THE016 September/October 2021
Reitumetse Mogweng and Nhlanhla Mazibuko
The couple with the X factor
ED’S NOTE
S
pring has officially sprung. As we welcome a new season, we welcome new stories that were born during this period.
Our cover stars, Reitumetse Mogweng and Nhlanhla Mazibuko, are a dynamic duo from Steelpark who are making it big in business. They share four companies amongst themselves. They let us in on how their entrepreneurial journey has been going so far.
We have events galore featured in this issue. We attended the Women’s celebration event in Meyerton, the EasternVille virtual press conference, the annual Women in business event and the Literature Day in Evaton. We have a piece written by Lesego Dithebe. He is an esteemed writer from Boipatong and heads a personal blog titled The Write State. Here, he dissects topics ranging from current affairs to sports. The EasternVille piece he contributed to this issue illustrates just how talented of a writer Dithebe is. We also take a look at events that recently happened or have happed in the Vaal with our events feature called Dinsthang. Here’s to a new season of stories, a new breed of entrepreneurs and to developing a new hunger for the Vaal. Enjoy the read, Reitumetse Shebe Editor of The016
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CONTENTS FEATURES ON THE COVER
Reitumetse Mogweng and Nhlanhla Mazibuko
ISSUE 15
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PhotographyEveryday is a runway. Model- Eddie Thothela Photographer- Morena Modise
FeatureHeading Towards The East written by Lesego Dithebe
FeatureAgape- A safe space for vulerable women
ISSUE 15 BROUGHT TO YOU BY: EDITOR/ WRITER Reitumetse Shebe CONTRIBUTOR Lesego Dithebe WITH THANKS TO OUR ADVERTISERS - Precious Cargo Transporting - Department of Health - The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) - Chicken Dust ya Mpumelelo - Glam Clan
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FEATURE
C R E A T I V E
Jakkalas Monyamane from Vanderbijlpark makes artwork from recycled bottles. He says this is his way of preserving the environment. His art starts from R200, a set consists of three bottles.
O F T H E I S S U E
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EVENTS
Dinsthang? A brief rundown of events in the Vaal.
HIP HOP SUNDAYOver 30 artists from the Vaal graced the stage at Afro Bru in Maboneng.The event was organised by Vincent Kheswa and Rashid Kay. Artists that rocked the stage included Kxng B The Great, Masedi, Leqhwa, JustSam, Real Deal Genaro and Basiq only to name a few. Congratulations to all the artists that got to showcase their talent.
VIC MOVER’S HUBBLY AND CULTUREVictor Matlala is hosting his 4th annual Hubbly and Culture event in Meyerton on the 24th of September 2021. The aim of the event is for groups from all cultures to come together and have a good time.
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STRANGE HOURSStrange Hours is an alternative event that is coming up on the 25th of September and will be hosted at Uhuru Family Restaurant. Tickets are selling for R50. There will be music, art exhibitions and memories created. For more information on the event, contact Nhlanhla Jayceon Mtshali.
SISTAHOOD SESSIONSThis one is for the ladies. Sistahood sessions will be hosted in Evaton on the 10th of October 2021. The line up features self defense lessons, a gym session, an affirmations session and a mental health dialogue. Join the event to celebrate some black girl magic.
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PHOTOGRAPHY
EVERYDAY IS A RUNWAY Model: Eddie Thothela Facebook- Eddie Thothela, Insta- @Elchado22 Photographer: Morena Modise Facebook- Morena Modise, Insta- @9fivelab
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FEATURE
Heading Towards the East Written by Lesego Dithebe (The Write State)
F
riday the 13th is often regarded as a 24-hour nightmare for those who dread the malediction that’s attached to it. But for EasternVille Music and its staunch followers; it was the rarity of a series of daydreams that finally became an exciting reality. Yesterday afternoon, the proficient stable hosted a systematic press conference at The O Shop. The O Shop is a sacrosanct land of hip-hop. Owned by Vaal based hip-hop DJ, radio presenter and founder of O Productions, OB Gwala, the store is a safe room in the colossal home of the rap culture. It’s a mannequin of local clothing brands, a shelf of rap magazines and a sound system of banging hits. The chief purpose of the press conference was to expose the fans to the productive structures of EasternVille Music, and make a huge announcement of
a magnificent deal for the artists that are signed under the fast-evolving record company. The virtual event kicked off with the executive producer, Vincent Kheswa, also known by his stage name - Simply Vincent comfortably sitting between two of the entity’s talent, Kxng B The Great and Leqhwa. Asked about managing an assortment of artists; Vincent Kheswa attributed his management degree, amongst other things, for his remarkable performance at the helm of the company. “I studied management at tertiary level, and it taught me that people are managed according to their personalities. It also helps that I connect with the artists on a personal level. The music comes from the person, so I make it a priority to understand the human being first,” he said.
