Berry Legg, of Miz Goos Berry, who co-judged the category, announced to the audience that the Wattville resident’s beetroot cake, depicting a Canon camera, had come out tops.
Nomlala battled to keep back his tears and stop his hands from shaking as the crowd cheered for him.
“I was emotional because I worked hard doing the cake and gave all my time to baking it,” he told the City Times minutes after the announcement.
“When I am at home I only bake; the only thing I love to do is baking.”
Legg was impressed with the quality of the cake.
“I keep getting goose bumps today, the reason is: I love it when people listen,” said Legg.
Legg commended Nomlala on the sewing machine cake he baked last year, which did not win.
“I spoke to him last year – he made the most unbelievably beautiful sewing machine,” she said.
“I am a teacher by profession, and this young man is a good student.
“I never taught him, but he listened to everything I said last year,
“This young man, I want to tell you, is going to be dangerous in Benoni,
“Percy, I am so proud of you.
“You are an extremely creative, gifted young man and may God richly bless you in your business.”
The self-taught baker does sell his cakes, but hopes to grow his business to enable him to employ people in Wattville.
Nomlala won a consultancy prize from Legg, to the value of R4 500, and a tool kit from Buco.