Apart from many things and deeds that Tembisa is famous and known for, it’s her Kota sandwich that became the township’s favourite meal.
For generations, kota has revolutionised the way people do street food in Tembisa.
There are more kota outlets in Tembisa than there are clinics and liquor outlets. Not that people don’t get sick or drink here, because they do, but the kota outlets are where they run to first before taking their medications and when in need to refill the tanks when a bit tipsy.
It is said that the word kota is taken from the word quarter, which is the quarter of the loaf of bread.
“You can say that kota is our kasi burger. People living in suburbs and in towns, especially around Gauteng, have their own burgers which come with fries on the side. But our version of a burger, which is kota, comes in just one pack with a quarter of the bread as a base, followed with achaar or homemade chakalaka and chips all in one combo. You can either choose to top it up with polony, cheese, russians, Viennas and eggs depending on ones’ budget really,” said Dingaan Dhlamini, a local kota outlet owner based in Lekaneng Section.
The kota sandwich has since seen great transformation from how it was originally prepared and served.
Outlets such as Noxie and Bonga’s Kitchen have introduced an all-new toasted kota with a touch of boneless ribs and beef or chicken burger and a secret sauce that makes the kota juicy and tastier.
“It’s really about innovation and keeping up with times. In order to keep with the ever growing youthful market, one has to go around and in different townships to see and learn new styles and tweaks. Even though the toasted kota was introduced in Tembisa by the likes of Noxie and others, it is quickly becoming the new best thing in kota and the people are loving it,” said Dhlamini.
To celebrate this legend, the township hosts two big annual fests, the Tembisa Kota Festival and the Tembisa Kota Parade respectively. If you haven’t tasted one yet, you don’t know what you are missing.