Every village has a king, and EasternVille isn’t an exception. An A-class student of the entertainment industry with a “B” attached to his imposing name. Kxng B The Great is a diverse artist who’s adamant to break boundaries in all spheres of the industry. or traditional genres. “I’m not a rapper, I’m an all-round entertainer,” said the versatile artist who also performs as an MC amongst an arm length of his handful capabilities. The snazzy king explained his noticeable absence from the spotlight, and also painstakingly divulged his plans for the near future.
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“I needed time to align myself with the direction that we’re taking as a unit, especially because I’m not just an artist but also the director of the business. But I’m officially back. My album, According To The King is scheduled for release before the end of the year,” said Kxng B The Great. The king of the jungle said that he’s going to address the elephant in the room. “It’s going to be an educational project whereby I explore different topics about my personal experiences, and incorporate them into my music.” While the kingdom (as Kxng B The Great’s fan base is affectionally known) eagerly anticipates the vivacious star’s debut album, Leqhwa has already given the music fraternity a fine 14| THE016 SEPT/OCT ISSUE 2021
taste of his own delicacies. The ingenious Sotho hiphop veteran released an EP titled The Ice Project on various digital stores in April this year. The unexpected success of the project saw it reaching over 40 000 streams on Spotify. “Initially, it was only meant to be a mere build-up to my upcoming album, Tladi Mothwana. But its success led to us deciding to prolong its marketing and PR campaign because it has proved that it can go beyond our confinements of its potential,” Leqhwa said. The Ice Project is widely regarded as one of its kind. Besides the dazzling music; a solid effort went towards its branding and packaging. The Ice Project Pack consists of a book that he
co-authored with Vincent Kheswa; a branded pen; a poster of the man himself; a water bottle and a can of MOFAYA energy drink. To accentuate that an artist is a brand; Leqhwa’s name is accompanied by a logo. The Teboho Theoha designed logo is the ultimate representation of Leqhwa as an artist, and everything that he stands for as a human being. It’s made up of triangles which represent his native residence - the Vaal Triangle. Furthermore; the triangles on the logo also symbolize the beautiful mountains of Basotho land and other monumental African creations like the Egyptian pyramids.
The poster was primarily included in the package for the listeners of his music to have an image of the man behind the voice. It’s also a great opportunity to revive the culture of having pin-up posters of one’s favorite artists on the wall. If walls indeed have ears, then they’d definitely want to listen to Leqhwa. The poster was shaded in black and white to resurrect the greatness of the African monarchy. “If you take a look at the pictures of African kings like Moshoeshoe and Shaka Zulu, they were of that particular shade. The pose is also in line with those of our ancient rulers. Leqhwa is simply emulating the greatest of Africans to ever walk this earth,” said Vincent Kheswa. According to the Sotho tribe, there are three elements of life, and water is one of them. Music is life, and water is a component of that composition, hence a water bottle couldn’t be excluded from the representation of Leqhwa as a brand. It takes water to put out the fire, but sometimes the raging flames spread wildly and cause MOFAYA.
