By Buziwe Nocuze
• Vendors outside the Khayelitsha stadium say they struggle to make R700 daily but festival crowds helped them earn more and sell out stock.
• Rising food prices have pushed stock costs from R1000 to R1500, forcing traders and customers to cut spending just to cope.
While thousands gathered to enjoy maskhandi music at the Khayelitsha Maskhandi Festival in Cape Town, street vendors outside the stadium were focused on making ends meet.
For many, the event brought rare relief after months of slow business.
Siyolise Ngemntu, who sells meat and sausages outside the venue, said trading has been tough.
“The budget is tight for everyone, people are not buying as they used to, this is due to the prices of food and other things going up. That has affected our businesses. We struggle to make R700 a day on a normal day but with the maskhandi Festival day we managed to make some money,” said Ngemntu.
Ngemntu said the cost of stock has gone up sharply. What used to cost R1000 now costs around R1500.
“I don’t remember the last time where I make a R1000 or more a day, the Festival really boosted our businesses. At least we went home smiling after a long time of stress,” said Ngemntu.
Running a small business comes with many costs. Vendors must pay for transport, wood for cooking, spices and sauces, which all cut into their profits.
“Running a business is not easy because we are using money to buy stock, hire a car that transport us from our homes to where we run our businesses, we buy wood to make for we buy spices and sauces. So even if the Festival is one day but it made a lot of difference and we didn’t go back home without stock. We got the support and we are grateful,” said Ngemntu.
Zingiswa Bholitye arrived early to secure a good spot.
“Getting there early helped me because by 09:00am I had already had money. It was a different day compared to other days and we are grateful,” said Bholitye.
Festival goers also made sacrifices to attend.
Sinazo Madolo from Langa said she cut her grocery budget to be there.
“I love maskhandi and when it was announced I told myself that I will have to cut from grocery money just to come and see my favourite artist and I needed the break from all the stress of working for groceries and transport, the money we earn doesn’t even allow us to built our homes,” said Madolo.
She usually spends R2500 on groceries but reduced it to R1000 so she could afford to attend the festival.
Pictured above: The Khayelitsha Maskhandi Festival boosts street vendors selling outside the venue.
Image source: Buziwe Nocuze
