Sphamandla Gumede
Ufisa ukubuyisela emphakathini wangakubo ngokusondeza amamabhizinisi asezingeni eliphezulu asezindaweni zasemakhaya ukuze ahehe izivakashi zasemazweni nasemadolobheni angaphandle usomabhizinisi wasoLundi uPhilani Mhlongo.
UPhilani ongumsunguli wamabhizini amabili iNjomstyle neThe Mingling Den uthi waqala ukuba nentshisekelo yezamabhizinisi esakhula. UPhilani usungule iNjomstyle ngo-2015, okuyibhizinisi eligxile ekwakheni ubuhlalu basezandleni, imigexo kanye nemikhiqizo eyakhiwe ngesikhumba.
Losomabhizinisi waqala ngokudweba imifanekiso ezikibheni (silk screening printing) okwamsiza aqongelele imali yesikole njengoba wayehlala nonina ekhaya. UPhilani akalitholanga ithuba lokuqhubeka nezifundo zobuciko eseqede isikole kepha waqoma ukufundela umkhakha wezobunjiniyela (Civil) eMangosuthu Technikon esiyaziwa nge-MUT.
Eqeda kuphothula izifundo eNyuvesi, uPhilani waqala wadwebela amakhasimende ama-plan ezindlu, yize wayenomsebenzi oseceleni kwalo ayeqashelwe wona. Lensizwa ithi ikhule ibukela ngonina obengusomabhizinisi edayisa izingubo zokulala, amabhodwe nokunye okuningi.
Lensizwa ibonga ugogo wayo kanye nobuchwepheshe besimanje okunguhlakanipha abalula ukuthi kumsize wakhula kwezobuciko.
“Ubuhlalu ngabufundiswa ugogo ngisakhula, ngase ngikushintsha ngakwenza kwaba okwesimanje manje. bese izikhumba, zona ngazifundisa ngokubukela uYouTube, ngaqala ngazifundisa ukuthunga ngomshini, ngaphinde ngaxhumana nabantu abanolwazi lokuthunga olunzulu. Uthando lwe-art ne-design beluhleli lukhona emqondweni,” kuchaza uPhilani.
UPhilani ukhale ngokuntuleka kwezimali zokwandisa izinsizakusebenza kanye nokusebenza amahora amade ngenxa yomsebenzi njengezingqinamba asehlangabezane nazo kuleli bhizinisi lezobuciko.
Muva nje, uPhilani uvule iThe Mingling Den okuyindawo yokudlela.
“Leli cebo leThe Mingling Den ngaqala ukulisebenza kusukela ngo-2010. Ngathenga indawo Olundi, ngaqala ukwakha izakhiwo ngo-2015 ngenhloso yokwenza indawo lapho abantu bangakithi bangakwazi ukuhlala babhunge izindaba ngezikhathi zesidlo sasemini nantambama, futhi bakwazi nokuzitholela iziphuzo ezibandayo endaweni ehlelekile futhi evikelekile enokuthula,” kuchaza uPhilani.
UPhilani naye ukhale ngomthelela we-Covid 19 ngezinhlelo zebhizinisi zika-2020. Uveze ukuthi akaze ayithole imali yezinxephezelo kuHulumeni ngenxa yokungalutholi ulwazi ngesikhathi esifanele. Uthi sebeqalile ukudayisa ngaphansi kwemigomo emisha okubalwa kuyo ukugqoka izifonyo, bageze izandla nokuzivikela beziqhelelanise ezixukwini.
Uveze nokuthi unezinhlelo zokufukula umnotho wasoLundi aphinde aqhakambise nomlando wamaZulu ngamabhizinisi akhe.
“Ngokusondeza amabhizinisi nezindawo zokungcebeleka ezisezingeni eliphezulu ezindaweni ezisemakhaya kwenza ukuthi sikwazi ukuheha izihambeli zasemadolobheni angaphandle naphesheya kwezilwandle. Bazosingatha izindawo zasemakhaya, baphinde bafunde ngokuphila kwethu. Lokhu kwandisa amathuba emisebenzi emphakathini. Kuphinde kusondezele intsha abantu abangayinika amathuba okuzithuthukisa,” kuchaza uPhilani.