VULINDLELA MIAMI BUSINESS DIARY by Letta Balebeng

VULINDLELA MIAMI BUSINESS DIARY

Innovative Startup ideas for Smart Entrepreneurs

Keagile Balebeng

Are you interested in starting a business in South Africa? Do you need ideas or information on the best business investment opportunities in South Africa?

Then I advice you read on. South Africa is the second largest economy in Africa. The country ranks 39th on the Ease of Doing Business Rank and the World Bank ranks it as an upper-middle income economy.

Although poverty is still a problem in South Africa, and a huge fraction of the population is unemployed, there are many untapped business opportunities for insightful investors. So if you have some funds that you would like to invest in South Africa, then here are the ten best small business investment opportunities you can explore:

Cape Town, Durban, Richards Bay, Sandton, Centurion, Johannesburg, and Pretoria.

Top 10 Small Business Investment Opportunities in South Africa

1. Real estate

Being a rapidly growing country, the demand for land, houses and other facilities by individuals and businesses is booming. And this makes the real estate sector one of the most lucrative aspects of the South African economy. If you have little capital, you can start dealing in low cost land and housing units. And if your capital is on the high side, you can invest in large expanses of land as well as housing estates.

2. Clothing and textiles

South Africa’s clothing and textile industry is another very lucrative sector. The demand for South Africa-made clothing and textile products is high not only in South Africa, but also in neighboring countries. So, if you have what it takes to break into the textile market, then you can make lots of profit in the long term.

3. Food processing

Although there are quite a number of processed food manufacturers in South Africa, the huge demands are still yet to be met. So, there is enough room for new investors in the food processing industry. You have a wide range of products to choose from; fruits and vegetables, juices, animal products, and so on.

4. Agriculture

South Africa has a wide expanse of land that can be utilized for agriculture. With huge demand for agricultural products and adequate workforce, new investors can easily start a business in the agriculture sector. Depending on your capital, you can start on a small scale or on a large scale. With a low capital, you can cultivate selected crops on a small piece of land or rear animals such as fishes or poultry. But if you have larger capital, you can cultivate a wide range of crops and rear animals as well.

5. E-commerce

South Africans are now feeling more comfortable with buying their needed products and services online. So, online retail stores in South Africa are now enjoying more patronage. And chances are you will make lots of profit by starting an online retail business. Even if you are on a low budget, you can start with just one product category and expand from there.

6. Foreign cuisine

South Africa plays host to many expatriates, and many tourists visit the country annually from different parts on the world. For these reasons, there is always huge demand for foreign delicacies, which most of the restaurants in South Africa don’t offer. So, there is huge profit potential in a restaurant business that offers various foreign cuisines such as Italian delicacies, Chinese delicacies, American delicacies, and so on. In addition, you can still offer local delicacies to cater to South Africans as well.

7. Online marketing

Many South African businesses are trying to establish and improve their online visibility as a way of attracting customers through the internet. In fact, businesses are setting aside a sizeable fraction of their marketing budget for online marketing alone. This creates huge opportunities for online marketing experts such as SEO consultants, website designers, copywriters, and social media managers. If you have a good background in any aspect of online marketing, you can start a business and make money from your skills and expertise.

8. Freelance writing

In order to cut cost, many individuals and businesses in developed countries like the US and the UK now hire freelance writers from other countries. But South Africa tops the list of their preferred countries because the country is widely regarded as a native English-speaking country. So, if you have good writing skills, you can make a lot of money by working as a freelance writer for clients from all over the world. Writing assignments you will handle include blog post writing, article writing, press release writing, proposal writing, newsletter writing, copywriting, and so on.

9. Technology products

South Africa is one of Africa’s largest markets for technology products such as PCs, smart-phones, and tablets. Since these devices are in huge demand in South Africa, new investors can make lots of profit by selling the latest products by global brands such as Apple, Samsung, Sony, and so on. In addition to selling technology products, you can sell their accessories as well. And if you have the expertise, you can render repair services, too.

10. Tourism

South Africa hosts thousands of visitors every year. These people come from various parts of the world to behold South Africa’s rich cultural heritage, beautiful sceneries, lush landscapes, and so on. A smart business move is to offer services that cater to tourists, such as working as a tourist guide.

