MARIANNHILL resident Mandisa Gwexa is living proof that with determination and opportunity, lives can be transformed.

Twenty-six-year-old Gwexa was once an unemployed environmental management graduate but has risen to become an award-winning entrepreneur and employer.

After completing an internship in the private sector with no job prospects on the horizon, Gwexa decided to forge her own path.

She responded to an advert by eThekwini Municipality offering informal trading spaces and saw her chance to build something new.

“I realised that my lack of employment wasn’t the end, but rather the beginning of something new,” she said.

In 2021 she launched Mandisa Nailed It, a beauty salon in KwaNdengezi, specialising in nails, hair, and eyelashes.

Her business took a major leap forward when she applied and was allocated a formal trading stall through eThekwini Municipality’s Informal Economy Support Programme.

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“Securing that space was a game changer. It gave me dignity, stability, and the confidence to grow my business,” she said.

She also commended the Municipality for providing ongoing support such as training on business compliance, access to funding, and mentorship opportunities.

“The Municipality doesn’t just give us space, they equip us to succeed,” added Gwexa.

Today, Mandisa Nailed It is more than a salon; it’s a vibrant community hub.

Gwexa now employs eight people, six full-time and two part-time.

She has also trained more than 40 aspiring nail technicians, many of whom have gone on to start their own businesses.

Her success was recently recognised when she received the Youth-Owned Informal Business Award at the 2025 eThekwini Municipality Informal Trade Awards.

“Winning this award has further elevated my business and shown me that hard work truly pays off. I encourage other young people to apply for the opportunities that government provides,” she said.

Chairperson of the City’s Economic Development and Planning Committee, Councillor Thembo Ntuli, praised her journey as a testament to the value of investing in the informal economy.

“When small businesses thrive, communities thrive. That is why we will continue to support small, medium, and micro-sized enterprises,” said Ntuli.

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