It’s DJ Sbu’s unremitting tenacity as the epitome of black entrepreneurship, black excellence and the art of hustling that impelled the EasternVille Music team to include his energy drink as part of the Ice Project Pack. “We want to promote the culture of supporting black owned companies or products without feeling entitled to their success. We don’t want to wait for a brand to endorse us before we can contribute towards its growth. It’s about the aspirations of a black child,” Vincent Kheswa said The team’s praiseworthy efforts at supporting black owned companies can also be seen at their recent involvement in aiding to restore the recently looted Shape Café. An integral part of the package is the BOTJHABELA Ba Lekoa book. It’s a documentation of the artist, his music and journey. It selflessly proceeds to offer sound advice to artists about the music industry. Written in both English and Sesotho, the book also contains educational history lessons about the Sotho culture. It’s a powerful compilation of valuable teachings
for people of different kinds. A book is a wet ground beneath a sea of ink. Where there’s a page, there has to be a pen involved. Leqhwa’s artistry begins with his superb songwriting abilities before it extends to other commendable constituents. The streetwise wordsmith sincerely honored his fans by including the pen that makes him lyrically lethal in the package. It’s the same pen that he used to sign an administration agreement with the biggest independent music publishing company in the continent - Sheer Publishing. After weeks of intense negotiations, Sheer Publishing and EasternVille Music finally came to a mutually beneficial agreement for the latter’s artists to be part of a global success. The deal will see all the artists who fall under EasternVille Music being proficiently housed by the same publishing home as the likes of Cassper Nyovest, DJ Switch, Kelly Khumalo, K.O, Lira, Shane Eagle and Zahara.
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Vincent Kheswa’s conscientious expatiation on the matter is, “for every creative work that they (EasternVille’s artists) do, they’ll have a representative that will collect the money. It’s a worldwide copyright representation. It’s inclusive of sync licensing, sample clearance and collecting the royalties.” In a nutshell, it’s a suitable deal where the royalties meet the royalty. The EasternVille Music team proceeded to state how the deal will open doors for the record company. “They’ll pitch our music for opportunities such as international films, and also give us access to major collaborations.”
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Kxng B The Great couldn’t help but express his protuberant elation about the deal. “I resigned from my fairly decent nine-to-five job a while ago, so I’m glad that the hustle is finally paying off.” Ironically, he left his job to make his career work. “It’s a win for the Vaal,” said Leqhwa. It definitely seems like a huge chunk of success is heading towards the east.
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COVER STORY
Claiming what is theirs. Reitumetse Mogweng and Nhlanhla Mazibuko are a duo that are taking the Vaal by storm. The pair are currently running four businesses and growing their audience reach while they are at it. This is their story.
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eitumetse Lerato Mogweng (28) and Nhlanhla Xavier Mazibuko (26) are a young couple with big plans. Mogweng is a teacher by profession and says she felt the need to delve into entrepreneurship after resigning in 2020.
they have several other businesses that they run apart from their skop business, which they are commonly known for.
Me time 260g= R180 Me time 300g= R200 Containers: Brown container or clear glass containers with gold lid. Candles burn between “We have two parent 40 and 60 hours, decompanies that oversee pending on the size and everything else. Reitume- a warning sticker is intse owns Burnt by Flowcluded. Available scents ers which is a candle/ are: Raspberry vanilla, scent company as well Lime coconut, Peony “I started selling wings as Flowers Eats which is a rose, Pear and cinnawhile I was still a teachcatering company, and mon, Lemongrass, lime er and then we both I have Palace of Trees, and ginger, Eucalyptus started selling pre-pack- under which we have oil, Caramel and vanilla aged smoothies, and we Own the day tattoos,” treat. would always be at pop- says Mazibuko. ups,” says Mogweng. “While many candle Burnt by Flowers is a luxcompanies make it a Mazibuko is a tattoo art- ury candle company. All point to only use natuist and business owner. candles are handmade ral ingredients in their He says having a mental and pricing starts from candles, Burnt by Flowcondition did not stop R150. As Spring season ers is transparent about him from living his best enters in full swing, Mog- their use of synthetic life. weng says she is looking fragrance oils. I believe into introducing a citthat synthetic oils can “I have bipolar disorder. ronella scented candle produce stronger and I want to show others to her list. She says it is a longer lasting scents that that it does not have to safe and effective insect yield consistent results,” define who you are as repellent and also has an says Mogweng. an individual, nor does aromatherapy element it have to influence how to it which will assist peo- “Flowers Eats is a cayour life goes.” ple with dealing anxiety tering company which and depression. offers platters, skop and The pair have taken ginger beer. We also over the Vaal with their Prices are as follows: cater for small and big skop business. They also Lemongrass. Lime, ginger functions ranging from pointed out that entre269g= R180 funerals to parties. With preneurship became a Caramel and vanilla funerals, we specifically necessity to them during treat 260g= R180 pre-package meals for Lockdown Level 5. What Eucalyptus oil 260g= Covid-19 funerals,” many do not know is that R180 Mogweng continues. THE016 SEPT/OCT ISSUE 2021 | 19
“Even as a teacher, Reitumetse has always had the uncanny ability to spot a gap in the market. She also creates gift boxes for clients along with flower arrangements. She was already in the catering business when I met her. She was selling indigenous meals at school, the type of meals that our current menu is built off of,” says Mazibuko.
