ASK in King Dinuzulu who Themba Biyela is and nobody will know. Ask for a man who repairs shoes and any household in the suburb will refer you to him. Themba Biyela is a man who has been making his living by repairing shoes for 39 years, at the corner of the suburb’s shops.
In 1971, still a young man, Themba Biyela was hired at the then Alusaf in Richards Bay but the joys of being hired were short lived. In 1973, owing to a leg injury, he could no longer continue to work.
The entire year of 1974 saw Biyela in hospital. All seemed bleak for the young Themba until he developed a passion for repairing shoes, after seeing a certain ‘Mr Ngubane’ plying the trade.
He closely watched the man doing his craft and soon after he was apprenticed to the shoemaker.
It was the love of this craft that got him going for the years to come. His skills were so good that Multiserve took him under their wing. It was through this company that he received formal training as a shoe repairer in Durban. Almost 40 years down the line and Themba Biyela is still at it.
It gives him joy to see people who cannot afford shoes, with smiles on their faces after seeing his work.
Not only has he been able to support himself with the money earned but he has also supported eight of his children and seven of his grandchildren.
Themba Biyela has proved that one cannot starve with your hands still intact.
Against all odds this senior has made it, and is still making it, and hopes one day he will pass on the skills to a deserving aspirant shoe repairer.
