Alexandra taverns transformed into safe, profitable community spaces

What an unexpected delight to discover a Mexican restaurant in the middle of Alexandra township. We are welcomed into Siga Culinary Restaurant on East Bank Avenue by Gift Sedibeng, who started what he calls his Mexi-kasi venture in 2018. “I failed IT,” laughs Sedibeng, “so I went into the hospitality business.”

He had the opportunity to be an exchange student and chef in Texas for two years, working at an upmarket resort with seven restaurants in San Antonio that catered to the rich, hip and famous. He returned with a wealth of experience and a love of their regional food.

He has since been tantalising locals and visitors with his Tex-Mex food with an African twist: kota burrito, pineapple salsa, nachos, tacos and quesadillas, which he says his patrons simply pronounce “kwesa kwesa”. “People here had no idea about Mexican food at all,” says Sedibeng. “And now it’s become more than the food. It’s become a place where people gather to eat, talk, drink and connect.”

There are Sunday buffets, Tuesday tacos, karaoke nights – patrons are welcome to wear the resident sombreros – as well as outside pop-ups and events. He’s popular with businesspeople from Sandton, and locals also use Mr Delivery and Uber Eats to order in Mexi-kasi style. He also started a culinary school, which has put 20 students through training. 

Never mind introducing Mexican food to Alex, Sedibeng says he faced other hurdles in building his business, such as safety and security, needing to fix up the bathrooms and working out stock needs. And that’s when he connected with the Tavern Transformation project by Heineken Beverages, which helps small taverns become safe, clean and regulated spaces. With its assistance, he was able to upgrade the restaurant and get a point-of-sale system that allows him to track his stock and the traffic of his patrons.

“It was a game-changer,” he says.

Hustle queen 

Florence Rambuda, who owns and manages Thathe Tavern, has the don’t-mess-with-me vibe of an old-fashioned shebeen queen. Located opposite Alex Mall, Thathe Tavern is a friendly and funky place with a hearty traditional menu.

Rambuda was a domestic worker for 13 years, and brewed umqombothi (traditional beer) during that time as a side-hustle. Then she spotted an opportunity to work in a tavern with a view to buy it.

Like Sedibeng, she survived lockdown by cooking and doing deliveries, and Thathe Tavern is now a booming business open seven days a week. It does birthdays, business functions, ladies’ lunches and more.

“When I first opened,” says Rambuda, “the menu was boring.” So she partnered with the Tavern Transformation project to help her upgrade and rethink.

Being fully compliant, she says, has had the greatest benefit because having a liquor licence means she can buy wholesale and get discounts and perks. With the project’s help she has been able to upgrade the bathrooms, get a big-screen TV and WiFi, and provide good lighting, CCTV cameras and tight security, which is undertaken alongside the local community policing forum.

Being compliant also means sticking to legal working hours, age restrictions and decent social conduct. “My people are clean,” says Rambuda.

Thathe Tavern also subscribes to the Heineken global ethos of “low, slow and no” – which means it offers low-alcohol and non-alcoholic drinks and allows people to take their time to eat and drink, creating conversations and building community. 

Renewing taverns

“Taverns are an essential part of the township ecosystem,” says Millicent Maroga, head of corporate affairs at Heineken Beverages. “They provide employment and can be safe spaces and support neighbouring businesses such as car washes and hair salons.

“This programme is about responsible trading and creating extra revenue through… food, coffee and WiFi… Today’s taverns are a space of social connection. We need to redignify them.”

The Tavern Transformation project has upgraded more than 240 township taverns generating R38-million in new food service revenue, creating an average of seven jobs per outlet and achieving job growth in 89% of participants. DM