Honouring people while they are still alive was the thought behind the decision to salute renowned Gugulethu businessman Mzoli Ngcauzele last week.
The popular tshisa-nyama owner and entrepreneur, who is now wheelchair-bound, was honoured with a framed Gugulethu logo on Thursday 22 September at an emblem unveiling.
The logo, brainchild of Dr Mzwandile Plaatjie, had been in the offing for a while and will be used as a marketing tool for Gugulethu, one of the few townships established under the notorious Group Areas Act.
At the unveiling and handover ceremony at the Ikhwezi Community Centre, Plaatjie showered Ngcauzele with praises for a “great job” that put Gugulethu on the global map.
Ngcauzele became a global brand thanks to his business venture Mzoli’s Place in NY115. In its heyday the eatery attracted many local and international tourists. But Ngcauzele experienced ill-health and the business took a nosedive and eventually closed down.
Plaatjie, a psychologist, researcher and former history teacher, stated he felt it was the right thing to do, honouring Ngcauzele when he was still alive. He said the entire community was grateful for his role in trying to develop the area.
Ngcauzele started his business venture in the early ’90s, opening several mini-markets and butcheries in the area. His first mini-market was called Xhasana, in NY3A. At the time there were no supermarkets in the area.
While his business ventures are a thing of the past, a receding memory, he will always be remembered for opening Gugulethu Square, the first major shopping mall in a black township in Cape Town.
Outside the Western Cape’s boundaries Ngcauzele also had a stake in the construction of Kuyasa Shopping Centre in Mdantsane, East London and Metlife Mall in King William’s Town.
Plaatjie also named Ngcauzele as a comrade who fought for the liberation of the country.
Ngcauzele’s twin brother, Mthobi, described him as a hard worker and business-minded person, who was passionate about developing black communities.
“Mzoli was known all over the country,” he said. “He started businesses in the early ’90s, here in Gugulethu. He opened several mini-markets and butcher shops here and in Nyanga.
“My brother opened his first mini-market called Xhasana in NY3A at a time when there were no supermarkets here. Then after a few years he opened another at the Eyona Shopping Centre. He had another in NY 21 and that was when I noticed how focused he was on business.”
Mthobi added his brother wanted to open another business in Khayelitsha, but he stopped him and advised him to focus only on Gugulethu.
He said his brother always consulted him when he wanted to start a business.
“One day Mzoli asked me about opening a butcher shop in Nyanga East. I said no, but he went ahead and opened it at a place called KwaNomtshongwana, but later closed it and opened another butchery in NY 115, where Mzoli’s Place was. That butchery was well known. He marketed it very well. Everybody knew about it internationally.”
Mthobi said his brother had served Gugulethu with a passion.
“Mzoli had to mobilise people to support him in the demolishing of structures on the site of Eyona before building a mall that would benefit the whole Gugulethu community,” he said.