- Sisa Dushu works as a porter in Kleinmond but his salary is too small to pay for his basic needs.
- The 36-year-old father skips meals and only buys cheap food to save money for rent and his very young son.
Sisa Dushu is a 36-year-old man from Cape Town who works as a porter in a gallery in Kleinmond. He makes items like pots, cups and plates but his pay is too small to cover his bills.
Dushu has a university degree and hoped he could buy nice clothes and eat well once he finished his studies. Instead, he now buys second-hand clothes and struggles to support his five-year-old son.
“The salary I am getting doesn’t cover all my bills. I had to cut a lot of things,” said Dushu. He said he now only buys things that will last for a month.
From his pay, he has to cover rent, transport, food and an insurance policy. He pays R1,000 for rent, R1,200 for travel and R1,500 for food.
To save money, Dushu has stopped eating three times a day and only eats after midday to make food last. He also makes sure he saves on electricity by not cooking food like samp.
“I only eat a loaf of bread for three days. That’s how tight my budget is,” said Dushu. He said he has to be very careful.
Dushu had to give up luxuries like ice cream and Ultramel because he can live without them. He also finds it hard to visit his home because travel costs more than R2,000.
He now only goes home when a close relative dies. Even though he is struggling, Dushu said he is grateful for his job because he does not have to ask others for help.
Pictured above: Sisa Dushu works as a porter in a gallery to pay his bills and support his
young son.
Image source: Sisa Dushu
