‘I am a good person, full of love’
Joseph arrived in South Africa as a young man in his 20’s looking for love.
Standing at the intersection of AG de Witt Drive and North Reef Road, Joseph Nlheko sells his wares.
The bright greens, yellows and reds of the clothing he sells are a stark contrast to the grey road.
The colourful Rastafarian lives in Hillbrow and travels to the intersection every day hoping to one day make enough money to visit his family in Mozambique.
Joseph arrived in South Africa as a young man in his 20’s looking for love.
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“I didn’t want to work here in South Africa. I just wanted to find a good woman.”
But, at the age of 45, love away from home has eluded him.
“I came here with the hopes of finding a wife, but now I’m getting older and still have no wife. I also want to start a family and I think I must now go back home to look for a wife there.
“I also miss my family and my country of happiness. That’s what Mozambique is all about – life, love and happiness,” Joseph told the NEWS.
“I am a good person who is full of love. It’s just that love has never found me,” he added.
Joseph said he was named after a prophet and throughout his life, he has always strived to live a good life and be the best person he can.
“I do my best to make a living. I sell things I make by hand with the other Rasta’s that I stay with,” he said.
Joseph has been selling his handcrafted items in Bedfordview and Edenvale for the last 16 years and he is a familiar face to many who travel through the area daily.
“I started selling near Bedford Centre then moved close to Mercedes Benz, but about 10 years ago I moved to this intersection,” he said.
He added that motorists passing through regularly support him.
“Things are better for me under level four or five lockdown because I think people realise how important it is to support small local businesses.
“Before the virus, I could spend days here and no one would buy anything, but now more people are supporting me,” he said.
He thanked the community for supporting him over the years.
“I have so much love for those who have supported me. I don’t make much money, but I do what I do from a good place,” Joseph said.
He usually arrives at the intersection at 14:00 and leaves at 17:00 to head back home.
His mornings are spent creating new items to sell as well as catching up with his household chores such as washing and cleaning.
“You see without a wife to help me I have to do it all myself. I think it will make me a good husband one day.”
Contact the newsroom by emailing: Marietta Lombard (Editor) germistoncitynews@caxton.co.za, or (Journalists) Busi Vilakazi busiv@caxton.co.za
