Sizwe Sibiya
What started as nothing more than a fad, of printing four t-shirts for a weekend in Durban with some friends, has catapulted Xolani Cele into an award-winning business.
He’s the owner of the Durban Weekend clothing brand and the annual event, the Durban Weekend Experience.
“The lockdown has held back a lot of my plans, but the aim is to grow the brand and the event. I want everybody to know what it feels like to go out in Durban during weekends, not only through clubbing, but also have activities like the indigenous games and other sports being played at the annual event,” Xolani told Scrolla.Africa.
The 28-year-old started the Durban Weekend in 2011 with three other friends, who together each own one of the four original t-shirts.
“We then took pictures of us wearing the t-shirts and posted them on Facebook and people asked where we bought them. They wanted to buy from us. We then started taking orders and the Durban Weekend was born,” said Xolani.
Five years later, Xolani stopped working solo and registered the business in 2016.
“Same year, I also registered to start my first year at the Durban University of Technology for a Diploma in Clothing Management.”
Even though he did not finish his final year, Xolani joked that instead of wearing a graduation gown, he got an award for Best Youth Business at the Durban Business Fair in 2018. The award included a cash prize of R10,000 and a business training course.
“Before winning the award, I had sold Durban Weekend t-shirts and caps to clients in New York. But after receiving the award and training I got exposed to other business-minded people,” he explained.
Because of this kind of exposure, he said his products – which now include “magic” cups, hoodies, plastic cups and bucket hats – are being sold at the Durban Tourism Centre’s souvenir shop.
Born in the northern suburb of Durban Newlands East, Xolani said his biggest purpose is to take the Durban Weekend Experience event to the world.