Ajaero T. Martins, 2015,Starting a Business in South Africa: 10Big Opportunities MyTopBuisnessideas.com, Africa.

Shared by Letta Balebeng

Manku Ethel Mmotong is an entrepreneur in a dilemma

Manku Ethel Mmotong

The budding African Bling Bling is talented bead worker who was inspired by a shop at the Lakeside Mall in Benoni to beads. But her parents do not recognise art work as a profitable business enterprise. They want her to go back to school to study for a job.

Manku, 28, already has an administration diploma from Ekurhuleni East College in Benoni and presently she is studying with Unisa for an education degree. “Finance is another obstacle to my ambitions,” she continues. At home, when her creative juices are flowing and she must work her beads, she has to hide in order not to hurt her parents’ hearts.

Her vision is to develop young people to realise their dreams and to achieve the impossible. She also wants to be a successful entrepreneur. “It all started when she was principal chorographer for a  community group called Happy Stars back in Maserumule Park in Limpopo.

 “I was in grade 7 then. I was an administrator, principal, event organiser and everything else,” she remembers. But it was when she passed the Bead Work shop at the mall that her passion was stoked into life. “Finally I bought some material and these visions to create products came to me in the form of dreams. That is how I create products, dreams lead me.” 

Hence at the moment money means nothing to her. Beside beads she also recycles plastic to use as a base for her material. Manku also recycles fabric rags that she collects from dress makers in the area. But she concedes that apart from her parents’ attitude and the lack of finance, business knowledge is imperative if she is to move to dizzy heights. Because she works alone, she says, she is unable to enter exhibitions because she cannot make enough pieces to satisfy the organisers. Another obstacle is to find people who share the same passion as her, people with enough drive. “I really need to do a business management course to tune me up,” she remarks.

Back home she already has organised a fashion show which Monnakoma  Motshana, the owner of MonteCarlo Tavern was gracious to sponsor. Manku invited dress makers, caterers, performers, make-up artists, hair stylists, and designers to showcase their creations and work. A few models came forth but were not up to “Jo’burg standards,” she quips. “But I tell you, I still owe myself a big show. The show back home was just a rehearsal of the big things that are coming my way. My motto is, life is an X+X+X+X which stands for YESTERDAY was an Xperience, TODAY is an Xperiment and TOMORROW an Xpectation. So use your experience to in your experiment to achieve your expectations.” 

Some of her exciting designs

ICT: Bennet challenges the big boys in their game-IBM, BCX and Dimension Data

Makobedi Mofokeng

 Bennet Mahlangu 

Back in August 2012, at only 23, Bennet Mahlangu decided it was time to take a leap of faith and establish his own ICT Company. This was after working in the industry for big companies for a number of years.

As a young boy from the East Rand, Bennet always had the drive to become a success.  “I always looked for the best for myself and I always make sure that I achieve my goals,” he says. So it is no wonder that after three years in the industry, BenMah IT is still standing and going strong.

Bennet had the advantage of working under big ICT names and being exposed to both the South African market and the international market too. With the knowledge he gathered over the years he is in a better position to understand what his markets need and this puts BenMah IT at a competitive advantage.

Of course, no matter what your age is or knowledge when starting your own business there will be challenges. It it could be being taken serious by potential customers, or it could be finding investors. Bennet says competing with big ICT companies as well as finding clients has been challenging.

 “Some of our challenges include finding clients and maintaing a continuous cash flow within the business. As a black owned ICT business it is not easy finding investors, however, over the years we have developed a strategy to attract more and more investors and clients. Competing with the major players such as IBM, BCX and Dimension Data is not easy as they are still in the forefront,” he explains.

But all these challenges have not gotten Bennet down, and he continues strives to be bigger and better. "I am a confident and dynamic person with a strong and positive attitude. I am willing to go the extra mile.”

Although he had his sights set on a career in Electrical or Chemical Engineering earlier on in life, Bennet is doing pretty well in Information and Communication Technology, which shows that life does not always go as you planned but it does not mean that your plan is the right one.

