Adapting to survive, working to thrive

After studying logistics, Dlamini hit the streets to raise money, selling sandwiches, putting her on the path to a catering set-up

WITH just R500 to her name Khanyisile Dlamini, 29, started a small catering company and is now making enough to pay her bills and to dream of bigger things.

Dlamini sells sandwiches, tea and coffee at the Berea taxi rank. Her turnover totals R600 a day, half of which she uses to restock her business for the next morning.

No matter the weather, Dlamini is at “work” pushing her loaded food trolley between commuters who normally clear her out by 11.30am.

She started her business, which she calls Lomusongaka Services, a year ago after finishing her studies in shipping and logistics at ethekwini College.

She decided on the breakfast trolley as a means of making money while she was looking for a job.

“When I started, I used the last cash (R500) I had to buy a food container, bread, eggs, margarine, tea and coffee. I was so excited on my first day when I saw people buying my sandwiches.”

She starts selling at 5.30am and works from Monday to Saturday

“I buy stock every day so that my customers know what they are buying is fresh. I believe that when you provide your customers with fresh food, they will keep on coming back,” said Dlamini.

Her sandwiches range in price from R8 to R20.

“As the seasons change, people’s tastes shift. In winter they tend to drink more tea and coffee,” she said.

Dlamini also sells at events held at the Moses Mabhida Stadium.

“When I go to Mabhida, I usually ask my sisters to help me. I have a tent where we prepare sandwiches and sometimes we even add meat and various kinds of drinks to the menu.”

One Joburg man was so impressed by what she was selling that he recommended her as a caterer for his company which comes to Durban for meetings once a month.

Although Dlamini says she lives a hand-to-mouth existence, she is looking forward to growing her business into a fully fledged catering company.

“I have applied for funding to buy a mobile kitchen and cooking equipment,” she said.

Dlamini believes money is “all in the mind” and people should not stay at home just because they can’t find a job; they should rather consider what skills or talents they have and find a way to use them to earn a living.

“The important thing when you have started up in business is not to give up. Even when you make a loss at some stage, try to find out what went wrong and come back the next day to continue with business.”