Lungsta is not about to sleep on his dream

SHARPEVILLE. – The ‘Lungsta Pizza Boy’, Mlungisi Ndweni (30), is building his dream, one day at a time.

Ndweni, from Sharpeville Vuka has shocked the community by bringing a first ever pizza joint right in the heart of his township. Social Media posts about Ndweni’s pizza business have gone viral, with people coming from as far as Tembisa to support him.

“This is not something I always wanted to do, but when my personal circumstances pushed me out of my comfort zone, I knew I had to do something with my life.”

Finding a job at a nearby pizza place in Vanderbijlpark is what led Ndweni to this realisation of his dream. Ndweni learned everything that he needed to while working at the pizza place, and today he is the township’s favourite pizza guy.

“After leaving my job, I knew exactly what I wanted to do but I was too afraid to take the leap. One day I shared my idea with my friend, Keke, who told me to get cracking on it.

“I remember calling him every Friday to check up on him, every time I called him, he would tell me that he is waiting for his pizza.

“One Friday after he said the same thing again, I went straight to the shops to buy my ingredients. I made my first pizza with very little resources and called him up. That is how my business started and today I see a lot of potential in it. I named that pizza after Keke; the Maestro Deluxe.”

What makes Ndweni popular is his reasonable pricing and his great service.

Ndweni says that he plans to open five other pizza shops in different townships in the Vaal before taking his business to other places.

He currently works from his mother’s kitchen in Dubula Drive.

His mother, Pinky Ndweni, says that she did not believe that her son could really make pizza from scratch.

“My aim is to keep this business in the township. This is what makes it different.”

Regular customer, Refilwe Lenyatso says, “I never thought the business is on this scale. I am more than happy with the presentation and the service.”

Ndweni’s parents said that this came as a shock to them.

“We see him wake up every day doing what he loves. We are so proud of him.”