By Buziwe Nocuze
- The 40-year-old Cape Town mother of two pays R900 a month on transport and puts R1,500 into a stokvel monthly.
- She sells scones for R5 and sweets for 20 cents during lunch breaks and while waiting at the taxi rank.
A 40-year-old Cape Town library assistant is selling scones and sweets on the side to cover her monthly expenses.
She works for the government but says her salary is not enough to get by. She pays R900 a month on transport as well as rent and crèche fees for one of her two children.
“I work as a Library Assistant but the money that I am earning is not enough, besides spending so much money on transportation I have to pay my rent, pay for my kid at crèche, buy lunch for the other one, buy groceries for four family members,” she said.
She also puts R1,500 a month into a stokvel so that she and her children have money to travel to the Eastern Cape for the December holidays.
“My family is in the Eastern Cape and I am the only one working, everything depends on me. I even pay an insurance policy for six family members because I know if anything should happen to one of them it will be my responsibility,” she said.
She sells scones for R5 each and sweets for 20 cents. She only sells during her lunch break and not during work hours. She also sells at the taxi rank while waiting for a ride home.
Since starting the side hustle, she says she has had less financial stress. Colleagues and commuters at the rank have supported her.
“At least now I can buy two two-piece KFCs, something I was not doing before I started selling,” she said.
She says the money often runs out quickly after payday.
“Payday is supposed to be a happy day but it is the opposite, getting paid on Friday and not having money on Monday the following week is stressful,” she said.
Pictured above: A Cape Town Library.
Image source: Cape Town Central City Improvement District
