By Keletso Mkhwanazi.
Driven by her love of food and her passion for cooking, Zamokuhle Mafuleka established her own catering business and entered the culinary industry. Her company began operations in mid-2020. But it was registered in 2021, and it has been operational since then. Being a business owner, no matter how big or small, was extremely difficult, according to the 27-year-old who owns Food Devotee.
Mafuleka told Vutivi News that she tried applying for funding but had no luck. However, she was able to keep her company going because she was working with caterers and event coordinators. She admitted to Vutivi News that while juggling employment and studying for a postgraduate journalism degree was difficult, she persevered because she valued both.
During exams, she was required to spend a month in Pretoria, and her sisters managed her business back home. I constantly assign them her tasks because they are competent at the work and have mastered most of my commands by now,” she said. Mafuleka is also planning on writing a cookbook. “In the future, I would like to have a fancy restaurant with both African and Western cuisine,” she said.
Mafuleka told Vutivi News that one of her concerns was that SMMEs were not receiving enough support from the Small Business Development Department. “More instruction is needed on how people should start their enterprises and apply for support. These trainings need to be held not only in big cities but also in rural places “I’m a young person who grew up in a rural area, so I’ve noticed that most of the young people in my community are interested in business, but they don’t know how to grow their businesses or get money for their concepts,” she said. While Mafuleka is based in Empangeni in KwaZulu-Natal, she is prepared to take orders and cater for events outside the province. Also, if given the chance, she would like to be a food journalist and photographer.
