CAPE TOWN - He made headlines in 2018 when he opened the first black-owned pharmacy in his densely populated community in the informal settlement of Joe Slovo in Milnerton.
But the Covid-19 pandemic and lack of funding resulted in young entrepreneur, Thembekile Mahintsho shutting down his business which many had hailed as a turning point in the provision of medicine in townships.
The pharmacy, Mangethe’s Medi Store, operated from a garage in the yard of his family home.
But around June last year, the business had to shut down due to the impact of Covid-19, leaving many residents disappointed.
“I failed and I did not have as much support as I thought. I thought everything was going to be easy for me but it was not,” said the 26-year-old during an interview with the Cape Times.
“Things were not easy for me especially when the lockdown hit, I had no option but to close. The prices rose at the place where I bought the medication from and I did not have much knowledge on how to run a business. Along the way I struggled because I was alone with one employee and also studying Accounting, which caused me to fail Financial Accounting twice.”
His hard work and determination ensured the business survived 2020 but in 2021 he had to sleep in the pharmacy with his one year old son for almost six months, while renting out his room to survive.
At the time he also sought assistance from crowdfunding platforms as he looked to start saving to reopen the business.
A visibly emotional Mahintsho said he was devastated when he had to close the pharmacy’s doors.
He then turned to selling traditional medication and over the counter medication, door-to-door.
“I am working so hard to reopen, I have been doing some research on how I am going to open my business again. I am not relaxing.”
He plans to reopen his business by June this year and will partner with a stakeholder who has pharmaceutical qualifications and has knowledge about the industry. This in turn will make it easier for the business to get a pharmacy licence, Mahintsho said.
He said the provincial health department has also offered to assist him to get the licence once he confirms the partnership.
“When you run a business in the heart of the community while you are trying to help the community, you will never be able to operate it the same as a business in the CBD because of the demographic area. Some people will buy on credit, then at the end of the month; not everyone will pay and they will come with different stories, so that was challenging.”
A teary Mahintsho said things were very difficult for him but he is working his way up again.
He is embarking on a new venture and will leave Cape Town to study Education at Walter Sisulu University in the Eastern Cape .
“Now that I have got all the knowledge and the experience, I will be aware of the do’s and don'ts. I will be aware of what can go wrong in a business.
“As a business, you must know your SWOT analysis. I only looked at the opportunities and was not focused on my weaknesses.”
His heartbroken mother Patricia said she was stressed when he had to close down the shop. She also tried to help in order to keep the operations of the pharmacy running, but this did not work.
With the business being closed, the Joe Slovo community at large has been affected.
Resident Nonkulumbso Skisazana said she was now forced to walk far to get medical assistance, since the only pharmacy in the area was no more.
Another resident Riumbie Mujuriu, a regular customer at Mangethe’s Medi Store said the prices were affordable.
“I will be so happy when the pharmacy opens again because I currently need to walk a long distance. When I was in need of something, I could just knock and he would open even if it was late,” she said.
Cape Times