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Day 11 – Exploring Cape Town
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Monkeybiz
Monkeybiz was started 13 years ago by Barbara Jackson. It is a non profit organization which focuses on women and creating sustainable employment through bead work. All profits from the sales of the artwork are given back to the women and their community.
Barbara Jackson had thought bead work had died because of apartheid and wanted to bring it back. Each Monkeybiz artwork is unique and each artist is recognized for their work.
I was surprised when Joan told us Monkeybiz did not receive any funding and ![securedownload[1]](http://qu301southafrica.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/securedownload1.jpg)
corporations do not take this business seriously. With 450 artists and free materials given out to the artists, I wondered how the business was able to be sustainable without funding.
Carrol Boyes, Jackson’s life partner, provides a building for Monkeybiz without rent. I was surprised that ABC Carpet & Home store in The United States was one of the bigger buyers of Monkeybiz products. I haven’t heard much about Americas involvement in South Africa now, so it was good to hear positive things about back home.
I think this business is remarkable. It provides women, many who are affected by HIV/AIDS, with the empowerment to better their lives through a consistent income. Most of the bead work is animals and is absolutely beautiful. They are colorful and truly unique; not one artwork looked the same.
The Slave Lodge
Oliver Tambo Exhibit
Nelson Mandela and Oliver Tambo
Oliver Tambo was one of my favorite anti-apartheid leaders we learned about in the course. I’m not sure why I was so infatuated by him, but I think it’s because of his ability to do so much while in exile. It was also one of the most upsetting parts to learn about. He did so much, but he was never able to vote and to see his friend, Nelson Mandela, become president before his death in 1994.
”I have devotedly watched over the organization all these years. I now hand it over to you: bigger, stronger — intact. Guard our precious movement!” – Oliver Tambo
There was also a lot of overlapping in this exhibit with what we had learned in class. Have You Heard From Johannesburg? actually played in the exhibit!
Slavery Exhibit
I often walk through museums and look at the pictures on the walls and don’t think much about it. When I took a step back in this museum, I realized that slaves were kept right where I was standing. Many of the places we have been in South Africa hold this to be true.
I was also taken aback at the thought that we had visited the place Nelson Mandela stayed and was captured at Liliesleaf. There is so much history in South Africa, and the fact that we are here visiting these places instead of learning about them in a classroom still amazes me.
Day 11- Venturing Outside the Bubble
Today was our first day venturing out in Cape Town. We finally made it to the famous markets where we all decided to do our souvenir shopping–couldn’t resist with all the beautiful crafts and native goods. In between our market experience, we stopped by the Company Gardens to have lunch before visiting the Slave Lodge.
MonkeyBiz: Art That Makes a Difference
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My favorite place where we stopped today was a company called Monkeybiz. This is a non-profit bead project that started in January 2000. A woman by the name of Barbara Jackson founded this bead project with the help of her life partner, Carrol Boyes. Jackson thought beadwork was fading due to apartheid. She revived the craft artwork of beadwork through a sustainable company that deals with women empowerment and health development. The name stems from the fact that her and the rest of her co-founders, Shirley Fintz, and Mathapelo Ngaka were monkeys simply running around in the business world.
I thought this name was very clever and catchy. They added their own twist to it which makes it more interesting and easier to remember. This came about because the people in certain townships were suffering and needed income to help alleviate poverty and illness. An example of one of the township is Macassar. With the help of Monkeybiz they were able to connect to the community and help the people.
Although I had seen a similar style of this beadwork earlier at Green Market Square, it did not have nearly as intricate designs, and everything was so unique. The rest of the group and I were all eagerly waiting to purchase the merchandise, however we first were able to get a tour of the facility first. As Joan Krupp graciously showed us around, we were all in awe by the beautiful art that was displayed around the office. Through a short film, we were able to learn many details about the company and the start up process.
There are 450 women who bead for Monkeybiz. They are provided with free materials in order design creative and unique beadwork designs. They are also provided with a soup kitchen and health services. It was said that the animal figures made are distorted because many of the women have never seen real animals before. The women made the animals simply by looking at pictures or designs they are given. I was so surprised when she said this. I had not realized that people do not get the chance to see animals–even though they live in Africa. It made me realize how privileged I have been, especially on this trip.
