18/08/2026
In 2003, after being unemployed for a year, I found R8,000 that had been in my account without my knowledge. It was money from the provident fund. I had two choices: spend it or use it for something more meaningful. I immediately decided to look for office space. I had no idea what I wanted to start. I had begun noticing non-South Africans slowly occupying spaces in town, and I thought to myself, I need to do something.
I used all that money to pay for rent and a deposit in a prime city center area. It was just a one-room office with a plastic chair. I also brought in a monitor with no tower. The first job that came through was printing and labeling stickers. The guy mentioned it when we met somewhere in the streets, and I told him I was the one doing it. He trusted me with R10,000, and it all went smoothly because I convinced him to come to my office.
I then looked for a company that could do the printing. I negotiated the prices and made a profit of R7,000. I bought a computer, and three months later, I upgraded to a bigger office space. By then, I already knew what I wanted to do.
No one was making tapes and CDs for artists in Durban; it all happened in Johannesburg. I announced that I was the one doing it. I burned CDs using one burner and outsourced larger orders to Johannesburg. Gradually, from small profits, I bought printers, hired staff, and spent sleepless nights working. I faced many challenges, from rent issues to other obstacles.
The business grew until I occupied a double-storey building that served as a one-stop shop. I had large printing machines, a recording studio, a photoshoot studio, clothing, and more. This continued until 2018, when the building was bought by Nigerians. My last rent was R11k. I took risks all the way and worked day and night.
They first took over one section before I moved out as I was trying to fight this simultaneously packing up as quickly as I could and had crearance sale on especially clothing from the shop I had inside. I would share a building with people I knew for sure what they were up to. It would destroy the image I'd built for my business. They initially turned it into a brothel, as soon as I left. Our brothers went there to boost that business until the same Nigerians eventually demolished it to rebuild as a decent B&B. The sale deal was done by a South African Black lady, who brought finances and signed all sake docs on behalf of the Nigerian guys.
I was offered the chance to purchase it, but...
Despite all this, no one gave me any funding from that R8,000 I had from the start. Many celebrities and upcoming artists used my services over the years. It's 2026 and some of my former staff till text me for jobs.
Sadly when I tried to reach out, for some assistance, here to keep the building, it was mmm eeeh.
The deal with the White owner who owned it wasn't even complicated. Nigerians just acted faster and now I have only this history about it.
I tried for my country especially for the arts industry and I can't blame Nigerians for grabbing the opportunity to have the place, as much as it annoyed me knowing what was about to happen which would be the continuity of activities that were already in the area chasing businesses away but
I somehow feel I was betrayed as a SAn by my own, the whole process of the take over was made possible by South Africans. Nice ne?
