market access and resources could easily tap into that space. We cannot talk about it further till we launch – that’s when all our clients will know all about it!”
problems – by solving the problems in my own home first,” Masuku says of the backstory to the business.
With her co-founder subsequently leaving the business, Masuku decided to partner up with digital strategist MJ Maepa, who helped her step things up with the business.
“We are always humbled when we are associated with industry players like Mr D
We pride ourselves on taking the time to understand African problems and dealing with them the African way”
In President Ramaphosa’s inaugural address in 2018, and following the passing of music legend Hugh Masekela, Ramaphosa used the catchphrase “Thuma Mina” – a line from a Masekela song. While “send me” is a great line to galvanise a nation, it works even better as a name for a modern delivery company. Enter Thuma Mina Online.
“O
While the argument that entrepreneurial ability is largely determined by a person's inborn characteristics rather than being learnt is still up for debate, that’s not the case for entrepreneur David Mahlangu. He knew from a young age he was not destined to work for someone else.
totally never liked or wanted to be at school. I wanted to make money. Even when teachers asked me at school what I wanted to be when I grow up, I said I wanted to be my own boss. I just didn’t know how or what exactly I would be doing,” says Mahlangu.
It’s a Saturday afternoon in Ivory Park, where I find myself stationed at one of Mahlangu’s 20-litre buckets as he washes the heap of unclean footwear surrounding us.
Mahlangu is the founder of five-year-old business Manjik Shoes, a business known for its washing wizardry when it comes to shoes and sneakers owners had given up on. “The name Manjik came from a customer. They saw my work and said I do magic when I clean shoes. He kept calling me magic until we registered it as the business’s name.”
Sole founder Mahlangu mostly works alone when doing the washing but has a partner by the name of Siya. “I do the washing myself,
my man. He (Siya) helps with collecting and delivering shoes, and he also takes care of admin. Even the bags of shoes you see over there were brought by him,” Mahlangu indicates.
Mahlangu has established another Manjik Shoe washing store in Katlehong township, which is run by Siya. “But they don’t wash all the shoes – there are certain shoes that are brought to me because they can be tricky.”
Mahlangu’s work is impressive. He revives old shoes that people were going to throw away. He receives at least 30 pairs of shoes and sneakers a day, some from provinces as far as KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape. “If I’m not spraying or polishing on the day, I’m able to wash at least 28 to 34 pairs a day.”
Mahlangu’s history with washing shoes goes back more than two decades to the mid1990s, after he and a friend were arrested for housebreaking as kids in Grade 7. They were sentenced to seven years each; they served for four years and then got paroled.
“My time in prison played a huge role in the way I see the world now. So much that I don’t want anything to do with that side (criminal activity).”
While on parole, he and a friend opened their shoe-washing business in Tembisa’s Mqantsa section, where he grew up. “We used to have a carwash and also washed sneakers by the corner near the shopping centre,” says Mahlangu. Even though he and his friend ran the business, he would from time to time work construction jobs, returning to his business at the end of the contracts.
After realising his friend couldn’t manage the business properly, he left home and moved in with his sister in Ivory Park where he went into the business alone. “I quit my job and decided to try out a business.” He used the same strategy that he and his friend used in Mqantsa. But instead of a carwash, Mahlangu sold snacks and cigarettes while displaying his own washed sneakers until those passing by enquired about getting their shoes washed.
“I taught myself how to wash shoes the way I do. For instance, I get a shoe like this one and I wouldn’t be sure exactly what to do with it. But when I wake up the following day,
I know exactly what to do,” says Mahlangu. He’s a meticulous person who even makes his own working tools such as brushes, so as to not ruin the material of the shoe or sneaker he’s washing.
“Kiwi supplies me with other things, such as sneaker protectors, polishes and other cleaning material,” he says. Mahlangu built a relationship with brand Kiwi Shoe Polish through word of mouth from one of his customers – the owner of Sandton’s posh Gemelli restaurant. This meeting happened by chance. The restaurant’s staff wear sneakers at work and one chef happened to be Mahlangu’s customer. The owner was curious as to how his sneakers were always super clean. “The owner of the restaurant then asked me to wash all his staff’s sneakers,” says Mahlangu. “I now wash the boss’s shoes as well. Even now, there are a couple of
his pairs over there,” he points.
