EL woman’s hairstyling efforts recognised
EAST London car saleswoman Lwandisa Ngebe has been rewarded for her efforts to help hairdressers boost their skills and businesses at a lavish awards ceremony at Gauteng’s Emperors Palace on Saturday.
The Employers Organisation for Hairdressing, Cosmetology and Beauty (EOHCB) stages the prestigious awards ceremony every three years to honour the best hairstylists, academies and salons around the country.
Ngebe, 29, attended the ceremony by special invite, after recently hosting a free hairstyling empowerment seminar in East London, where various stakeholders gave talks.
The talks centred on challenges experienced by hairstylists in the industry and opportunities offered by the Eastern Cape Rural Development Agency and the national Youth Development Agency.
The owner of Elegant Edge Studio in Vincent, Noxolo Kotta, was also rewarded at the awards night for her role in upliftment programmes and making the industry more professional.
Re-elected EOHCB vice-president Victor Msomi said: “She [Ngebe] has stolen attention and focused it in East London and we have now committed to doing more roadshows to East London and surrounding areas to create the professionalism that is lacking.
“We will ensure that there are skills development and academies available in the city to promote professional, qualified hairdressers and registered salons,” he said.
Ngebe, the sales executive at a local car dealership, was also awarded with a century award yesterday for selling more than 100 cars last year.
“Having been awarded on such a great platform for something I was just doing to see the hair industry gain professionalism has been overwhelming and emotional for me,” she said.
Ngebe is currently in negotiations with the Buffalo City College to reinstate hairdressing courses and gain accreditation to encourage stylists to qualify in their chosen career and register themselves.
Services Seta national chairman Themba Mhambi committed to investing R150-million towards the industry through skills development and training throughout the country. —