Liquor trader bringing elegance to Ndofaya

Bernard Radebe from Meadowlands Zone 5 has fulfilled his dream of opening a pub in Meadowlands that caters to a clientele that enjoys the finer things in life.

It took him seven years to complete the renovations of the place and is quite pleased with the outcome, like most success stories the story of Radebe starts at an early age characterised by challenges while growing up.

Radebe’s father passed away when he was four years old and was raised by his grandparents whom were selling alcohol then.  In 1974 his grandfather passed away while he was in Grade 5 and he was now left with his grandmother and younger brother.

“In 1976 the June 16 riots erupted and I stopped going to school, I wanted to join Umkhonto We Sizwe and skip the country but I couldn’t because my grandmother got very ill.

“Looking at her condition made me realise that I cannot skip the country because she is the only elder at home,” he said.

In 1977 Radebe’s grandmother passed away when he was 17 years old, leaving him alone with his younger brother who was 14.

According to Radebe during that period of time, if there was no elder at home the apartheid government would take the house unless you get married.

“I didn’t allow them to take the house I refused and fought, I was forced to get married at the younger age in my attempt to keep the house.”

Unemployed and married, Radebe then decided to open a shebeen in 1979 and was arrested in 1983 for house breaking and sentenced to 18 years in prison but only spent three years.

After being released from prison Radebe continued to sell liquor without a licence, because he was very young and the shebeens queens and kings refused to help him with getting a liquor license; therefore he continued to sell liquor illegally.

Radebe stopped selling alcohol and went to work at the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) as an electrician a career that was short lived after he was injured during the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) riots in 1994.

“I was injured inside the train when people were running away from IFP members and my spine was affected.

“I underwent several operations as the result of that I retired early because my body couldn’t handle hard labour.

Radebe recovered at home and opened a tavern while still trying to get a license and eventually got a permit which he is still operating with even now.

In 2006, Radebe started working with his son in law trying to promote his business in order to attract more customers.

“The tavern started attracting many customers and it was always packed, I then started receiving complaints from the Meadowlands police about the crime brought upon by my tavern.

“I was not happy with the turnaround and the clientele that I attracted and that is when I decided to close the place,” he said.

In 2008 Radebe with his son in law came with the idea of advancing the tavern to a pub with the aim of attracting a clientele that is well behaved.

They started with the renovations in 2008 and it took them seven years to finish with the renovations and open their new pub.

They changed the name of the place from Khaya tavern to Design TV; “We wanted to create a place where friends and colleagues can meet and discuss business, families can come and indulge in food prepared by our in-house chef and a place that people can book to host their events and parties.

“I was inspired by Vilakazi Street in Orlando West, I wanted this street to be like Vilakazi and inspire other people to open up businesses.”

Radebe said that if someone wants to start a business they must have a heart and a dream.

“Be patient, do not lose hope no matter what challenges you come across.”

Design TV opens every day from 10 am to 10 pm.

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