Nelisa

Owner of Nelisa’s Cash Store

Mother of Xolani and grandmother of Ayanda.

Lives in Khayelitsha, doesn’t have her own car but can use her brother’s bakkie when she needs to buy stock.

Nelisa started her spaza shop 8 months ago, soon after her brother got his bakkie. Most of her life, Nelisa has either been a domestic worker or unemployed, but she’s always wanted to run her own business.

At first she had to be at the shop all the time, and her son Xolani would watch the shop when she was buying stock. These days Xolani works there most of the time. That means Nelisa has more freedom to shop for stock in the morning, and she often looks after her grandson Ayanda in the afternoon. She still runs the shop over the weekend, from 8-2 on Saturdays and 9-1 on Sundays.

Nelisa started the shop just buying a few things in bulk, and selling them for a little bit more, and it grew from there. She has recently started buying some home-made soap and shampoo from one of her frequent customers, helping to support her business as well.

Nelisa sometimes remembers to keep the slips from her purchases, but doesn’t have many records. So far the shop has helped bring in extra income, but she’d like to be able to buy in bigger bulk to get better prices, but she is nervous to buy the wrong things and land up keeping stock for too long.