For instance, a couple of days ago, I was lucky enough to wake up to a giraffe hanging outside my window where as some people have never seen one in their whole life. Also, I was speaking with one of our tour guides from Pretoria and she said she has not even been to Cape Town yet. It made me realize that I have been able to do so much here in so little time, that natives simply do not have the privilege of doing. Despite the fact they had not seen real animals, I think their imagination portrayed in the animal makes the beadwork even more special. The artwork they create gets a tag with their name on it so followers can always follow their favorite artist. Beadwork is coming back and becoming popular with this contemporary art form.
Monkeybiz also deposits money in their artists’ bank account, which they had to teach them about as well as the aspect of a bank. It is interesting to realize that some people do not have a need for a bank as they merely do not make enough money in the long ![securedownload[1]](http://qu301southafrica.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/securedownload11.jpg)
run. Also, there is no one there to educate them about this stuff as those before them might not have needed a bank account. I think it is very beneficial for these women, as well as provides them with a great sense of structure.
Each woman is paid according to size of artwork. This money provides them with income to support their families as well as hope to carry on.
Business is 85-90% exported to the United States. ABC Carpet & Home in NYC is a big supporter of project and has been selling Monkeybiz products for around 10 years.
Allowing women to express themselves is something they thought they’d never be able to do. It touches a lot of their souls. It gives people hope and before there wasn’t any. When Joan told us this bit of information it made me thankful that there are people out there in the world looking out for ways to help others. This whole trip has made me look at situations and people in a new light and I think that even though this business contains only 450 women, it started with one and is hopefully expanding to help even more. People buy it because it’s unique and it makes a huge difference at the end -charities want to help but are unsure how, and it helps when they buy something as it goes to something good. I also was shocked that they do not advertise at all, they simply rely on word of mouth.
I think that it is even cooler that after Professor Gallay has showed us this place, we will to help spread the word. As many of us bought presents for others, hopefully they can help spread the word as well.
Monumental Stop: The Slave Lodge
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When first entering the Slave Lodge I was somewhat confused as to what it was exactly. There were signs that said museum so I obviously assumed that was what it is. However, the Slave Lodge is very unique.
The Slave Lodge is a heritage site now that serves as a place of memory and reflection from where slaves used to be traded. It was interesting because one side was dedicated to the whole process of slave trading and the steps that went behind it. Although I have learned about slavery in the past and the process behind it, it was somewhat eerie to be in a place where it all actually happened long ago.
One of the informative videos playing on display specifically said that outside lays an exact spot where slaves used to be auctioned off. This made me think of all the movies I have watched about slavery and how gruesome and degrading the process of slave trading is.
One unique aspect of this museum was the fact that one whole side was dedicated in memory of the slaves, and the other half consisted of a timeline relating to Oliver Tambo. After all I have learned throughout this semester, I thought it was surprising that this is really the only time I saw something dedicated to Oliver Tambo. He was a strong part of the ANC and I feel as though he gets neglected sometimes for whatever reason. Due to the fact that we talk so much about apartheid and the oppression that results in South Africa, I thought it was cool to see where it all began long ago.
Day 11- Expectation and Reality
Thinking about Market Day, I kind of just pictured a multiple little tag sales, but that wasn’t quite what I got when arriving.
Green Market Square- Samuel, a painter from Zimbabwe
At the first Market, Green Market Square, it was similar to a tag sale. You could bargain, try to sift through the many items and find something really special, but it was HUGE!! I found this market very overwhelming to be in. I didn’t know where to go or where anything would be, each table had similar things but then you would stumble upon a table with something new! I never knew where to look or what to look for, I came into the day thinking I would know what I was going to get, but in the end, I couldn’t make up my mind, there was too much for me to look at.
Pan African Market
The next market, the Pan African Market was a bit smaller, but still a bit overwhelming. It had a few floors, and each having shops in the hallways and in rooms as well. I liked this one better since I wasn’t as surrounded by tables of goods, but I was able to go into one room at a time. This one was also a little less intimidating than the other one since the vendors were less pushy when asking you to buy something or asking what you wanted. These vendors were more relaxed and willing for you to look, and if you needed anything or looked confused they would be there to help. This one was my favorite!!