The owner of Gemelli then told Kiwi Shoe Polish boss about Mahlangu. “The guy from Kiwi gave us his shoes to clean and he was happy with our services…and that’s where our relationship with Kiwi began.” The relationship with Kiwi Shoe Polish has been going strong since early 2021.
When he started washing shoes, Mahlangu’s goal was simply to provide a way of buying basic day-to-day items, yet the business has grown beyond his expectations. As I chat with him, we’re sitting outside his sister’s home as cars drive past us. He is yet to have a designated brick-and-mortar working space. “I do want and wish to have that; I’m just looking for the right person to collaborate with. I don’t want to work for just anyone. To be honest with you, I’d like to see Manjik shops across the continent.”
David showing off his handiwork (opposite), which is the result of some real elbow grease (below).
Youth is wasted on the young, it’s said. It’s an adage that highlights young people’s lack of appreciation of their vigour, which is often used on the seemingly frivolous or simply unutilised throughout life’s early years. But then there are precocious ones like Sophia Williams-de Bruyn, who, at 18-years-old, stood with Lillian Ngoyi, Helen Joseph and a throng of other women as they historically marched to the Union Buildings in 1956.
That eventful day has been an inspiration to young activist Boitumelo Thage (left), another precocious one, determined to play her part in society. “In everything I do, I want my work and my life to honour them and their legacy,” says the 25-year-old Thage.
She has wanted to be of service to others from a young age and in 2017, after enrolling for her undergrad qualification at UNISA, she registered her NPO, A Second Chance, with the aim of empowering people, providing skills development and rehabilitation for the homeless, and helping redirect them into society. She realised the magnitude of her vision and that it would require effort, research and emotional willingness.
It was during this time that she joined the South African Student Congress (SASCO) and the African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL) on campus. “Navigating as a student leader and a community activist simultaneously made me realise how much work goes into leading a community of students and helping a community in need. I then took a decision that this would be my life’s work. Having wanted to be a social worker since the age of 12, and have an orphanage, I now understood that activism was – and is – my calling.”
The inspirational Boitumelo Thage draws from the strength of heroines past to make a difference through her activism and community work.
Four years later, A Second Chance has branches around Gauteng in the Tembisa and Mamelodi townships, as well as the Pretoria and Johannesburg CBDs, where they provide food and clothing for those in need. “Every month we collect food, clothes and toiletries, distributing them to as many families as we can. We do it twice or more in a month.” Her NPO is funded by donations from the public and Thage is assisted by Dineo Sekele in running the organisation. “We are still working towards our long-term goals at the
moment – such as working towards building a shelter for the homeless so that we can better rehabilitate and provide them with skills, thus enabling them to be independent. The shelter would not be for the sake of just providing food and clothes, but sustainable change and growth.”
The North West-born and Pretoria-bred activist recently published a children’s book, My Voice Matters, which deals with GBV. “I have a great passion for writing and storytelling, and I also strongly believe in literature that speaks to young children, that affirms black children and their reality,” she says.
In 2018, Thage began jotting down a manuscript detailing stories of activists and, after completion in late 2020, she decided that children must come first in the advancement of building and educating society. “Children are often overlooked where societal issues are concerned, and we don’t realise that children, in all their innocence, are deeply affected by these societal issues. With GBV being one of the issues I fight against, it pushed me to write this children’s book, which I hope to turn into a series of books, with content and activities that educate children on societal issues. When they better understand the issues we are confronted with, they will understand their role in society.”
Jr Ackotia and Aidan Pillay helped Thage put the book together, with the foreword by Karabo Mohale.
In a video Thage posted on social media taken from a parent who purchased a copy of the hardcover, a toddler’s voice can be heard in the background gabbling, “My voice matters”. Cute, for sure, but also impactful. “The book
has been embraced quite well. I am grateful for the people who believed in the work. The parents who have thus far bought the book have welcomed it into their homes with open arms,” she says.
