Lukas Matha is one such case. The self-taught cobbler travels from Tembisa to Craighall Park every day to be closer to his clients who are based in the area.
“When I started my business I lived in Dunkeld, but later moved to Tembisa, as a result I have a few customers in the area,” Matha said.
A father of three, Matha depends on the little money he makes from his business.
Mishack Sofa, another entrepreneur in his own right, has also found that his business booms in the leafy suburbs. Sofa, who cuts trees and grass, said his business started after he saw a gap in the market. “I saw that there was nobody cutting trees and decided to do it myself,” he said.
Sofa explained that although he currently has only seven customers, the money he made was enough to send his family back to Zimbabwe.
“The money I make, I feed my children and send home,” he said.
Both Matha and Sofa said they see their families two to three times a year.
“I have no other choice, what will I do at home,” said Sofa.
Matha and Sofa aren’t the only foreign nationals trying to make ends meet by offering their skills to the public. The corner of Jan Smuts Avenue and Marian Road is filled with a group of people who wait for jobs almost every day.
Sehloho Pafa, who comes from Lesotho, explained that he stands on the corner on a daily basis offering his tiling and plastering skills. Although he had no guarantee that he would get a job on any given day, sitting around and doing nothing was not an option for him, he said.