Bennet continues to dream big and be innovative. BenMah IT plans to launch its very own 3G modem. “We are certain that every household in SA will have a piece of BenMah IT in,” says Bennet.

SANDILE SHABANGU: THE IMPORTANCE OF STARTUP COMPANIES FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Sandile Shabangu, from The Startup Foundation with Sade Savings and Roy Morrison  from Rise Africa Rise.

Sandile Shabangu

What is startup entrepreneurship?

In a knowledge-based society, innovation is the driving force of the economy on all levels and in all types of organisations. Due to high risks present when introducing new products and services, innovations are usually commercialized via isolated formal formations such as startup companies.

Eric Ries, the creator of the Lean Startup movement, defines a startup as company is a newly formed company, the purpose of which is to develop new, usually innovative products or services in uncertain circumstances. If it satisfies a new need, present in a broader area or even globally, it also has great growth potential. Startup entrepreneurship is crucial because of innovations, new jobs and bringing competitive dynamics into the business environment. A feature of these companies is that they first test different possible business models in order to find the right one. But for this, they need a suitably developed support startup ecosystem.

The Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) research data show that worldwide, an entrepreneur with high potential creates on average as much as 3 times more jobs than an entrepreneur with average potential and as much as 15 times more jobs than an entrepreneur with low potential. Thus there is only 4 % of entrepreneurs who can be placed in the group of dynamic companies that have the potential to grow on global markets (on average they reach at least 20 % annual income growth) and they truly contribute to the economic development of the society, as they create as much as 38 % of all jobs. In the society, there is only 6 % of entrepreneurs with average potential, amongst which we also count those who achieve between 5 % and 20 % average annual income growth, and they create 28 % of all jobs. But the great majority of entrepreneurs have low potential (90 % of all) – on average they achieve only up to 5 % average annual income growth and together create 34 % of jobs.

Therefore growth is mostly generated by highly ambitious entrepreneurs who find and realize promising business opportunities. Their companies grow quickly and so increase the employment rate. A research by the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor South Africa (2012) states that one third of dynamics of countries’ economic growth can be attributed to the dynamics of startup entrepreneurship. They also contribute to the promotion of the research and innovation system and introduce values of proactivity into the society.

Entrepreneurial talents with high potential are very scarce and represent the most precious human resource of every nation, which is why they should be fully supported. The economic policy in general and the policy for promoting entrepreneurship have to understand that not all business activities are the same, much less that the motives for being an entrepreneur are the same for everyone. Facilitating settings for ambitious innovative entrepreneurship is fundamentally different to facilitating settings for self-employed necessity entrepreneurship.

Startup companies are thus those that have ambition and potential to become gazelles that can, with quick growth, create a large number of new jobs. This is often, but not always, the case for companies from high-tech industries.

The majority of developed countries in a knowledge-based society encourage startup entrepreneurship from the aspect of investment into the future as well as from the aspect of actively designing long-term economic policy. Why?

Five key reasons for encouraging startup entrepreneurship:

• Innovations – They are the main driving force behind economic development and the increase of productiveness in a knowledge-based society. Startup companies are the most suitable form of implementing inventions and consequently the best mechanism for commercializing technological and other novelties. Startup companies contribute to a quick development of new technologies and the location where they operate. Large companies often buy startup companies because of technology (fundamental ingredient) that they then integrate into their business and thus keep their competitive advantage. At the same time, they provide knowledge as well as spin-off and spin-out companies to the startup environment, which wouldn’t be possible without a well- functioning startup ecosystem.
• New jobs and economic growth – In the long term, startup companies create a large portion of new jobs and contribute to the country’s economic growth. Considering that startup companies are based on innovations, the potential of startup companies represents the healthy core of the economy. If the country wishes to encourage new employments in the long term, it is necessary for it to invest into the segment of companies that create the most jobs in the long run (in 10 years and more). Startup companies are the ideal form and opportunity for employing and activating the Y generation.
• Bringing new competitive dynamics into the economic system – Startup companies are the most dynamic economic organisations on the market, since they provide additional dynamics and competitiveness to the economic system. This means that the economy stays healthy, vital and diligent, while individual companies find it harder to fall asleep on their laurels.
• Promoting the research-innovation system – High-tech as well as knowledge-based service startup companies are very closely connected to knowledge institutions. An appropriate entrepreneurship ecosystem thus promotes the research & development as well as research & innovation approach of knowledge institutions, companies and connecting institutions as well as contributes to the applicative orientation of research work at universities and research institutions. Meanwhile it also works as a role model and encourages students and researchers to implement their ideas via a startup company.
• Bringing the values of proactivity into the society – Startup entrepreneurship changes the values of the society and brings a new mind-set, in line with the society based on knowledge and creativeness. The population is starting to increasingly realize that they have a responsibility for their work and career development.

