Johannesburg - If you thought you were suffering in particular from the sweltering heat caused by the heatwave, spare a thought for Grace Khoza.
This 50-year-old business woman roasts mealies over a brazier from 9am until 5pm. She lights the fire at 6am and nurses it continuously throughout the day - even through 38C.
Khoza has been selling roasted mealies at the corner of Helen Joseph and Kort streets in the Joburg CBD since 1992 - travelling about four city blocks each day from Westgate with her brazier on her head.
“Business is not even good, but I have to be here to earn money for my children to eat at night. One child is in university, the other is in Grade 10. We live a life of poverty; sometimes there is no pap to eat at night because there haven’t been sales. But we try, that’s all we can do,” she said.
The roasted mealies go for R10 a cob, and if she doesn’t make sales during the day, she keeps them for her family to eat at night. Khoza supplements her business by selling beaded necklaces and bracelets, as well as peanuts.
She said the heat made cooking the mealies over the open fire an oppressive task.
“It’s not like we like doing this, especially because it’s so hot. But we don’t want our children to feed off dustbins,” she added.
Just down the street from Khoza, Yusuf Juma, 25, decried how, despite selling sunglasses, business was slow.
“We just drink tea in the morning. When we have money, we buy food and eat under the tree. But when there is no money, like today, we just sit here and don’t eat. We just drink water during the day,” he said.
Cab owner Sipho Cilo, 59, said the heatwave made it difficult for him to cope.
“I’ve been at this spot since 9am. There has been no business. I transport vases, blankets and other goods for businesses but I think people aren’t coming into town because of the heatwave,” he said.
The Star