Living the good life in Umlazi

Max's Lifestyle owner Max Mqadi in front of his lounge " don't dare call it a club, or worse, a shebeen " in Umlazi at C Section. Picture: DOCTOR NGCOBO

Max's Lifestyle owner Max Mqadi in front of his lounge " don't dare call it a club, or worse, a shebeen " in Umlazi at C Section. Picture: DOCTOR NGCOBO

Published Jun 1, 2011

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Sinegugu Ndlovu

Max Mqadi’s first foray into the world of business was in the trains travelling between Umlazi and Berea stations, where, as a matric pupil, he sold Golden Delicious apples to commuters for 50c.

Today, 25 years or so later, Mqadi is a millionaire businessman best known as the owner of Max’s Lifestyle lounge in Umlazi, but who has also tried his hand at several other ventures.

His is a typical rags-to-riches tale, which was the culmination of a dream to “bring the rainbow nation together and put Umlazi on the map”.

“I’ve already achieved that vision because you never saw celebrities in a township previously. But now, with my business, you’ll see white and Indian patrons here and they enjoy coming here because of Max’s Lifestyle,” he says.

Mqadi was born into a poor family in Umlazi, but by high school he already knew that being an employee would not afford him the good life he wanted.

So he tried his hand at various businesses, including a photo lab, butchery and a driving school that sponsored a second-division soccer team. The driving school, which had six branches in KwaZulu-Natal and 36 vehicles, landed Mqadi in hot water recently when he had to pay R51 000 in unpaid traffic fines.

Dressed in Armani from head to toe, the slender businessman is pleasant and mild-mannered. But refer to Max’s Lifestyle as a club or, worse, a shebeen, and you will see a different side to him. “This is not a club. It’s a lounge. It’s a lifestyle,” he asserts.

It is a project he is passionate about.

The lounge is a double-storey Tuscan-style building that started as a small butchery called Sizabantu (helping the people), which Mqadi bought in 1995. Even then the place was popular because it drew many businessmen, including Mabheleni Ntuli, the millionaire famous for throwing extravagant parties. The lounge has a kasi(ethnic township) feel, but the venue also caters for weddings, parties and small conferences.

How did the concept take off?

“It was on a Tuesday in 2008 and the July Handicap was happening that Saturday. I was chatting with a friend about growing the business. People who came here were business people and others who had style, so we decided to change the name (of the butchery) to Max’s Lifestyle because of the lifestyle people were coming here for. At that time there was no bar. We built the bar that same day, we never slept.

“Top businesses sponsored the launch on that Sunday after we asked them to come on board. Celebrities came in numbers,” says Mqadi.

Since then Springbok captain John Smit, ANC Youth League president Julius Malema and comedian David Kau have been among his patrons.

Working hard, respecting everyone and not relying on other people are Mqadi’s secret ingredients to success. For others to believe in you, you need to work hard, he says. He also believes he is blessed.

“I always praise God. It’s only He who provides the power to succeed. I don’t think I’m smarter than other people, I think I’m blessed. I’m not rich, but I’m living the good life”.

The lounge has become a major draw card for township tourism in Durban. The SABC broadcast live from the establishment during the recent Tourism Indaba.

For Mqadi, the trendy hangout is a legacy for his children. “I’m building this brand for my children and the generations thereafter,” he says.

Mqadi wishes that more people would rely on themselves instead of government. “As a businessman, I create jobs and bring the nation together to make sure that the government is working smoothly.

“President Jacob Zuma said he wanted to create 5 million jobs. He can’t do this alone,” he says.

Mqadi is trying to seal a deal for another Max’s Lifestyle in Pietermaritzburg. His big dream, however, is to open a five-star hotel in Umlazi. “That would be my ultimate achievement. I want to set an example, to encourage people that they can do great things without the government,” he says.

“But you need to look after the people. We have Sunday sessions, which host 3 000 people. I hire top-notch security, which doesn’t allow people to drink or sit in their cars or to stand in the parking lot. I make sure people don’t lose anything in their cars because at the end of the day, if anything bad happens, it comes back to me and my business,” he says.

Mqadi says the difficult circumstances he grew up in made him stronger. “If you’re clever, you’ll get something out of that difficult situation. Everything is planned by God. My background made me a strong father who knows where’s he’s coming from and is willing to work hard for his children because our fathers failed to work hard for us. I want to make the Mqadi name great,” he says.

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