A better, brighter future Sipho Goes Harder than EVER!!!



Sipho Siluma makes a door.



Bruce Mbingeleli

Most people will start off their businesses in street corners, while others start their Empires in the comfort of their own houses.  Sipho Siluma (36) from Tembisa regards his township and closer urban areas as the best places to market himself as carpenter for his growing business.

 Since 2005 Sipho has been a familiar face in his community. Relating to Corporate companies, to ordinary people in townships to suburbs in his area, they have really shown interest to the ambitious carpenter. Every day he wakes up and heads to his clients who want their doors, kitchen, TV stand and ceiling to be fixed or renovated.

“When I started this business six-years ago I knew what I wanted to do and it was  going to be easy for me. Hence my  love and the passion of drawing  and fixing of equipment. This is when the thrive within me increased for what was once ahobby became a career,”said Siluma.

Siluma said the majority of hisclients are people who live in the suburbs and a few from corporate companies.

 He said his decision to develop his business venture in the township was motivated by a desire to get new customers and to improve his business to be locally-known and recognized.

“I realised that when I was still working for a company called Set-In-Stone, that is when I was still in training in dealing with derking, eletricity connection in housing, tiling etc., so that’s when I started my own business and I have learned  much which acknowledged and implemented it and have gained it from my working environment”.

Now he is working hand-in-hand with his friend Gift Makuebua. It has becomes more convenient for him since he has extra hands helping him out.

” The business is growing with its full potential,”bragged Sipho.

 Carpentry is not an easy job, but Sipho has made it easier through his hard work and determination.

“At times it’s not so easy doing the job we are doing, I remember during the Soccer World Cup things were not on our side because we did not get any customers which was bad for business and for us too.”

 Siluma and Makuebue are sub-contractors. They said they are happy and satisfied to be working as sub-contractors rather than working for someone and being paid peanuts.

Their main concern is how most people (especially youth) are not business-driven despite financial pressure we are facing in our country, but that is not the issue regardless of that “you can pursue anything in life without always thinking of money” Siluma concluded.