#MakingIt – Young street vendors make a living
“The competition is tight because we cannot compete with the other tuck shops that are selling more products."
Thoko Mahlangu
Every morning, seven days a week, Smanga Maseko (29) and Scelo Nkosi (23), erect their small tent at the corner of a street in Endulwini section.
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They set up a table to display their stock of cigarettes, sweets, chips, biscuits and boiled eggs.
Frustrated with irregular employment, Smanga, Scelo and two friends – Sibusiso Nxumalo (25) and Hope Magagula (27) – collaborated on capital to start up a business.
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When asked why they started their business, Smanga explained: “Scelo and I lost our jobs last December and this business was the only chance to survive while looking for other jobs.”
Although Hope and Sibusiso are employed, the group of friends are working together to make ends meet.
“We open at six in the morning and close at 10 or 11 at night,” said Smanga.
Although they are selling sweets and cigarettes, Smanga and his friends developed a business model they believe will attract customers and make their business a success.
Sibusiso says, “When we sat down and planned our business, we used the techniques we were taught at school such as the SWOT analysis.”
Smanga believes product choice and customer service skills are crucial for this type of business.
He added that the business makes satisfactory profit margins.
“The competition is tight because we cannot compete with other tuck shops that are selling more products,” said Sibusiso.
The two young men, Smanga and Sibusiso, expressed that the greatest challenges township-based businesses are experiencing is the prevalent lack of business development, which would enable community members to get financial assistance to grow their businesses.
“We must have community business forums that are going to teach people about starting a business and dealing with challenges in the business,” said Smanga.
The pair believe their business is a source of employment and other people must learn from them and discover it is not difficult to sustain oneself in the township. Although Smanga and his friends have to work in the cold and the wind – and even in the rain – their long-term goal is to own a sheltered shop with a variety of goods to sell to customers.
