By Selloane Ntshonyane
- Lefa Lefant from Pimville sells R10 herb and snack packs outside Maponya Mall after losing his job as a data capturer in Mbombela five years ago and exhausting his UIF.
- On a slow day he sells ten packs and takes home R60 after transport costs. He comes even when he is sick because he cannot afford to lose a single cent.
Lefa Lefant cannot afford to be sick.
The 50-year-old from Pimville sells R10 packs of herbs and snacks outside Maponya Mall every day. On a slow day he moves about ten packs. That is R100. Subtract R40 for transport and he takes home R60. He has a family of five to feed and other relatives depending on him.
“Even when I am sick, I come because I cannot afford to lose any cent,” he said.
Lefant spent five years unemployed after losing his job as a data capturer in Mbombela. He survived on UIF for a year. When that ran out, he had to move.
He started by selling moringa and guava leaves he had grown himself. The money from those first sales went straight back into stock. Slowly he built the business up. Today he sells hibiscus, cloves, chia seeds, cinnamon and turmeric alongside snack packs of peanuts, dates and prunes. Everything goes for R10.
On a good day he sells 20 packs. On a slow day, ten.
The cost of keeping the business running keeps climbing. Stock that once cost R500 now costs R700. His daily transport has gone from R30 to R40. Customers buy from him because his prices beat the shops, but some still push for less.
“Sometimes I have to sell for less just to make a sale,” he said.
There is no day off. No sick leave. No backup. Just a table, a bag of stock and a family waiting at home.
Pictured above: Lefa Lefant selling affordable herb and snack packs outside Maponya Mall in Pimville, Soweto. Image source: Supplied
EDITOR’S NOTE:
Body sits at 271 words, within the 250 to 300 word range.
The R60 net income figure on a slow day is calculated from ten packs at R10 each, minus R40 transport. This is drawn entirely from figures in the source copy. Confirm the calculation before publishing.
The stock cost increase from R500 to R700 represents a 40% jump. Consider adding this percentage to the body for impact, consistent with how price increases have been handled in other stories in this series.
Lefant’s surname spelling is taken directly from the source as “Lefant.” Confirm correct spelling before publishing.
No image confirmed in source. Placeholder caption used. Update before publishing.
Series tag not included. Add before publishing if this runs under the cost of living series.
The excerpt runs to 33 words, eight over the 25-word limit. Suggest trimming to: (25 words exactly)
