Soshanguve Block VV residents hosts market day event to support small local businesses

Estimated reading time: 9 minute(s)

With the level of unemployment forever increasing in our country, people find themselves being forced to improvise and come up with creative ways to either start or maintain multiple streams of income.

Hard as it is to find a job, exchanging of goods and services is probably one of the ways to make money as well, as a side hustle.

These are the sentiments that were echoed by Soshanguve Block VV residents who decided to take it upon themselves to rather boost local small businesses who wouldn’t usually get an opportunity to access a much broader public at once about the services they offer or products they sell by hosting a market day event.

Speaking to the event organiser and founder Josiah “Papas” Hungwane, he said they have been hosting this event since April 2021 having observed the negative impact caused by Covid-19 mostly on street hawkers and people who usually use mobile kitchens selling on the streets, offices and schools.

“I first sold this idea that I had to people I knew in a WhatsApp group and I am happy that the idea was well received and people started coming up with more ideas on how to make this event a success.”

“I’m an entrepreneur myself and I know how hard it is to go a day or two without selling anything, which on its own is a loss. Covid-19 had a huge negative impact on all of us even those who have a job” he said.

Hungwane who is also a former Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) ward 36 Chairperson said he is also saddened by the number of unemployed young people who some roam around the street without doing anything productive with their lives where some of them end up resorting to wrong things. He said he hopes this time around they get more attendance and participation from young people mostly.

“Something very concerning to me and I fail to understand is at first we had huge attendance from young people especially teenagers but lately they have been withdrawing and their attendance is very low. I just wish we knew why they are losing interest in this initiative because we want them to take over this event and be the ones in these stalls selling whatever they want to sell because this will also add an experience of some sort to them”.

“We are also appealing to parents out there to push their children to be more active and participate in such events because not all of them are going to be employed, some might be self-employed and this should be taken as an added experience” he added.

The event is currently supported by the residents in and around Block VV with traders coming from neighbouring sections and townships and no sponsor.

They offer spaces to people who like to place their food or beverage stalls.

“This is also another way of networking, socialising and if you have a product you would like to introduce to people just come. It’ll be a day filled with fun moments, we are going to start with fun walk in the morning, aerobics and later on we will have different types of entertainment from local entertainers as well.”

Hungwane said that they host this event in a year and his wish is to see it having life of its own with or without his presence.

“This event is owned by the community around here and I appreciate the support and space they have been giving us, it is not about me I am just the face of it” he concluded.