Use initiative and make an income

A self-taught shoe repairman, Mmbambadzeni Mbedzi from Musina Nancefield, encourages breadwinners not to depend on only one job, but to come up with other initiatives to make some extra income.

Mbedzi works as a gardener during the day and he repairs shoes at night and weekends to supplement his income.

Although he does not have a formal structure to work in, his umbrella next to a railway line is a landmark for his customers. “You don’t have to be housed in a nice building to attract customers. If your work is good, people will like you and you will get customers on a daily basis. I have loyal customers who will not take their shoes to someone else. They wait for me until I’m available, so that I can repair their shoes. I also do not put up advertising boards because my good job speaks for itself,” said Mbedzi.

He taught himself to repair shoes 10 years ago. “I realized that I need to make some extra cash, but I did not want to engage myself in criminal activities. I have seen many people destroying their future by engaging themselves in criminal activities and they ended up spending many years in jail. I work hard to earn my money, and this gives me peace of mind every day.”

He said the money he earned from his small shoe-repair business went a long way in bridging the gap of poverty. “I have a friend who repairs shoes in Gauteng who has recently bought a vehicle through the income from his small business. He has never worked anywhere except repairing shoes on his own. This serves as an inspiration to me, and it gives me courage to work hard every day.  I also encourage those who are unemployed not to wait for the government to sponsor them. We have to stand up and work hard because the future is in our hands.”

Mbedzi said he was willing to share his skills with other community members who wanted to start shoe-repair businesses. “I’m available to transfer my skills to anyone, free of charge. Anyone who wants to be taught how to repair shoes can call me on 063 502 4115.”

Date:25 May 2018

By:

Read: 750