Sandile is the Founder of The Startup Foundation, a non-profit organisation supporting innovative youth entrepreneurship in South Africa. The Foundation develops programs that revolutionise the South African startup ecosystem and help young people become high-impact entrepreneurs through the provision of the best resources.

Dubbed as one of South Africa’s Brightest Young Minds in 2013 and acknowledged by his peers as one of the Top 200 young South Africans to follow on Twitter and LinkedIn, Sandile has won the respect of business by his determined approach to helping business navigate a diverse and complicated world of People, Education, Technology and Entrepreneurship (what he calls PETE). He is interested in how people use technology, believing that technology is only useful if people use and have access to it it. His mission has been to explore how people, education and technology can be merged together to better the lives of ordinary citizens in Africa.

To Learn more about the work of The Startup Foundation visitwww.startupmzansi.org

Music and artists' management: His father's death spurs him to dizzy heights

To be determined in life you do not have to go to school for it- it is an innate decision that comes after much deliberation to achieve the desired target.  That is what PHILANI BHEKIMUSI ZWANE did after the popular Bonginkosi Dlamini, popularly known as Zola 7, threw him out of his posh offices. Philani is a self- made business man from Daveyton in Benoni. His company, Beyond Power Media, publishes and produces music, among other things. He tells Thembi Masser about his life and what prompted him to establish his businesses.

Philani is a replica of what Beyond Power Media is- persistent, talented, and ambitious and the possession of an unending desire to bring Daveyton’s talented musicians and artist to the fore for the world to enjoy. He is the sole director of the company after owning a company with his mother, Miriam, earlier when he was a learner at Lesiba Secondary.  Beyond Power Media is also a casting agency for Quizzical Pictures. Recently he received his licence from RISA (Recording Industry SA), to act as a recording label.

“I was lucky enough to build a strong relationship with Sheer Publishing in my past endeavours,” he says proudly. Today that liaison enables him to publish his own music and that of his artists.  He is utterly ambitious and to realise his ideals he has a working relationship with companies he helped establish to advance his goals. These companies are not necessarily musically inclined. For instance, Roto Production is a fashion house designing label that produces leather fashion from rat skins.  Beast Creations, a company in graphic designing, is owned by Kabelo Chiloane. It also creates and administers websites. Swagnation Entertainment, with Vanessa and Simphiwe at the helm, is a hip hop recording entity. “I am at the top of what they are doing at every minute and I am happy that they are doing all right up to now.”  He also makes sure that the brands they represent flourish in the industries they operate in.

Philani had a difficult up-bringing and maybe this is why he has established so many businesses. He wants to make sure the situation is not reversed. He intends to invest in other companies as well. “I want to invest in companies that are surely making money. “ These companies, he says, are in mining, aviation and in transportation. “I am busy right now developing my own social media app.”

While he admits that it is not easy and friendly to do business in Daveyton, he knows what he is doing. “Working with people here in South Africa is not that easy. In fact it is debilitating. But it will be a big challenge and an immense career-booster for me to work with Chris Brown.”

Philani does not have a role model as such, but, beside his mum, he revers and regards Toothmusic’s Edwin Hewitt as his ‘dad’. “Well, I do have companies that are my role models. Sheer Publishing has been magnificent in what they done so far. So are Sony and EMI.” 

He is also a musician and his hip-hop album is due out next year. It will be an excellent mixture of kwaito, emotional songs and some political and social stuff thrown in, he points out. “It will also make you dance if you will.” Philani was an extra in one of the episodes of the popular Isidingo and features in the film Man on the ground.

