If you go to Shakaville township outside KwaDukuza and ask for accommodation, you will be directed to Magugwane’s guest house and conference centre.
Born and raised in Shakaville, guest house owner Gugu Mtshali said she started out selling cupcakes at a taxi rank and today she is one of the few successful business women in the township.
Mtshali said it is all about believing in yourself and managing your finances no matter how little you get as an income.
“Back then my cupcakes were R1 each but I managed to save until I opened a restaurant in KwaDukuza, where I sold western and traditional food. People used to come to my restaurant asking for accommodation and so the idea of turning my home into a guest house was born,” said Mtshali.
Although the guest house is doing well, Mtshali is still running her bakery business and she also owns a catering company called Phindile Catering Services.
“Currently my guest house has six rooms and I am saving to extend it and open other Magugwane’s branches.”
Besides these two businesses, she has also started hiring out mobile fridges and so far she owns five which are for hire.
The former Tshelenkosi Secondary School pupil, who matriculated in 1988 said that one day she would like to own a hotel and make enough money to give back to the needy families of her township.
“No matter how difficult the situation we may find ourselves in, we should learn to look at the positive side of it and use it to get where we want to be,” said Mtshali.
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