The Blue Shed @ The V&A Waterfront
Then the next two markets the Blue and Red Sheds were very similar except for the fact that I felt the Blue Shed was a bit more casual than the Red Shed. Although they both were indoors and had more expensive and higher quality objects than the other two markets, I feel that the Red Shed somehow had a more classy feel to it. It had less food stalls and focused more on the items themselves. The Blue Shed was more family oriented I feel since it had those little rides for children that you would put a few quarters in and they will be ridding on a ceramic horse. Whereas the Red Shed had only stalls, there was one family type stall with more fun knick knacks but overall the red had more high end items, jewelry, large paintings, pillows, and over all higher quality objects, or so it seemed.
OR Tambo exhibition at the Slave Lodge
But shopping wasn’t the only thing we did today. We also went to the O.R. Tambo Exhibit at the Slave Lodge, where we learned a little more about Oliver Tambo from the beginning stages of his life up until his death. We also learned about slavery in South Africa. It was not nearly as big as the Apartheid Museum that we went to in Johannesburg but it definitely had its fair share of information with not only visual learning but auditory as well with video and audio learning in both sides of the exhibit, O.R. Tambo, and the Slave Lodge side as well.
MonkeyBiz- Thanks for having us!
And last but certainly not least, we went to a place called Monkey Biz. They are a non-profit, income-generating bead project that was founded in 2000 that focuses on women’s economic empowerment and health development in the under-resourced areas of South Africa. At this shop the artwork is unique and the artist signs each themselves and all the profits are reinvested back into the community with resources such as soup kitchens, food parcels, and a burial fund for artists and their families.
At first they mentioned that 100% of the profits benefit the community, which I was a bit skeptical about. I didn’t believe how they could give free beads and materials to the woman and still survive as a business but now I understand that they add on a retail amount in order to continually give back to the community. It is my understanding that 100% does not go directly to the communities, but 100% goes towards paying them for their art, buying the materials to continue making the art, and other necessities to improve the communities and help the lives of these women!
I feel that this day was long, but it was worth it. Not only were we able to see the different levels of the communities but we also got some history out of the day and some giving back to the community.
Although I am now exhausted, I think today really helped us see different aspects to South Africa, understand how some of them live, especially after interviewing those at the markets. I didn’t expect to learn so much today, but in the end this was a big learning experience!
Market Day- Girls Just Love Shopping
Green Market Square- Steph talking to a vendor
Green Market Square
1) What is the name of the proprietor or store? Where else do they sell their goods? Where are you from and do you like it here? Why did you move?
The man that I met at the Green Market Square was John. He only sells the goods at this location. He was originally from the Congo, but moved here because of the political unrest in the Congo.
2) What type of goods do they sell? Where are the goods from?
John sold many different types of jewelry and he said that he got the materials from South Africa as well as the Congo and some other African countries.
3) Why do they sell here? How much for the rent for the month?
John sold here because it was the only place that he could afford to sell the goods. He would not tell the amount that he pays for rent because someone else pays his rent for the stall.
Pan African Market
1) What is the name of the proprietor or store? Where else do they sell their goods? Where are you from and do you like it here? Why did you move?
The man that I met at the Pan African Market was originally from Kenya and his name was Anthony. That spot was the only station that he was selling his goods at. He originally moved to South Africa 10 years ago to get away from the bad economy of his country. He lost his job and thought that he should have a fresh start somewhere new, but he wants to go back because he does not like it here.
2) What type of goods do they sell? Where are the goods from?
He sold a lot of trinket type things such as key chains and jewelry and pieces of artwork. The goods were from all over Africa.
3) Why do they sell here? How much for the rent for the month?
He would not tell me the exact amount for the rent of the place, but he said that it was expensive for him. He sold there because he knew of the activity and he liked the people that were around him in the other stalls.
The Blue Shed @ The V&A Waterfront
The Blue Shed
1) What is the name of the proprietor or store? Where else do they sell their goods? Where are you from and do you like it here? Why did you move?
The name of the store was Original Tea Bag Designs. They sell their products in the kiosk as well as at the factory where the pieces are made. The lady was from South Africa and she likes it much better now that she has a job that is close to where she lives, and it is something that she truly enjoys doing.
2) What type of goods do they sell? Where are the goods from?
They sell tea bag art. People send them their used tea bags from all over the world and the company dries them, and uses them to make designs and artwork.
3) Why do they sell here? How much for the rent for the month?
The lady was just one of the many employees that worked there so she did not know how much the rent was.
Market Day- Kristyn
Green Market Square
1. What is the name of the proprietor or store?
Ntumba
1a. Where else do they sell their goods?
Ntumba only sells the paintings in the Green Market Square since the other markets are difficult to get space in.
