By Buziwe Nocuze
- Sibongiseni Mbatha travelled from KwaZulu-Natal to Cape Town to find work and buy food for two children back at home.
- Sibongiseni Mbatha works at The Spade Boutique and Spar Hotel in Mandela Park to pay for rent and buy food.
Sibongiseni Mbatha moved from KwaZulu-Natal to Cape Town to look for work. He wanted to find a job to take care of his family.
Mbatha found a job in the security department at The Spade Boutique and Spar Hotel. The hotel is in Mandela Park in Khayelitsha.
His main task is to make sure guests are safe.
“One of my jobs is not only to open for guests coming in and out but also to make sure that they are safe,” said Mbatha. “I just don’t open for everyone.”
Mbatha is happy to work at the first hotel to open in the township. He appreciates business owners who bring jobs to the townships so people can work.
“I am one of the fortunate people who got the job,” he said.
He earns enough to support his family, but he is left with nothing after paying his bills and saving some cash.
He spends R500 on groceries and pays R400 for rent. He sends between R1,300 and R1,500 to his two children. He also sends R1,000 home to his mother for food.
“I don’t buy fancy things,” said Mbatha. “I didn’t come to Cape Town to eat fancy but I am here because there’s something I want to achieve.”
Mbatha chose to live close to work so he does not pay for transport. He saves the money he would have used for travel.
“I walked and saved the money that I was going to use for transport for something else,” he said.
Pictured above: Sibongiseni Mbatha works in the security department at The Spade Boutique and Spar Hotel in Mandela Park, Khayelitsha.
Image source: Buziwe Nocuze