will work it out together,” says Mazibuko. Just like any couple or any person going into business, there are challenges. Mogweng says the pair have been able to use their conflicts to their advantage.
“We clash but we make sure that we get them to work in our favour. We have never allowed any of our businesses to Managing four plus com- suffer or to be affected panies can be quite because of conflict withdaunting, especially for in the relationship. We a couple. Mogweng always look at the bigger and Mazibuko explain picture.” how they stay on top of things. Consistency becomes an important element “It’s all about time man- once someone starts a agement and splitting up business. The pair say the responsibilities. Besupport has always been cause of her experience the base of the success as a teacher, she comes of their business. ready to split time up very well, however, she “I’ve always supported in has intense focus which her in whichever business means that some things she was running. She was will be left on the back also very supportive of burner, which is where I my tattoo business to the come in. I can pick up point where she had her where she doesn’t pick first tattoo done by me. up. There are many times When I tried colour tatwhere I’ll pitch sometoos for the first time, she thing to her and she will came forward to support see the flaws before I do, me. She was willing to she will show me where show potential clients the faults are and we my work and that meant 20| THE016 SEPT/OCT ISSUE 2021
a lot to me,” Mazibuko says. The couple started off by hanging out together. Little did they know that what was once a hangout session would give birth to a flourishing business that they named SkopHangout, which is adored by many. “Our businesses are seasonal which means we are kept busy for most of the time depending on which business is in demand at the time but the skop has been our most popular product. What sets us apart from everyone else is our ability to serve indigenous food from mogodu, samp, trotters to ginger beer. When it comes to traditional food, the proof is in the pudding. People loved it because the food offered a sense of nostalgia like the December holidays and you’re at Grandma’s,” Mogweng says.
The pair say their prices for skop never go above the R50 mark. Mogweng is more empathetic towards customers and their pockets while Mazibuko worries about maintaining the bottom line. “The skop is prepared, cut and packaged by us. Our Sebokeng clientele can now access our skop as we recently came into agreement with Papa’s Fire Chicken and they have agreed to be our distributor for the Sebo-
keng area,” says Mogweng. In just a matter of months, the couple have achieved enough for them to sustain not just themselves and their relationship but also their businesses. “What I admire most about her is her laser focus, her never give up attitude and her need to be greater than she was yesterday,” Mazibuko concluded.
