Selling building material

Lucas Manya. Photo by Nokubonga Yawa.

Nokubonga Yawa

25 July 2012

Lucas Manya works at a stand selling building material in Makhaza, Khayelitsha.

The stand is only two weeks old, but is already selling quickly. Lucas Manya is not the owner, but has been working at the stand since it opened.

“It is not my first time working at a stand like this. That is why my boss hired me: I have a lot of experience in this kind of business. I’ve seen a lot of people struggling, and end up closing down. This is not an easy business. It needs patience,” Manya said.

“We make about R400 to R600 a day and that’s what makes it easy for my boss to pay me every week,” Manya said. Manya is hoping he will be able to start his own business one day.