A man in Port St Johns with a talent for cooking meat has become an unexpected hit among local beachgoers.
38-year-old Sibusiso Mjaliswa works on Second Beach perfectly braaing meat for the day trippers.
He arrives at the beach early in the morning and sets up his braai. Visitors who are not able to use a braai or do not have one of their own can simply follow the delicious smell of Mjaliswa’s grill, and he’ll cook it for them for a small fee.
Although he is a common and popular feature of the beach now, he used to spend days walking along the same sands when he was unemployed.
“I first came here with a family friend to look after their car while they went to the beach,” Mjaliswa told Scrolla.Africa.
While walking up and down the sands one day over 10 years ago, a group of people approached him.
“They asked if I could braai for them, but I told them I am just visiting the beach like them,” he said.
When he went back home, he couldn’t stop thinking about what they had asked him.
”I was not working, and depending on my siblings. I decided to go back to the beach and braai for beachgoers.”
He has been doing it for more than 10 years. He charges people depending on the meat they have.
“I do not have an exact amount. Some need to be assisted with meat, while others bring meat and sausages, the price is different, but I am not expensive,” he said.
Although he doesn’t charge much, business has been booming — especially during the festive season.
“I make more than R1,000 a week during the festive season because it is busy and people are too lazy to braai. They want to swim knowing that they will get their meat ready when they come out.”
Sindiswa Mavunjana, 50, likes the beach because Mjaliswa makes things easy for her.
”I love meat, but I don’t like the braaing part. He did a great job starting this business because it makes things easy for us,” said Mavunjana.
Mavunjana said she hopes that young people will be motivated by Mjaliswa’s entrepreneurial spirit and take matters into their own hands, just as he did.
Pictured above: Sibusiso Mjaliswa braaing meat at the second beach in Port St Johns, Eastern Cape.
Image Credit: Buziwe Nocuze