“We have never allowed any of our businesses to suffer or to be affected because of conflict within the relationship. We always look at the bigger picture.” THE016 SEPT/OCT ISSUE 2021 | 21
FEATURE
Calling all female business owners
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he Annual Vaal women in business event, brought to you by LuvLuv cosmetics, was held at Papa’s Fire Chicken as an opportunity to give females a chance to network their businesses. “The main aim was to motivate, encourage and inspire women who own businesses to use network marketing to reach a broader audience. We wanted to bring women together to make sure we give each other business opportunities through the networks we have. The Vaal has so much potential. I had to find a way to give the ladies a platform to grow once a year hence the event is annual,” says event organizer, Mmatumelo Makhobotloane. Makhobotloane is the proud owner of LuvLuv cosmetics for which she has developed an entire makeup line for. “I started getting makeup gigs in 2015 after a friend asked me to do her makeup. I wasn’t comfortable at first but I had to get comfortable because of the number of clients I was getting. I
then decided to start my own makeup line, which was quite costly. My supplier said I could only go for five products until I decided that I wanted a full range which is fully dermatologically tested,” says Makhobotloane. LuvLuv cosmetics trains students who aspire to be in the makeup/beauty industry and they also offer makeup services. Her range consists of foundation cream, concealer, lip liner, lipstick, lip gloss, eyeshadow palette and eyebrow pencil. Logain Mokgele is a Sharpeville born home baker. She started her business 6 years ago with just pictures and now she is a registered business owner of Baked by Logain.
Mokgele says it is important for women to network because it opens up doors for collaboration. “I bake cakes, biscuits, scones for weddings and funerals. I am all about the taste. When I was giving people samples today, I looked at people’s faces when they sated my food because that’s how you measure whether people enjoy your food or not.” A woman Mokgele has collaborated with on more than once occasion is Lerato Morake from Sebokeng who is the co-owner of Tau Maseko and Passion events which employs 14 staff members.
“I started my business about 10 years ago. I met someone who had the equipment and I had “I only started taking is the skill so we decided seriously last year. My to join the two compamom got diagnosed with nies, but I still do décor vascular dementia so for both. We offer phothat’s when I decided to tography, décor, cakes, take care of her by stay- makeup, anything that is ing home with her. Also, needed to complete an it was when Covid-19 event really. We also ofwas restricting everyone fer printing and embroiso I started baking as a dery,” says Morake. way to destress.” THE016 SEPT/OCT ISSUE 2021 | 23
LuvLuv cosmetics giving a face beat Covid-19 has been the biggest challenge for most businesses because they are service based. Morake also says the saturation of the market means they have to work harder to stand out from the rest. “We need to always be on our toes. We need to authentic, unique and modern. This means we’ve had to increase prices but that becomes a challenge when it comes to payment. Unfortunately, some customers want quality at a bargain.” “Events like this show us that we are also capable. It shows that women are bigger than the pull her down syndrome, 24| THE016 SEPT/OCT ISSUE 2021
Modern doeks from Africhinaqueen
that we can unite and collaborate to change each other’s lives,” Morake concluded. SkopHangout is a meat business owned by Reitumetse Lerato Mogweng and Nhlanhla Xavier Mazibuko who are from Steelpark The pair saw the need to fill a gap and they ran with it. Mogweng says there was a high demand for skop in their area. They sold their famous skop (sheep and pork), labelled plastic cups and t-shits, and a black strap on bag with 11 compartments (for people who hike, or carry a lot). Longrich Bioscience International is a multinational company that sells
health, organic food, nutritional supplements, beauty, home care and pet care products. Product specialist, Pulane Modimoeng, says as from last year, Longrich went into agreement with the country’s top universities (WITS, UCT and UKZN) to offer scholarships to members once they qualify. “We are the only common manufacturer for the top 100 global brands such as Nike, Unilever, Avon and P&G to name a few,” says Modimoeng.
“I would encourage people to do their own thing. We are all blessed with talent, so find it, develop it and earn a living from it.”
nappies were collected and were given to Matwala’s Children’s Home in Vanderbijlpark and at the Home of Disability and Old Age.
