Former Ballito waiters-turned-entrepreneurs clean up Thembeni crime hotspot to open restaurant
The two men previously worked in different Ballito restaurants and they both know their way around the kitchen.
Two entrepreneurial friends from Thembeni in Groutville have turned what used to be an illegal dumping site into a popular chilling spot.
Thandokuhle Mbhele (28) and Sipho Mawane (32) hit upon the novel idea of turning a trash site just behind the Umvoti Toll Plaza into a mini restaurant, setting up a shack with benches and tables for customers made from recycled wood.
From there they sell all kinds of food and drinks.
Mawane said he used to walk past the place filled with all kinds of rubbish. The worst part was that it was often used as a hiding place for criminals who robbed residents walking to the Ultra City.
“I reckoned if the number of people walking past this place was enough to attract thieves, why not clean it and attract customers instead,” said Mawane.
The two men previously worked in different capacities at Ballito restaurants and they both know their way around the kitchen.
“We used whatever material we could find to make it an attractive place. Fortunately there are big trees that provide shade for our customers,” said Mbhele.
Walking into “SM Spot” as it is now known in the township, you are drawn into a nicely decorated area, where the perfect place to chill with friends on sunny days has been created.
Menu items include chicken dust (seasoned chicken pieces chargrilled over open flames), burgers, hot dogs, fried chips, traditional Zulu food and vetkoek.
The business partners said they also host birthday parties and other celebratory events.
“We plan to improve our facility further by getting a container and installing mobile toilets for our customers,” said Mbhele.
Contact Sipho at 068 656 2311 or Thandokuhle at 068 082 5038.
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