On Freedom Day last year, Thage cofounded an anti-GBV NPO, Break The Silence, together with Zaylia Vivienne. “We have created groups where women and children
the ground. “Social media plays a role in our activism, but it shouldn’t end with social media. It is important for me to be on the ground, and to find myself serving people because I strongly believe we make a better contribution to society when we are immersed into society’s daily needs and issues. We can only change a society that we are part of. As activists, our consistent work on the ground is the only way in which we can know and understand the needs of the people, and come up with direct
“I actually came to realise how little time I have to myself but being consistent in serving people is how I function best,” she says. But Thage adds that she does go out with friends sometimes or attends church. The youngest of two kids, says her family is supportive of her philanthropy. “My family embraces the work I do.
I don’t believe there has been negative outlook on the work. Even when they don’t fully understand, they still allow me to do the work. My biggest support being my late grandfather: I hold dearly the lessons he taught, the conversations we had and, most importantly, the type of person he was,”
are able to interact with each other and share their stories. We have dialogues where we engage with stakeholders; we also visit safe houses for women and donate sanitary towels and clothing to them.” They work closely with Women for Change, another anti-GBV organisation.
We live in an era of keyboard activists, satisfied with posturing, rather than being on
Of the different hats she wears, she concludes: “I believe there is a difference between being a politician and being an activist, and while you can be both, one would need to be able to differentiate,” says the young ANC member. “If anything, my NPO is an outpouring of the passion I get from the ground. I do believe that NGOs and NPOs are the future when it comes to working towards bettering the lives of people. I also have an understanding that politics plays an important role in society and, if we want to see change, we must be part of that change.”
The TX Theatre in Tembisa is an abode for artists and creatives. Despite their many challenges, founder Mxolisi Masilela and his team continue to produce world-class productions. Spot-On chats to Masilela about the work they do at the theatre, which was founded nearly a decade ago.
Q: What urged or inspired you to open this institution?
Mxolisi Masilela: The theatre was founded in 2013 in Tembisa in a community art centre called Moses Molelekwa Community Arts Centre. Between 2008 and 2013, we had a performing arts organisation that was only focused on creating plays and staging productions. Then, in 2013, the theatre was founded and formally registered the following year. As a young author, director and a theatre-maker coming from Tembisa, practising theatre has been my passion since I was nine years old. A professional or user-friendly space was always needed for us to practise theatre, but we only had community halls. We would have to go to the cities – to Johannesburg’s Market Theatre or Windybrow Theatre, or to Pretoria’s South African State Theatre. Previously, there was a beautiful small theatre space in
Tembisa called the Vintage Store, which later shut down.
There’s always a long queue at the Market Theatre or State Theatre, so for us to have a space to practise, my team and I came together and founded the TX Theatre as a performance space in South Africa, which has grown to be recognised internationally.
Q: Are the theatre and the Moses Molelekwa Community Arts Centre the same thing?
MM: They are two different entities. The Moses Molelekwa Community Arts Centre is used by everyone who wants to practise performing arts as well as for community gatherings.
The TX Theatre rents out the main hall inside the centre at around R26/hour during the week and R46/hour on weekends. The theatre is the theatre company that holds most theatre programmes at the centre.
Q: What impact has the TX Theatre had in the community?
MM: The TX Theatre has created employment for many young creators, and has devised programmes that create an income for theatre practitioners.
Since its inception, it has created a platform for artists to create works and festivals that have prize monies and performance fees, and annually the theatre produces 30 to 50 productions.
Q: What does TX stand for?
MM: TX is an abbreviation derived from film and television language, which stands for the live (T) and recorded (X) theatre productions.
Q: How would you describe the journey of running the space?
MM: We’ve been running it for the past eight-and-a-half years and it has been both amazing and challenging at the same time.
I may be the CEO and artistic director, but there’s a team of some great minds that have made this vision a practical, beautiful theatre space:
• Mxolisi Masilela – CEO and artistic director (owner)
• Mongezi Mabunda – MD and producer (owner)
• Itumeleng Rhonah Moeketsi –administrator (owner)
• Itumeleng Faith Thobejane –coordinator (owner)
• Tshepiso Sarelwa – sales
• Sizwe Junior Ndabana – head of production (board member)
• Kamogelo Raphadu –production manager.
country. Women who’ve been successful have partnered with us in making sure this festival becomes an even greater success through master classes.