Ariah Makhonofane Mofokeng who hails from Vereeniging runs a mini boutique from her garage. Her boutique, Africhinaqueen, is a modern fashion and clothing business which caters for young, fashionable women. “We offer the following products: African print dresses, modern vintage dresses, Basotho/ Ndebele blankets and beaded accessories. Our aim is to modernize and urbanize traditional looks to accommodate the modern woman.” Mofokeng says she aims to make women who wear her products feel like royalty. While the event was aimed at uniting women in business, there was also a call to assist those who are struggling because of Covid-19. Donations in the form of canned food, sanitary towels, baby wipes and THE016 SEPT/OCT ISSUE 2021 | 25
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FEATURE
A
Agape- a safe space for vulnerable women
gape Lerato community services are a Non-Government Organization that works in the Sedibeng District. The biggest aim of the organization is to ensure that all sex workers receive high quality care, treatment and support. They also offer services that include providing food parcels for the disadvantaged, HIV testing and Counselling, Early Childhood programmes, door to door Campaigns and awareness campaigns amongst others.
bers, some have been through many forms of abuse so we decided to celebrate the women of Scelo. 80-90% of them do not have an income. It became important to enourage them during these trying times,” says Molefi. Agape his divided into different departments: Community HomeBased Care (CHBC), Victim Empowerment Programme (VEP), the Health Department (HTS) and NACOSA which deals with sex workers in Vereeniging.
“Our services are free of charge. We only cover Scelo in Meyerton. However, if someone from outside of the Vaal needs our assistance, we are more than happy to refer them a centre near them”. Lenah Maserela from Nkandla Ext 5 in Scelo says she has learned to come out of her shell since joining Agape.
“I joined Agape in 2016. I hardly went out until a woman came by and told me about The 19th of August 2021 “The ladies’ support Agape and what was a day that was group falls under they do. I never used chosen to celebrate CHBC. There are six of to socialise because these phenomenal us in our office. There I did not want to be women. Event orgaare four social auxiliary associated with other nizer, Lerato Monica workers and two coor- people’s business so I Molefi, says this has dinators which are the figured staying indoors been a rough year for Expanded Public Works was the best way to the ladies. Programme coordina- avoid many unwanted tor (EPWP) and the Or- things from happening. “Some of them have phans and Vulnerable lost their jobs, some Children coordinator have lost family mem(OVC),” says Molefi. 28| THE016 SEPT/OCT ISSUE 2021
. The lady told me to leave my house every once in a while, just to talk to fellow women about problems or situations I face.” Maserela says that’s when she noticed that locking herself indoors was doing more harm than good. “I was able to vent to the ladies, they never judged me. I am happy we got to be celebrated today. It is important for women to have a safe platform to just talk and socialise. I used to be very shy but now I can stand in front of people and talk. I appreciate the love and support I get from Agape. And because of the workshops that we have attended, I now know how to be a better mother to my children.”
Kananelo Moerane is also part of the support group. Initially from Lesotho, Moerane says she was faced with a difficult situation when Agape came to her rescue. “They helped build my self-esteem. I can stand on my own two feet now. I know that I have a group of ladies that I can talk to about any hardship I face, especially at home. I am truly grateful for Agape,” said Moerane. “Our challenges are not the same and it not okay for you to go through difficult situations all by yourself. Here, we learn from each other and we grow each other. What may be a challenge for you today may be a challenge for me tomorrow,” Molefi concluded.
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FEATURE
National Literacy Day- taking it one book at a time
L
e Furile is a non-profit organization in Evaton that was founded in 2015. The organization’s mission is to plant/instill a seed of courage in every child and young person so they may be the best versions of themselves. The organization has three core focus areas: Early Childhood Literacy Development, Sports Development and Girl Empowerment.
book ownership. A total of 300 books have been given to young children in Evaton since its inception.
The Le Furile story corner is an initiative that was started in 2018 with the aim of giving the children of Evaton the gift of literacy through
To celebrate National Literacy Day, children from two ECD centres namely Lesedinyana Day Care Centre and Little Pleasure came together
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Even while Covid-19 presented the organization with a big challenge, it also made way for a unique opportunity. Ethnikids and Wimpy collaborated to create Mzansi inspired stories that come with every kiddies meal.
to enjoy this special day. Six books came with each meal (burger, fries and a milkshake) and the children each received one book. “We have to invest in teaching children how to read at an early age. As people, we are used to investing all our resources in helping the children once they are in matric, which is already late. The sooner they learn how to read, the sooner we can see how to better assist them”, says event organizer Matseliso Photolo.
