Mr Fixer-upper, Ballito’s 20-year-strong go-to repair guy with a smile
Taking pride in what he does and always putting work before money has been instrumental in building his reputation on the North Coast.
With his signature smile, Christopher Ngidi has been fixing electric appliances around Ballito for more than 20 years.
“That is how the old ladies describe me, they say ‘the guy with a big smile’. My work has become my life because since I was a child I have always been a hands-on person,” said Christopher.
As a young man with an inquiring mind he enjoyed figuring out how mechanical things worked.
He started fixing watches in school and relished the feeling of satisfaction that returning a broken thing to life would bring him.
From school he decided to make fixing things his career and headed to Ballito determined to find a job at an electrical appliance repair company where he worked for most of the ’90s before branching out on his own.
“I had the business idea but not the capital. So I approached a Ballito resident who was at that time installing TV aerials and suggested a partnership with me repairing appliances. The repairing business went so well we ended up shutting down the aerial installation side of business as satellite dishes were taking over. I worked with him until 2011.”
When his partner retired he started his company, CNS Appliance Repairs in 2013.
Taking pride in what he does and always putting work before money has been instrumental in building his reputation on the North Coast.
He said no matter what kind of advertisement one may invest in, if your clients are not happy there can be no growth for your business.
“Word of mouth from my clients is what has helped me survive,” said the father of 4.
While Christopher maintains a sunny outlook on life, he said running your own business brings many unexpected challenges.
Clients who did not want to pay him after repairing their appliances was one of those.
“That is one of the things that just demoralises you when you are trying to run a business.”
But, he says, the positives outweigh the negatives.
Not least of all being the modern superman to housewives everywhere.
When your dishwasher is gushing soapsuds on the floor and your washing machine will not wash, there is only one man you want to see at your door.
Contact Christopher Ngidi at 079 176 7264.
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