By Mzwandile Prince Mamaila
A shack, well known as “Mkhukhu” in the township and rural dwellings, is a form of accommodation for the underprivileged. Built from affordable materials such as tin and wood, a shack is easy to build yet not the safest form of accommodation. Most shacks are associated with negativity, such as crime, drug dealing, and illegal immigration. However, in this article we see how Themba Limekhaya has changed the narrative of this environment. Located in the south of Johannesburg, Orange farm, Limekhaya has turned his shack into a restaurant.
After venturing into film and photography for nearly ten years, this bright entrepreneur decided to change his business venture. With not being able to afford pizza for most of his life and in an attempt to overcome poverty, in December 2021, Limekhaya established a Pizza cuisine.
Located in the Vaal township, Mkhukhu pizza is easily accessible and affordable to those who live in townships and shacks. From R20 to R55, Limekhaya’s pizza prices contradict your regular pizza prices, and his mentor, Peter van Wyk, advised him to stick to these prices as he continues to grow in the pizza-making business.
Limekhaya has established a target market in the township yet managed to grasp attention from neighbouring towns such as Midrand, Centurion, and Vanderbijlpark. This was after two customers tasted his miraculous pizza for the first time and raved about it on Facebook, drawing large numbers to Limekhaya’s attention. Everybody wanted to witness how pizza is prepared in a shack, how it tastes, and how it differs from your ordinary Debonairs Pizza or Romans Pizza franchise.
Limekhaya’s location does cause hardships at times. It becomes hard to reach when it is rainy and muddy. He also had to turn back customers during load shedding for some time as he could not prepare his pizzas without electricity. Fortunately, he has invested in a wood stove that will allow him to make more pizzas and continue operating even during load shedding.
Limekhaya now wants to grow his business into other townships, providing clean, quality food at an affordable price and giving people an unusual township experience.
With the festive season approaching, and South Africa flocking with tourists, Mkhukhu Pizza is the place to be whenever you are in Gauteng. The people from the Vaal community can also save traveling fees when craving pizza, as Mkhumkhu Pizza is a few shacks away.