1b. Where are they from?
Ntumba was born in Malawi but came to Cape Town to study art. He has lived in the Nyanga township for the past ten years.
2. What type of goods do they sell?
Ntumba sells paintings of all different sizes and figures. The paintings range from elephants and lions to women and townships. The paintings are on white canvas and come in many sizes.
2a. Where are the goods from?
The paintings are from the area and are native to the western cape region portraying landmarks in the area such as Table Mountain.
3. Why do they sell here?
The Green Market Square appeals to Ntumba because it is the easiest market to get a spot in. He feels that he has the best sales in this area as well.
3a. How much is rent?
Rent in the market ranges based on location of the venders sale tent but Ntumba says he pays $450 a month for his spot but incites more costs due to storage space and transportation.
Pan African Market
1. What is the name of the proprietor or store?
The woman working in the store was named Flore.
1a. Where else do they sell their goods?
The goods are only sold in the pan African Market.
1b. Where are they from?
Flore was born in Cameroon but moved to South Africa with her family at the age of ten. They came for the business opportunities.
2. What type of goods did they sell?
The shop ranged from wooden figurines to jewelry and even wooden chess sets. They also had small trinkets for sale.
2a. Where are the goods from?
The goods are from all over Africa but the majority are from west Africa. They shop focuses on Zulu products.
3. Why do they sell here?
Flore sells at the Pan African Market because it is a very old and reliable market that attracts tourists. Even though the location is more expensive it is better since it is inside and protected from the weather.
3a. How much is rent?
Rent in the Pan African market is $4000 a month.
The Blue Shed
1. What is the name of the proprietor or store?
The store was named Beyond Cotton.
1a. Where else do they sell their goods?
The goods are sold out of a small stand at the family’s home and is sent to other places around the world by order.
1b. Where are they from?
The family that makes the cotton goods is Scandanavian but they have sense moved to Cape Town and live in the southern suburb of Plumstead.
2. What type of goods did they sell?
The shop sells cotton good that range from pull over to scarves and half zips.
2a. Where are the goods from?
The products are native to Scandanavia but are now only being made in Cape Town by the original family. The store also had a few items from other African countries.
3. Why do they sell here?
The person that owns the cotton store heard of the family and their good and wanted to sell their products in the shop.
3a. How much is rent?
Although the exact amount of rent was not known the woman explained that a few years back it was above 4000 rand a month.
Market Day- Lauren
Green Market Square:
1. Name the proprietor or store they are from.
Green Market Square- Lauren & Libby
The individuals selling their good received them from Johannesburg. The woman I spoke within was named Loise.
A. Where else do they sell these goods?
They only sell the goods here in Cape Town.
B. Where is the proprietor from?
This proprietor is from Kenya.
2. What type of goods do they sell?
This stand sells different jersey collections as well as hats and authentic clothing such as skirts and shirts.
A. Where are the goods made?
All these goods are made in South Africa but all over.
3. Why do they sell here?
Loise said that this is the only place where they sell their goods. The reason being is because this place was used for the slave trade but then they gave it to the locals so she wants to support that. This is how they earn their “daily bread”.
A. How much is it for rent? It is R400 per month.
Pan-African Market
1. Name the proprietor or store they are from.
Many of these artifacts are from West Africa such as Ghana and Nigeria. I spoke to a man named Charlene.
A. Where else do they sell these goods?
He only sells these goods in Cape Town though.
B. Where is the proprietor from?
He is from Cameroon.
2. What type of goods do they sell?
This place sold goods such as tapestries, jewelry, and wooden crafts.
Where are these goods made?
They are made in many different places all over Africa according to each different object. As mentioned previously, some were made in Ghana and Nigeria.
3. Why do they sell here?
This is the only market that brings together all African cultures. Also, Cape Town is good place for this kind of business.
A. How much is rent?
He told me rent is about R2,500 but it depends on the size.
The Red Shed
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1. Name the proprietor or store they are from.
Ngwenya Glass
A. Where else do they sell these goods? Swaziland and Cape Town.
B. Where is the proprietor from?
The proprietor is from Swaziland.
2. What type of goods do they sell?
They sell all different types of objects made from recycled glass such as wine glasses, recycled glassware, ornaments, and African animals.
Where are these goods made?
The goods are made in Swaziland
3. Why do they sell here?
There are a lot of tourists here. They are able to leave their products on display, it is just locked up at night which helps eliminate the struggle of transportation of goods and whatnot.