While he was a learner at Lesiba Secondary he registered his first company, New World Resurrection BP Entertainment, which he co-owned with his mother. Unfortunately the company was liquidated in 2010 but that was before it was fairly successful. It had a few notable artists. There was Nash with his blockbusters, Phakamisa and Nguyelo. Then there was TibiTom, Amarhumusha and Micnotic and Blaq Boy (New Sound). Others were dj Love and Boqo.

The Resurrection project came after his beloved dad, David, died in a vehicle accident in May 2008. “I felt betrayed that a loving man and father could be taken away from us just like that. We were left desolate; my mother was not employed at the time. So I formed Resurrection to try and resurrect some of the things my father did for us, like putting food on the table and looking after the family.”

It was while he was in grade 8 that he realised his sheer musical talent. At that point he started to hustle music.  So three years later when he was in grade 11 he decided to see Zola who immediately dissed him. “Nine months later I came to the realisation that while I was chasing him (Zola), he was living his dream and mine was in tatters, dead.  So I woke up and registered Resurrection.”  From then on he vowed to stay away from celebrities and rather build close ties with music and entertainment companies.  But that was difficult: companies did not understand him and what he wanted from them. It was getting exasperating for him. But he did not quit, he looked for avenues to eases the desperation.  So to stay on top of things he enrolled at the Benoni Tech College to study marketing. After that he easily understood the language of business and things improved.

In between his struggles Philani has ensured that he will not be liquidated again. When he did not have money to run his company he worked as a petrol attendant and has also has a stint at a chicken farm.  But the dice has rolled favourably for him so far after registering Beyond Power Media this year. Although he has only one confirmed artist, Sandile Khoza, a dj who calls himself Sandy KT, Nash is with him again after the disaster of Resurrection.  

Pictures from top to bottom:
Lesiba High School,
Playing on his guitar,
Love BK,
Friends and clients of Love BK,
Micnotique in the studio,
Tibi Tom and his guitar and
Edwin Hewitt, Love BK, Tibi Tom, Mc Rusky and Blaq Boy

Raymond Chiloane is not only for soccer- but for life

Daveyton in Benoni has unearthed a myriad of sports players and personalities. Some have gone on to achieve immensely in their chosen fields, while some have faded into obscurity and notoriety while still in the prime of their disciplines. RAYMOND CHILOANE has observed how fertile this region is with talented sports men and women. So he runs Daveyton School of Soccer with a few other interested people. He told Thembi Masser of his ambitions, of how parents’ lack of interest in the upbringing of their kids irks him, of how the inane infighting among sports administrators hamper many sports dreams, and of the authorities’ apathy towards his school.

The School of Soccer is run as a non-profit-making (NPO) entity by Chiloane and four other personalities. While their noble idea would receive plaudits elsewhere in the world, this group runs it without aid from either the Ekurhuleni metropolitan authority or the provincial government.  He is tired of nagging them; he shrugs, because he has spent countless kilometers being sent from pillar to post in their offices without much avail.

These men who run the school with him; Jones Malesoena, an advocate, Peter Legodi, the coach, Abram Mohlamonyane, an entrepreneur and an Unilever employee Freddie Mohlala, use their own private finances to run the school. They do not have a corporate sponsor, even though they are in the region dubbed ‘the workshop of Africa’, because it houses so many manufacturing factories in one place. Ekurhuleni also boasts the biggest, busiest international airport, the OR Tambo. Gauteng is where Africa’s money is printed.

But they are lucky to have Raymond Chiloane, 38; he is a hustler.  He is nonchalant about their appalling lack of finances. “The school will survive,” he asserts. He notes that they have been operating from 2010 and more than 50 boys have gone through their programmes. “I don’t see us stopping with our mission.”

He is passionate about the objectives of the school even though so many obstacles stand steadfastly in their way. It costs the school in the region of R2 500 to fund one 13 year-old in a year. “The most disheartening thing has been the attitude of their parents. They have no interest in what their children are ambitious about; they do not inquire about their progress, they do not attend any meetings nor do they volunteer to help around or raise funds for us.’

