Good meat, good people, good times in Mkhuhlu
On a dusty turn-off in Mkhuhlu, amid chickens and pet pigs, hides a jewel where locals stop for an after-work beer, a car wash and some of the best shisa nyama in Hazyview.
Fresh, quality meat, presented in a beer case box, a Black Label quart and house music are the order of the day at Henemat Kitchen & Butchery. Not all travellers to the Kruger Park Gate realise that a truly African culinary experience can be found by simply turning off the R536.
Its friendly owner, Henry “Tuks” Matukane, welcomes regulars and newcomers from behind the fenced bar.
He has been in this same spot since 1998 – but it was not always a restaurant and bar.
“This is a place where people come to relax, to eat and to have good, clean fun,” he said with a gleaming smile and a dishcloth draped over his shoulder. “There hasn’t been a fight or even an argument here in over 10 years.”
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Like all other hospitality workers, Henemat has suffered due to the Covid-19 pandemic. “We have the butchery and we still make school desks, but alcohol is our main source of income. After level 5 of lockdown, only the butchery operated. We’re still struggling to recover.”
Before Matukane started Henemat Kitchen & Butchery, he had operated a factory that produces school desks from the premises. “We still make desks, though business is down significantly because we don’t know anyone in government who will grant any of our tenders. It’s frustrating, because we know there is a great demand for school desks, yet no orders are coming in.”
Matukane is a former school principal of Vukuzenzele Primary School, Ntshuxeko High School and Vuyeleni Primary School. “I loved being a teacher, but I didn’t always love the hierarchy of the school system. The rules are straightforward and good, but the people who are supposed to implement the rules are sometimes crooked. I left education behind to venture into business.”
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Today, Matukane is happy he made this move. “Our regular customers are good people and I adore having them around. People of all colours, genders and beliefs visit us. It’s always nice to have variety here and we welcome everyone!”
One regular, Ted Malumane, praised Henemat for the crowd it attracts. “This is the hangout place for all the professionals. There are no fights, no beggars, there’s accommodation and a bar, and you can have your car washed while sipping on an ice-cold zamalek.”
