Luyanda trained at hotel school as a barista and mixologist and worked in various positions in the hotel industry. He paid close attention on how things were run and learned the basics of business on the job. When he lost his job during Covid-19, he decided to start selling coffee. Rather than wait for funding, he followed advice from an Italian mentor to start first, and let funding follow.

He began by selling coffee from a flask at traffic lights near a hotel on one of Cape Town’s main roads, serving commuters who had no time to make their own coffee before heading off to work. This gave him the courage to start a coffee shop in Langa – something of a novel concept in a traditional township environment.

Local artists let him use their gallery studio space in Langa until he moved into his own premises. Luyanda started introducing a coffee culture to the community, but also capitalises on the steady stream of tourists that Langa attracts. He built partnerships with nearby businesses for deliveries and tour referrals, and enjoys interacting with people from all over the world.

Luyanda would welcome insights on record keeping and how to improve his infrastructure to attract more customers. He also wants to build a solid local client base to reduce reliance on tourists, so that a crisis like Covid cannot wipe out his revenue stream.

Luyanda ultimately hopes to open a restaurant employing local job seekers as waiters, baristas and chefs, so people can work close to home and save on transport. He already teaches coffee-making skills to school students, and wants to show young people that skills and self-starting matter more than waiting for government help. He would also like to increase his income.