A. How much is rent?
This man did not know but compared to the other vendors I would say around R6,500-10,000.
Market Day — Making Friends in Unfamiliar Places
Green market Square: The proprietor’s name was Ntumba. He sells paintings and only sells in this market. Ntumba pays 450 rand a month and lives in a township in Nyanga. He chooses to sell here because it is a well known area so it is good for business. He moved to South Africa when he was 18 years old from Malawi to study art. When prompted about his story and his reason for coming to South Africa, Ntumba told us that he moved to South Africa to study art. He studied under a man named Jack who taught street children. However, we soon learned that this was probably not the case as most of the art around the market was identical to the paintings in his store.
Pan African Market : The name of the proprioter was Flore. She only sells her goods here but they come from all over South Africa. Rent costs 4000 rand a month. It is much more expensive than Green Market Square because they don’t have to worry about inclimate weather. Also, where the individual stores are located within the market also impacts pricing for rent. For example, stores located in the hallways were cheaper than those in rooms.
Although she now lives in Cape Town, she moved from Cameroon at ten years old for business. When prompted about why she chooses to sell at this market, Flore explained that she sells at the Pan African Market because it is a very old market. According to Flore, the market started in the year 1886. As a result, the market has gained notoriety causing tourists to come often.
The Blue Shed: The store name is Beyond Cotton. The goods are primarily cotton items such as sweaters and scarves. The proprietor was born and raised in Cape Town near Mitchell’s Plain. She does not make the goods herself rather she gets them from suppliers. The suppliers work from home, have their own market, and also supply The Blue Shed. They are also not originally from South Africa. The suppliers are from Scandinavia and now live in Plumstead in Cape Town in the Southern suburbs. The owner of Beyond Cotton heard about the family through word of mouth. The family only supplies the store with cotton jersey items such as sweaters and scarves. While the proprietor was not positive about how much rent costs, she said it would be more than 4000 rand a month. She informed us that location and size of the stores impacts pricing of rent but that rent goes up every year.
Market Day- Libby
Today was an exciting day because we finally got to experience the markets in Cape Town. There were five different markets that we attended; Green Market Square, the Pan African Market, the Blue Shed, the Red Shed, and the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, each a little different from one another. At three of these markets we had to ask the proprietors a few questions.
Green Market Square
Name of Proprietor or Store:
I talked to a few people in the Green Markets, the first was Nelly and the second was named Blessed.
Where else do they sell their goods?
I didn’t get to ask Blessed, but Nelly only sold her goods in the Green Market.
Where is the proprietor from?
Nelly was originally from South Africa, but not Cape Town. Blessed was from Zimbabwe. He came here because it was a better place to have a business, and the economy in Zimbabwe is very bad.
What type of goods do they sell?
Both of these two proprietors sold hand crafted wooden goods, such as animal figurines or wooden bowls.
Where are the goods from?
Nelly said her goods were all from around South Africa, whereas Blessed said he made all of his and they were all from Zimbabwe.
Why do they sell here?
Nelly didn’t say why she sold at this market. Blessed said that he sold in South Africa because it wasn’t easy to sell in Zimbabwe. However he didn’t say why he specifically chose Green Market Square. I think it was because it is the cheapest, and to me it seemed like one of the biggest in the area.
How much is it per month for rent?
To rent in the Green Market, each proprietor spends about four hundred Rand, or around forty two American dollars.
Blue Shed
Name of Proprietor or Store:
The name of this store was Angela.
Where else do they sell their goods?
She only sold these goods in the Blue Shed.
Where is the proprietor from?
She was originally from Swaziland, but came to Cape Town to live with her Grandmother. When she explained this to me, she said, “My Grandmother was married to a white man, so I came down to live with her”. He has now passed away, so she is saying with her Grandma, but I thought it was interesting that she mentioned that he was white.
What type of goods do they sell?
She sold a lot of brass and copper jewelry, all handmade by herself.
Where are the goods from?
These goods were handmade in South Africa, by the women who owns the store.
Why do they sell here?
She didn’t answer why she sold in the Blue Shed, but mentioned that she left Swaziland to be with her Grandmother.
How much is it per month for rent?
She said it was anywhere from eight thousand to ten thousand Rand, but did not specify the price of her store.
The Red Shed
Name of Proprietor or Store:
The name of the store was Just B.