The schools’ objectives, among others, are to shape their dreams and to hone the sporting prowess of these young people and, to develop their life skills. This is a problem as well, because the school has no qualified officers in this regard. Malesoena sometimes helps with advice from time to time, “but this is not enough and scientific. It is thumb suck. It is fun though to work with these young people, it is challenging. You need to understand what they are doing and hoping to achieve.”    

The kids are not consistent, however. They come and then disappear for long periods, Chiloane complains. “Parents do not make sure that kids keep attending throughout. These parents, when their children attend in previously whites-only schools, adhere to every word in a sentence in the rules and regulations instructions. But they give scant regard to black-led organisations that seek to improve the lives of their kids.” He is adamant that the school wants to see the lives of these kids take shape from as early as age 13. “These kids have dreams; they need role models, they want more. If people like us do not intervene these kids might end up as junkies or dropping out of school.” He says the situation is so bad in areas like Daveyton. Parents have given up parenting their children. “They just go through the motions of bringing their children up; they have given up on them.”

Chiloane, after leaving school, worked as a cleaner at hospitals. First at Sunshine and then Arwyp. Later he became a payroll administrator. He attended Abenego Manana High in Daveyton where his love for commercial subjects has come in handy when he is busy running the school of soccer.

He says his heart bleeds for the kids. “We have no training kit, not proper playing fields and our training equipment is ramshackle. Yet, the Benoni and Springs Education Department play dirty politics when we want their endorsement in arranging tournaments to honour past soccer legends in order to draw attention to our situation.” He says luminaries like Aaron ”Shaka” Nkosi, the former Benoni United mesmerising winger agreed to lend their names to these tournaments but these football dragging bodies are only interested in petty bickering.    

          

Apart from Nkosi, the region has produced the likes of Pollen Ndlanya who has played his soccer abroad, Isaac Shai who has won plenty at Mamelodi Sundowns and Innocent Mayoyo played for almost all the Premier Soccer League teams. The list is endless. On the other hand, talented players like Junior Khanye, Jabu Mahlangu and Skapie Mahlatsi also mesmerised audiences but fame dribbled their heads and before they could blossom they withered into obscurity.

“Fame, unwarranted publicity and the inability to handle money are a curse for players whose life skills are blunt.”      

And here is Raymond Chiloane

Beauty , body massage. Her handiwork sends you to cloud nine

Not so many black African learners inquire about somatology, but expectations are that in few years’ time it is going to be the hit career path. PHASIKA NDABA, hand-in-hand with her daughter, BAVELILE NATASHA, has honed her skill in the discipline and has crafted a business that steadily brings money into her bank account and leaves her clients dizzy with youthful ecstasy. While somatology could be regarded as art, it is not as popular as other beauty treatments known to man. Thembi Masser allowed herself to be eased into the fantastic world of waxing, facials and manicures..

Somatology is defined as the combination of all clinical treatments that result in a beautiful you, the art of massaging bodies thrown in, as well as the skill to improve and maintain the wellness of the body.  Phasika, owner of Isidingo Beauty Salon, is a somatologist. Her business is in Lake Field, Benoni.

To be a somatologist you do not need maths and science in your matric.

Beauty care, skin care, reflexology and massages can be done in a beauty salon, a beauty clinic or a beauty spa. Treatment in a salon, clinic or spa includes skin care, skin facial for men and women, children, young and old, waxing, pedicure and manicure, facials and so on. Reflexology is ‘knowing about your body’, she explains. They also do a full body scrub with a wrap-the body is wrapped with a detoxing mask. “To be healed completely, a client has to free to be touched.”  Isidingo offers a Swedish massage as well, aromatherapy and hot stone massages.

Waxing, for instance, is not only for women, but for men and kids as well. “It is for anyone who can handle pain,” she says. “We have a lotion that numbs sensitive areas.”  Phasika says male participants in the Warriors shows in Midrand, north of Johannesburg, are regular clients. “They come in to be waxed all over their lithe, muscular, bodies. They come in for full arm, full leg, full back and full chest waxing. Female models are another breed that need smooth bodies in order to do justice to their profession. They have to be careful not to rip their skin open because their skin tone has to be uniform all over.  “It is mainly men who have own businesses who come in for beauty treatment. Sales men who sell new and expensive cars, people who regularly buy merchandise in Dubai, boutique owners, doctors, male models.”

