When especially the younger generation come up with their own ideas and initiatives to sustain themselves in tough economic times, instead of sitting around and waiting for the government to provide for them, that serves as inspiration to others.
One such a young man stood up to the challenge and came up with the idea to start his own 'kitchen'. Not only does he provide his customers with a hot plate of delicious food, but he is also able to put a plate of food on the table for his loved ones at home.
Thirty-two-year-old Collen Vhutshilo Tshiovhe from Tshilivho Makhuvha matriculated in 2009 and worked for a recycling company from 2010 to 2016, until he was laid off. Suddenly faced with an uncertain future, he sat down and started considering ways to keep himself and his family afloat, and that was when the idea of Tshiovhe Fast Food was born.
He runs his makeshift food stall next to the Thohoyandou Post Office. He specialises in a variety of dishes, but the most popular meals are his beef stew and hardbody chicken. His meals are affordable, and he even delivers around Thohoyandou. His clients show up from all over Vhembe for their share of their favourite meal.
Tshiovhe has never looked back and his business is growing by leaps and bounds. His dream is to open his own restaurant one day. "How long will people continue to sit and complain about not having jobs? Unemployment is rife in this country, and the most affected are the young people, some with very high qualifications. We do not have to live in poverty as long as we have brains and hands that can do whatever we want to achieve. The young people should try to do something while they wait for their true opportunities. There is a lot they can do, but they must be willing to put in some effort and drop the laziness. I work hard every day, but this business has changed my life. I am planning on opening my own restaurant in a few years from now," he said.
One of his regular customers, Mr Maanda Manngo, said he would never eat anywhere else again. "The food here is in a class of its own; one never gets enough of this tasty food," he said.