Young Ngwelezana entrepreneurs revitalise spaza shops
'We started by identifying five local tuckshops which were no longer active, or lacking capacity'
A GROUP of budding Ngwelezana entrepreneurs have identified a great opportunity that will revitalise their neighbourhood and boost the local economy.
Mpendulo Mbulawa, Simphiwe Gebashe, Zakhele Dubazana and Wiwi Gumede are revamping neglected spaza shops as a way to provide easy access to food for locals, while improving the aesthetics of the area.
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Mbulawa explained that the lockdown period gave them time to reflect on local economic opportunities.
‘We believe that there is a huge market in township economy. The hard lockdown meant that people weren’t travelling to town to buy food and other goods.
‘How do we stay at home, if we don’t have food to eat? That’s what prompted the ‘buying local’ idea, which we are implementing.’
‘We started by identifying five local tuckshops which were no longer active, or lacking capacity,’ he said.
‘Our involvement in this project is to provide assistance and technical support. We have refurbished the shops and increased stock.
‘We are reviving certain spaza shops without owners, and partnering with existing owners who need assistance.’
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