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By Anita Dangazele
- Simthembile Msingata started selling fried fish backbones in 2023 after giving birth early and needing money for her newborn baby.
- The 34-year-old from Nomzamo township sells each fried fish backbone for R10 and can earn up to R1,900 a day.
Simthembile Msingata sells fried fish backbones on the streets of Komani. The 34-year-old mother of three has turned the traditional snack into a thriving business.
Msingata started selling imiqolo in 2023. She gave birth to her youngest child at six months of pregnancy and had nothing ready for the baby.
“At the time, I had nothing because I wasn’t yet prepared for delivery. I didn’t have a single thing for the baby, and so I decided to start selling imiqolo,” she said.
She could not go back to her stall in town because she was breastfeeding. She used a loudhailer to bring customers to her home.
“I recorded myself and advertised that I was selling fish backbones and people just started coming in,” she said.
She is now known in Nomzamo township as Sis Simmy or Molweni Molweni. She walks through the area with her trolley and loudhailer.
“When people hear my loudhailer they usually call me into their yards or walk up to my trolley. I am well known around the township by the young and old,” she said.
Each fish backbone sells for R10. She earns about R450 a day selling to learners during break time at a local primary school. She makes another R800 a day by moving around the township.
December is her busiest period. She makes up to R1,900 a day.
“In December, I was able to make up to R1,900 a day because I would make two trips with large containers filled with imiqolo,” she said.
One container holds about 600 pieces. The other holds around 400.
Msingata says people who sell imiqolo are often mocked. But she refuses to let that stop her.
“With this kind of business it’s easy to get discouraged because people who sell imiqolo are always made fun of. But you must focus on your end goal and not people’s opinions,” she said.
Pictured above: Simthembile “Sis Simmy” Msingata standing next to her trolley with her loudhailer in hand.
Image source: Supplied
