A Khayelitsha couple has produced a crafted gin which has been savoured in places as far as East London and Durban. The gin was launched just six months ago.
Husband and wife Luvuyo and Nodumo Jongile want to transform Khayelitsha into a tourism site by including a tasting area where local entrepreneurs can display and sell their crafts.
Their idea was born in 2013 after they had become aware that Khayelitsha had a population of nearly a million
people and a disposable income of about of more than R1 billion.
They had also discovered that Khayelitsha had the highest number of people in the world consuming French-made Hennessy Cognac.
In 2015, they opened Ikamva Investments - a business investment opportunity for black entrepreneurs in the township
Luvuyo said that each month, these entrepreneurs would each invest R1 000 towards creating business opportunities in the township.
To date, they have more than 50 entrepreneurs dedicated to reclaiming Khayelitsha’s “wealth back to the township residents".
“We do not want to be known as consumers of alcohol only.
"So we want to change that,” said Luvuyo.
He said they had two gins: the Rooibos-Infused Mayine Gin and the Grape Mayine Gin.
He said the rooibos gin was infused with honeybush botanicals added after distillation and was described as having an authentic flavour.
The grape gin was described as smooth with a hint of jasmine and coriander with an aftertaste of buchu, rooibos and citrus.
He said the gin was named Mayine after his son, which translates to “let it rain” in Xhosa.
“We are only six months old but we are already listed in East London, Tops in Amalinda, at Tops in Durban, Cape Town, and at a number of tasting houses,” he said.
At the moment they do not have their own brewing equipment and are working with the owner of a local brewery who provides them with their 100%-owned recipe.