- A 37-year-old Cape Town security guard supports his three children, five of his late sister’s children, his mother and two siblings on a R7,000 salary.
- He charges R100 per small car, pays his manager R50 per vehicle and makes over R600 on a good day.
A 37-year-old Cape Town security guard earns R7,000 a month. He looks after 11 family members.
“The money doesn’t cover my bills, it runs out before I can cover everything. I have a lot of responsibilities, including taking care of my three children, my late sister’s five children, my mother, and my two siblings,” he said.
To bring in more money, he started a carwash business. He has someone managing it for him.
“The money that I pay … depends on the cars he washes. We had an agreement that he would get R50 for each car. For example, if he washes four vehicles a day, he’s getting R200,” he said.
The business charges different prices depending on the type of car.
“We are charging R100 because we understand that people don’t have money. We didn’t charge them too much as we don’t want customers to run away from us,” he said.
On a good day, the carwash makes more than R600. On a bad day, it struggles to reach R350. Weekends are the busiest.
He spends his days off at the carwash.
“Maybe one day I will have to quit the security job and focus on this business,” he said.
Before the carwash, he struggled to buy groceries for himself.
“I was prioritising my children, mom, and siblings, and my sister’s children. I was eating pap with cabbage and soup, and I was no longer carrying lunch to work,” he said.
The extra money has made a difference.
“I can cover basic needs, and I can now sleep peacefully. And just like my colleagues, I now have lunch at work,” he said.
Pictured above: A security guard.
Image source: Pexels
