By Buziwe Nocuze
• Twenty eight year old Lunga Gawuzana supports two siblings by selling ice cream after losing both parents and struggling to find work in Cape Town.
• He borrowed an ice cream machine from a woman who quit after extortion threats and fears the same criminals may demand money he cannot afford.
Lunga Gawuzana is just 28 years old but is already the head of his household.
The Cape Town man lost both his parents last year.
After their deaths, he was left responsible for his two siblings.
Gawuzana said he had no choice but to step in as their parent.
At the time, he was not working.
He said he had previously worked for a laundry company that shut down after it stopped making a profit.
Since then, he has been trying to find a job but said it has been very difficult.
After losing his parents, Gawuzana knew he had to find a way to earn money quickly.
He said he could not allow his siblings to go to bed hungry.
A friend told him about a woman who used to sell ice cream.
She stopped after facing extortion demands.
Gawuzana borrowed her ice cream machine to start his own small business.
He said the woman warned him that the money demanded by extortionists is often the same money sellers need to buy food.
Gawuzana said he does not know if the extortionists will come for him.
He said he carries his parents’ death certificates with him every day.
He plans to show them the documents if they confront him and explain why he cannot pay.
He said he will not have the R1,000 they usually demand.
The money he makes is used to buy food for his family.
He said he would even ask the extortionists to sell ice cream for a day to see how little profit there is.
Despite selling ice cream, Gawuzana is still searching for work.
He said he needs a job with a basic salary to buy clothes and other necessities.
Even if he finds work, he plans to keep selling ice cream on his days off.
He sells ice cream for between R10 and R15.
Gawuzana said community support has helped ensure his family does not go to bed hungry.
Pictured above: Ice-cream machine
Image source: Supplied
