By Buziwe Nocuze
- Raymond Ndlovu sells donuts and old clothes at Khayelitsha Mall to pay for transport, groceries, electricity and a funeral policy.
- The pensioner started his business because rising food prices mean his pension grant gets finished before all his bills do.
A 65-year-old grandfather from Khayelitsha in Cape Town sells street food and second-hand clothes to keep his family alive.
Raymond Ndlovu set up a small business at Khayelitsha Mall. He works there to avoid borrowing money from loan sharks. His pension grant is not enough to cover his costs.
“The idea of borrowing money from a loan shark crossed my mind but I asked myself how I am going to pay the money,” said Ndlovu.
He said a loan he cannot pay back would only bring him more problems.
He sells donuts for R5. He buys a pig’s head, cleans it at home and cuts it into pieces. He sells the meat for between R10 and R20.
He also sells old clothes for R30. When it rains he has to stop selling clothes because he does not have a shelter. He puts the clothes on the floor. On wet days he only sells donuts and meat.
The money he makes helps him survive. He spends R1,100 on transport for his 14-year-old child and 12-year-old grandchild.
He also pays R1,000 for groceries, R150 for electricity and R300 for a funeral policy.
Ndlovu makes his best money on grant payout days. People collecting old age, disability and child support grants buy from his stall.
On a good day he makes more than R500. On a bad day he struggles to make R200.
The high cost of living eats into his pension. He said groceries that used to cost R1,000 now cost more than R1,500.
“Everyone needs a side hustle,” said Ndlovu.
Pictured above: Raymond Ndlovu from Khayelitsha township in Cape Town decided to start a side hustle after realising that his pension grant doesn’t cover his bills.
Image source: Buziwe Nocuze