Where else do they sell their goods?
The only place she sold her goods was in the Red Shed.
Where is the proprietor from?
She was from Istanbul, Turkey.
What type of goods do they sell?
Beautiful beadwork. All of the animals were made from people in Townships and houses. These were unique because they seemed like the people spent more time on them. They were extremely intricate and realistic, and she had every animal imaginable in the store.
Where are the goods from?
All of these goods were made in South Africa, by people that the woman knows. She was extremely proud of everything she had in the store and displayed pictures of the people who made the pieces holding up an example of what they made in her store.
Why do they sell here?
The Red Shed @ The V&A Waterfront
She did not specify why she sold in the Red Shed, but she did mention that she was in South Africa for seventeen years. She moved to America first to try to start a business because the fighting in Turkey was so bad. However, she didn’t like it very much so she moved to South Africa. She said that she gives all of the ideas to the people, and they make them for her.
How much is it per month for rent?
She didn’t say how much rent was, but from other proprietors it was around six thousand for a small shop, and much higher for other shops per month.
Market Day- Shop til you Drop
5 markets 1 day, not enough time!
Today we went to the Green Market Square, the Pan African Market, the Blue Shed, the Red Shed, and the V&A Waterfront, and we had to interview 3 different shopowners, one from 3 different markets! Our questions consisted of :
1. Name of the store or the proprietor?
- Where else do they sell their goods?
- Where is he or she from?
2. What type of goods do they sell?
- Where are the goods from?
3. Why do they sell here?
- How much is it for rent?
Booth at the Green Market Square
Here I talked to a woman at a stand called the “Boneta Shop.” The woman who worked there was from the Eastern Cape, and she only sells her goods at the Square. They sold many types of goods, some statues, bowls, spoons, masks, and carvings from all over Africa; specifically in Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, and of course some of the goods were from different parts of South Africa. Lastly, they sell there because there is a lot of people walking by and because the rent is affordable for her and her husband at 400 rand per month.
I found it sad that 400 rand was considered affordable for her and her husband considering in American that comes to only about 40 dollars. When I think of renting a space for 40 dollars I don’t think of that as affordable, I think I would consider that cheap!
Pan African Market Hallway Spot
At the Pan African Market I talked to a woman with the name Andiswa. She had a hallway for herself and her husband and they only sell there. She is from the Eastern Cape like the woman from green market square. They sell masks, wooden statues, and bowls, which are mainly from Cameroon and Zimbabwe. I asked if they made any of the goods they sell and she said her husband makes a lot of the statues, but I’m not so sure if I believe her since I’ve seen so many of them in different markets as well. However, I understand that they need to get the sales and a lot of people like to buy goods from the people that make them. She said that they sell here because there is a lot of tourists in the area and because they know others in the Pan African Market as well, and also at 4,000 rand a month for rent it is affordable for them.
I find it sad that some of the vendors lie to the customers to get a sale. I found that when a vendor would tell me what they did make and what they didn’t that I was more willing to buy something from them because I could trust them more.
Red Shed, Pillow Shop
At the last market we went to the Red Shed. I met a woman who worked at the shop “Afri Trends”, that sold mostly pillowcases and only has her store at the Red Shed. Their store used to be bigger but because of the recession she said they had to decrease in size. Many people are moving out of the Red Shed instead of just downsizing, but she thinks that it is because of how they feel and not so much of the money issue. She thinks that if they had felt happier working there, they would have been more likely to stay.
She is from Cape Town and has noticed there are less people from Cape Town owning spots in the sheds now and there seems to be many “foreigners”. The pillow cases are made by her ex-husband who is the one that owns the shop; she just works there. They had originally picked this location together because it was a great tourist spot because of being at the Waterfront. At the time the rent was very affordable, but now even with downsizing, they are still having trouble paying the rent of 6,572 rand (she said that the cost of the rent depended on the size of your shop, where it is located, and also said that every year the rent has gone up 10%).
I thought it was so sad that the managers or whomever seem to not care about the people who sell their goods in the Red Shed. The more they care, the more the vendors are going to stay, which means that the more people will come to the shed and more money will go to them! In my mind the more a manager or owner helps its employees, the more they will be helped in return.
DONE!
It was a long day at the markets, not only finding things that you wanted to buy for yourself and others, but also interviewing the men and woman at the markets. I am exhausted and it seems that sleep is the only cure after this long day!!
