Cape Town - The Mzansi Restaurant in Langa has won Cape Town Tourism’s Board Development Fund (BDF) award which offers additional support to develop tourism businesses in Cape Town.
Mzansi Restaurant is a buffet-style eatery which showcases the country’s diverse cultures and tastes through creative cuisine, while offering multiple cultural experiences, such as the African Marimba band playing indigenous, pop, and jazz music or teaching local dances.
Director Mbasa Siyaka said the restaurant was the brainchild of his late grandmother. She convinced her daughter and husband (who were hosting a jazz club at the time) to turn their focus to the bustling market of international clients coming to Langa.
“It has been a long journey for us to get to being an honoured beneficiary. Having been selected as one of the successful candidates for the Cape Town Tourism BDF programme serves as validation of the vision that was birthed by my grandmother,” said Siyaka.
Siyaka said they capitalised on the diversity of food in South Africa by modernising traditional favourites like samp by adding fried onion, coriander, olive oil, curry powder, turmeric powder, Aromat and water.
“Our food is a mix of traditional and Westernised dishes, cooked with love by the local mamas who live in our street. It’s time overseas taste buds tried umbhako (baked bread), umxhaxha (butternut and corn wrapped in aubergine), and – the champion of lekker, local flavours – chakalaka,” said Siyaka.
CTT board chairperson Brett Hendricks said providing support for local enterprises during this difficult time was crucial. “Our BDF initiative is something we hope will inspire other organisations to invest in supporting small businesses.”
CTT chief executive Enver Duminy, said: “We have been working together with other sectors in trying to contain the negative impact of lockdown on the local economy, and saving jobs that we have been steadily growing across Cape Town.”
To further promote the tourism sector in the face of Covid-19 setbacks, the provincial Department of Economic Development and Tourism has the urged national government to introduce the Remote Work Visa for international travellers.
DA provincial spokesperson for Finance, Deidré Baartman said this visa encouraged long-term stays, supported local economies and could give the tourism and hospitality sector a much-needed boost.
kristin.engel@inl.co.za