The titles of the six books were: •Nanana Boselesele written by Lebohang Masango and illustrated by Subi Basa. •How the owl got its sound written by Tracy-Lee Easthorpe and illustrated by Ndumiso Nyoni. •Monkey and crocodile written by Sindisiwe Magona and illustrated by Susie Appleby. •How the elephants saved summer written by Refiloe Moahloli and illustrated by Katlego Kgabale. •Jackal and Wolf written by Cobt Labuscagne and illustrated by Mogau Kekana. •Naughty Nogwaja written by Dr Nomsa Mdlalose and Tina Akuoku
and illustrated by Siya Masuku. Because the backs of the six books formed the South African flag when put together, the children were divided into groups to participate in the flag building activity to test their problem-solving skills.
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PRESS RELEASE
Building a united LBGTQI+ community With our growing successful second LGBTQI + Elegant Sundays show, we are very pleased and thankful for the support we received from our supporters, family and friends. The turnout was impressive. Even though the cloudy cold weather had other plans, people managed to come out in numbers and show their support. We, as the Elegant Sundays team, from our co-owner and Dj Sombutom Nhlapo, our programmes director and share-holder Mamello Mofokeng, our MC Thandeka Hadebe and one of our best Male Dee Jay MJF 29 and our photographer Boitumelo Dlomo, we are very pleased to say that we are achieving our goal of giving 100% team work on entertainment, fun and laughter whilst maintaining elegance throughout. We are also very thankful to our performers. Reabetswe Studlaw who gave us amazing poetry, DJ Bony 016 gave us music and our own Hip Hop artist Cardiac Music gave us a motivating performance. We are indeed looking forward to working with them in the near future. Also, a big thank you goes to ThethaFM’s DJ Peter T along with Thabi Mo for giving us exclusive music that had us feeling the love. Siyabonga. We touched base with a whole lot of people this time around one of them being our guest of honour “Rich Aunt” Kido Mashinini and her whole team for showing up and showing undisputed support. The greatest acknowledgment goes to our venue sponsor Papa’s Fire Chicken in Zone14 Moshoeshoe Street, Sebokeng next to Masoheng for making sure we had protected accommodation and for giving us good service when it comes to their delicious food. The staff was really amazing and thank you so much for the wonderful service. We gave tickets to two of our page followers who participated in the page competition that runs every month, at least two weeks before the event and we would like to thank them for attending the event. Because we love our supporters so much, we had another competition for food buyers that left us with two winners which were Pulane and Mapaseka. We really hope they enjoyed the bottles of Devine wine that were given to each of them. Lastly, a big thank you to the Vaal LGBTIQ board members for showing up. We promise to give you most of new faces to entertain. We are building a united community as well as a safe space for all sexualities with elegance and style. Regards Team LGBTQI+ Elegant Sundays 32| THE016 SEPT/OCT ISSUE 2021
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FEATURE
Beauty and the nails
Beauty Nest is a beauty salon run by Ntombi Dlamini. They have a nail studio in Arcon Park that offers the latest trending nail designs.
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What is the story behind the starting of your business? How did the salon come about and when was it launched? I’ve always wanted to be an entrepreneur, and after being employed at my previous work, I fell in love with the idea even more. That’s when I decided to go this route, a year ago. What services do you offer and what is your price range? I do just nails for now, but with growth other services will be offered How many people do you currently employ? I work by myself for now, I hope to find someone I can work with in the summer.
I started working when the levels were going down, and since I work from home, it hasn’t been affected in any way, because I follow strict covid protocols As a business owner, what are your thoughts on the recent lootings? What the country went through was sad really. So many people’s lives were affected by it, it was a scary thing to witness other people being affected by it. Where can potential clients reach you? IG : @thebeautynest1 Facebook : Beauty Nest
What is the biggest lesson your business has taught you about yourself? To not be afraid of taking risks, I quit my old job without a plan, but the idea was still there and I took that risk. How has having social media impacted your business? Without social media, my business wouldn’t be here, the growth it has experienced through social media is amazing. How had your business been affected by Covid-19? THE016 SEPT/OCT ISSUE 2021 | 35
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