Tembisa Theatre Week has also grown greatly over the past two years. The attendance and the staging of new contemporary works have been amazing, so this has also been one of our proudest moments as a theatre company.
Q: What have been some of the biggest challenges?
MM: Money has always been the biggest challenge in the arts sector. Another big challenge
are people living in the Moses Molelekwa Community Arts Centre – those who have been displaced by the flats in Tembisa. It makes it impossible for artists to create. Our rehearsal rooms are also not being accessed, so that has been a challenge for the past several months.
Q: Theatre has an aura of elitism about it – like the average person is intimidated by it. How do you make theatre accessible in the township?
MM: Yes, theatre does often seem like something only for elite people, but we have broken all those boundaries and stereotypical ways of viewing theatre. We have taken the theatre to the people – in the heart of the township in Tembisa, you find a theatre. Where people could access it easily and honestly, and feel like they are part of these stories being told.
All our funded festival tickets are free and those that are not funded cost between R20 and R50 so that the theatre is more accessible. Hence our slogan is “Theatre for the people”.
Q: During the shutdown in Tembisa a few months back, were your premises affected?
Q: What are your proudest moments as a theatre?
MM: Recently, the Naledi Theatre Awards: being recognised and nominated for three different productions we staged in 2021, and winning the CEO Innovative Award for Theatre in 2022. These were among our greatest and most rewarding moments.
Our Kuwamba Women’s Theatre Festival has turned into a national theatre festival that honours, respects and celebrates women artists and gives opportunity to women creators of art in the
we are still facing is our programming. We have a plan to produce about 30 to 50 shows every year, but because we have to share the space with the community, we cannot produce as much as we want to.
Also, renting a government facility at R46/hour – you can imagine how much it would be for a day, a week, a month – so that has been a challenge.
We do get funding here and there, but money has been and always is our biggest challenge.
A recent challenge is that there
MM: The building was not burnt down, demolished or vandalised, but we had to postpone a show running that week – for the safety of our audience, the artists and our employees.
Q: Your vision for the TX Theatre?
MM: The future of the TX Theatre is to buy land, build a theatre and stop renting. It’s to build a theatre academy, film studios, dance studios, drama studios – for all the disadvantaged artists in the township and surrounding areas.
supports employment and independence. Economically active South Africans will not consider moving their skills and investments to other countries as their first option; rather, they will reinvest in the economy that provides a secure and safe environment for their families and businesses. Less crime and more empowerment will encourage more employment and businesses for our people.
Citizens are helpless and resort to crime because all the service delivery promises are not addressing unemployment, poverty and the lack of access to thriving business resources and funding.
The South African government needs to invest its resources in employing and training additional police personnel along with collaborating with the private security industry to create a solid recourse to combat crime in our country. This will automatically create employment and independence for those individuals who are qualified to thrive in these positions.
Looking at the recent riots in Tembisa and the previous July unrest in KZN, criminals take advantage of the concerns of community members who resort to protests to get the government’s attention to address poor service delivery.
In that course, lives, businesses and livelihoods are threatened and lost to violence. Dealing with the root cause of crime directly
Since the first democratic elections in 1994, which was 28 years ago, over 20 million South Africans are unemployed, over four million breadwinners have lost their formal jobs (more emphatically in the last five years), 15 million South Africans live below the UN’s Bread Line Level, and close to 19 million South African citizens live on government grants, a big chunk of which is barely enough to cover basic monthly needs per household.
The list is long and a newer, more economically radical approach is needed to match radical financial demands and needs per household. Less crime and more empowerment will encourage more employment and businesses for our people.
Hendrick Peter Kekana (CAPF, MAP, MBA, EDP) is the CEO of Venus Enterprises. With over 20 years’ experience as a business pioneer in the South African private security industry, Kekana has contributed his skills, resources and expertise to assist communities and businesses to face the high crime rates.
A sentiment expressed by Hendrick Kekana, citing the recent riots that took place in Tembisa. Passionate about challenging the current South African economic climate, Kekana voices his opinion about the main reason behind poverty and the declining number of economically active citizens – crime.
