Mnandi Market: Sihle Luphondwana – the Big Boss – bringing fun and games to the Townships
Business owners come together to market their business and bring fun to the children of Kwano. Inspired by Plett’s hospitality culture Sihle Luphondwana, owner of Mnandi Bros, vowed that he too will one day own a food kitchen that will grow to be a franchise business. The young Kwano business owner celebrated the success of his business this past weekend by creating a fun and games event for the kids, while showcasing his exceptional kota skills.
Sihle introduced his first market by bringing games, food, and kasi fashion styles together for a community event. Because, what better way to celebrate that than creating an event in a township style by bringing football in and the kotas that he sells in his kitchen? He aimed to create a good networking environment among small kasi businesses and to provide a healthy relationship where they can assist one another to grow.
“This event is not meant to only bring Kasi business into one space, but for me to say thank you to myself for not giving up, and to give back to the community. This is also a good marketing tool for us,” says Sihle.
The Mnandi Bros fast food business owner started the business in mid-2019 together with three friends. As with so many businesses, things were going well until 2020 when he had to close because of Covid. ” When the restrictions were lifted and things went back to normal, my partners’ priorities changed and the business was no longer their first love. They decided to follow their dreams and left me with mine. I admire them for that.” adds Sihle.
I suppose Covid had us all rethinking our decisions and evaluating our lives. It’s brave to go for what you want instead of what you think is best for others. Sihle set a goal for himself to operate 365 days a year. As a form of celebration for achieving his goal, he says that instead of taking the money to go on a holiday, he thought of having a soccer tournament for the kids under 15 years old and awarding the winning team with R500.
On the day of the market, the U15 Young Pirates won the soccer tournament playing against Pubs and bagging R500. Says Velile Mayizuka, coach of the Young Pirates, “I want the kids to be inspired and be out on the streets. We are grateful for the Mnandi Bros bringing this tournament to the children. It inspires the kids to see someone young from where they come from succeed and give back”.
Sihle Luphondwana was born in Port Elizabeth, now formally known as Gqeberha. He doesn’t remember which year he arrived in Plett but says that he was pretty young. He went to Phakamisani Primary School and did his secondary school at Murray High School.
After high school he went to study real estate in Cape Town. “After graduating in 2019, I struggled to get on an internship program and ended up working at a French restaurant in Plett as a barista. That’s when I fell in love with the food business,” says Sihle.
He still wants to be a real estate agent in future, but for now his main focus is in making kotas.
He has employed three young people from eKasi to assist him in the kitchen at Mnandi Bros making him a Big Boss we all want to chill with. The Big Boss title comes from a popular Amapiano song describing someone who is winning in life that we want to chill or spend time with.
All told, the Mnandi Bros Market was a great success with several different business stalls, a jumping castle, DJ, Elinoyolo’s Playstation stall and, of course, the famous kotas for sale.
The businesses to attend the market were Voorhuise Plett, a popular sneaker-wash business, two clothing brands: Ndizopopa & Kasi Movements, Flawless Copies, and Bujas Nats with the DJ entertaining the youngsters with new Amapiano tunes and dancing.
Mbasa from Kasi Movement said he sees great potential in the market and hopes it becomes an annual event. “It’s liberating to see young people who want to make it big in the business industry come together to showcase their talents. I pray this continues and becomes a successful event were we get to benefit and have a bigger crowd than this one,” he said of the first market.
Aphiwe Kholwaphi who owns the Playstation gaming company said this event has marketed her business to the kids and that it’s good to see people who prioritise children’s events in townships because it really happens: “It’s school holidays and kids will know where to come for games. The event is a success and I hope it grows as it is bringing us together as young business owners,” she said.
Mnandi Bros owner Sihle Lupondwana wants to see his kitchen grow in Kwanokuthula, aiming to go mobile next year and operate in the streets. Currently, he now works from home and has converted a garage into his kota kitchen.
For those unfamiliar, a kota, derived from the English word quarter – indicating the size of the sandwich, is a popular South African street food made from a quarter loaf of bread, hollowed out and filled with assorted fillings that could include fries, sausage, polony, cheese, egg and more. Sihle’s kotasstart from just R30 so go ahead and order yourself a mouthwatering Mnandi kota and you won’t regret it! You can call or WhatsApp on 081 772 3319.
