Shebeen Queen Xoliswa Shwayimba on the importance of her saloon [VIDEO]

The ubiquity of beer halls, saloons and drinking spots in the township has meant that these places are more than spaces for grown men to guzzle stupendous amounts of beer.

They are places where people find some sense of belonging from those they share a drink with and they are a source of income for the entrepreneurs operating them.

For entrepreneur Xoliswa Shwayimba, her saloon Rams Inn in Soweto became a way of making a living for her and her family after retrenchment.

“Rams Inn has been around for many years. My father originally ran the business but he closed it at some point. When I moved back home and needed a job, we decided to reopen the inn, and I’ve been running it ever since,” said Shwayimba.

She is one of the leads in the Showmax Original reality show Shebeen Queens. “Before I took over the business, I worked as a domestic worker and later at a company that produces snuff tobacco.”

ALSO READ: ‘Shebeen Queens’: How Alina Sishange juggles life as a shebeen owner, traditional healer, and pastor

The Shebeen Queen

Shebeen Queens follows the lives of three ladies who run drinking halls in Soweto. Alina Sishange, Emily Thabang Leeuw, aka Big Mama, and Shwayimba spearhead the Showmax show.

“No, we knew of each other before the show, but being on Shebeen Queens brought us closer,” averred Shwayimba of her co-stars.

As mentioned above, there is no paucity of options in townships across South Africa when it comes to finding a place to have a drink.

This means there is a lot of competition for those in the shebeen business, but Shwayimba says people come to Rams Inn because of how they are made to feel when visiting the spot.

“The competition is tight but people come to Rams Inn because they feel free here. We don’t force anyone to stay; they come because they want to,” she said.

“The biggest challenge is dealing with disrespectful older men who undermine me but I just keep quiet and run my business.”

Through her business, Shwayimba has managed to take her children to school albeit they didn’t get to complete matric. She doesn’t see them taking over the business.

“No, my kids won’t be involved. Since I run the business with my fiancé, he’ll have the final say about who takes over.”

ALSO READ: Boss babes behind the bar: Soweto’s ‘Shebeen Queens’ serve up drinks and drama

Queen of TV

Since the start of the TV show, Shwayimba has found fame with loved ones recognising her on screens.

“They were excited for me but you can never truly know how people feel deep down,” she said. Shwayimba quickly adjusted to being on camera.

“It felt strange at first but I quickly got used to it.”

“I was myself the entire time. When people watch the show, I want people to see the real me.”

She said answering questions was the most daunting part for her while shooting. “Answering personal questions, especially about my relationship and the other wives,” she said.

The aforementioned ‘other wives’ are her fiancé, Mtshali’s first wives. “I honestly don’t know why he hasn’t signed them yet,” when asked about Mtshali’s dithering about signing divorce papers.

“I’m here to stay; he just needs to do the right thing and marry me.”

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