Men come in for facials as well. Most probably because facials include a body, head and neck massage. The nicest treat that excites clients is that when they are doing facials they have hands all over them. Phasika says all three ladies take part in pampering the client. So it is all six hands at the same time on the body of a client for a whole TWO hours.  

       

She has been in the business for more than 12 years and for four of those years she has owned her own salon.

When she started she worked for her mentor, Audrey Hattingh. Hattingh took her away from her domestic work and gave her a job as a receptionist and cleaner. Then she was promoted to the beauty section where she made people feel younger and well-rounded. “I was a domestic worker from when I was in grade 8,” she remembers. “I helped my mother in her chores and later found my own domestic employment.” She did domestic work right through matric and still when she was at Isidingo Technical in Daveyton.

“I am from a strong family; my grandmother was very strong. It is in the system, this workaholic ethic. My mother comes from a family of 12 children, but as for me, I do not know my own father. The only thing I know about him is that he was an Indian guy. So I want the best for me and my children: Bavelile and Sello.  Two is enough for me.”

Phasika works closely with her daughter, hand in hand, side by side. Bavelile, 22, attended the Hydro International College in Edenvale, doing beauty courses.  She boasts, “I do the best manicures and body massages. My skinny body builds allures in the minds of many clients,” she laughs. “My skinny hands give strong, fulfilling massages.”

Isidingo Beauty Salon is situated in an Indian area, and Phasika’s clients are therefore mainly from Indian families. She is happy with the surroundings, with her clientele, with the money and with herself. “I will not go to the northern suburbs of Johannesburg, where most people says I should (they say the money is good there, hey). I make enough money here.” To be successful in business, she cautions, you have to know your market. A somatologist gives people confidence in how they look and feel. They want to be beautiful, have verve and a spring in their step and of course, they want to look and feel young.” So her market is in at Lake Field where she is at home with the locals. “Going elsewhere means starting from scratch to know the people and their culture and to be familiar with their local way of doing things.”       

When a client arrives for a consultation, Phasika gently massages their palms or feet to diagnose problems in their bodies and to know what treatment to give them. A full, whole treatment takes two hours. Men, as tradition dictates, are never given a frontal massage except for only their limbs (at this she laughs uncontrollably).

Her stint at the technical college has helped a lot so far. While she did not go to any college to study somatology (it is not offered at any college as a course), she did business courses at Isidingo Tech College. Her business English and business skill courses ensured she runs her business on a sound footing. The business is in good hands, so to say. “I do my own books. And because of the experience I have gathered in the business, I have no partners. It is easy to be tripped and loose your business if you are not careful.”

She has no celebrity clients, except for one woman who is Winnie Madikizela-Mandela’s companion. Another celebrity is the author of High Heeled Healer, whose name she forgets. In the four or five years she has been in her own business, only about five black Africans have come in for treatment. And they were all women. “Black men want to pay cheaply for a good course,” she complains.  Her very first client, a white man, was nearly an ordeal.  “I was shaking, I was trembling. It was during apartheid. But I pulled it through. Massaging is an art and an exercise in itself. Your arms get so much exercise as do your legs and upper body.”

Do we have funny requests in here?  “No ways,” Phasika laughs. “We make sure that there are always more of us in the offices when one of us is busy with a client. Fortunately for me, my male clients, even ladies, have never asked for a happy ending (again a big, knowing laughter fills the room). However, my friend tells me at her salon some women have turned up dirty and unhygienic.”   

This September Phasika and her team are expected to give beauty treatments to about 1000 people who will attend the Saybor’s family wedding at the Emperors Palace in Kempton Park.

QUICK FACTS

Phasika Princess Ndaba

Age 41

Born in Sweetwaters, Pietermaritzburg.

 Maria Memorial Primary

HB Nyathi High in Daveyton

Subjects: English, Zulu, Afrikaans, biology, history, geography

Tertiary: Isidingo Technical in Daveyton

Business courses

Divorced (happily, her daughter adds)

Top right: Phasika with Bavelile, centre, and colleague Wilhemina
Centre: Client having a make-over and
bottom, manicures, make up, pedicures; all the things that make you beautiful