For Buyiswa, the founder of Iziko African Cuizine, entrepreneurship was never part of a carefully planned career path. Instead, it was born out of necessity, determination and a willingness to recognise opportunities when they appeared.
Today, Iziko African Cuizine operates across Uitenhage, Despatch, Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth), Kirkwood, Addo and Jeffreys Bay, with ambitions to expand into even more surrounding areas. But the journey to get there was far from straightforward.
From Losing a Job to Finding an Opportunity
Buyiswa grew up in Uitenhage in the Eastern Cape in a family that was not wealthy, but where her parents ensured that their children had the necessities of life. Education and church were prioritised in her household, values that she believes played an important role in shaping the person she is today.
At school, Buyiswa was consistently one of the top achievers in her grade. However, without a mentor to guide her, she found herself losing focus during Grades 11 and 12. Despite this, she never failed a year.
After school, she enrolled at university to study BCom Computer Science. However, financial difficulties and the pressure of the course eventually led her to leave university. She also experienced the challenge of not receiving financial assistance through the Tertiary Education Fund of South Africa (TEFSA), which contributed to her decision to resign from her studies.
Years later, in 2009, Buyiswa lost her job. At the time, she had a small baby and two daughters who were still attending school. With the job market proving difficult to access, she needed to find a way to provide for her family.
"I thought of a quick fix for us to eat and be able to maintain their schools," she explains.
Using the resources available to her, Buyiswa started an internet café and printing business. At the time, she had no idea that this temporary solution would eventually become the foundation of her entrepreneurial journey.
Discovering the Demand for Food
Although her first business was not a food business, Buyiswa soon noticed an opportunity.
There was a growing demand from customers for food, and she began experimenting with small offerings. She started by selling scones and coffee before introducing ginger beer. As customers became increasingly interested in her food, they began requesting home-cooked meals.
That demand changed the direction of her business.
What initially began as a small operation selling food at affordable prices eventually developed into Iziko African Cuizine. Buyiswa recalls that her starting prices were around R20 per plate. Today, the demand and value of her food have allowed her to charge around R180 per plate for certain offerings.
The growth did not happen overnight. It was driven by listening to customers, recognising what people wanted and continuously adapting her services.
Growing Through Consistency
When asked how she managed to grow the business from its humble beginnings, Buyiswa points to one principle above all others: consistency.
She believes that customers are not simply purchasing a product. They are purchasing an entire experience and the values that come with the business.
"Customers don't buy only the product but a package that comes with it," she says.
Even during periods when she felt the business was struggling, she refused to compromise on the quality of her services or her business ethics. Her ability to remain consistent while adapting to changes in the market became one of the foundations of Iziko African Cuizine.
Today, the business has expanded beyond simply providing meals. It has developed into a food and events management company, with Buyiswa continuing to look for new ways to penetrate the market and grow the business.
Formalising the Business
Buyiswa initially operated informally after starting the business in 2009. Three years later, in July 2012, she formally registered the business.
The decision to formalise Iziko African Cuizine was largely influenced by the growth of the business and the increasing demand for her services.
As customers began placing larger orders and opportunities to enter into contracts emerged, operating informally could have limited the company's growth.
"I could not offer or enter into contracts without a formal business that would have hindered my growth," she explains.
Formalising the business also allowed Buyiswa to access training opportunities offered through government and municipal programmes.
Although she describes the registration process itself as relatively straightforward, she remembers that the process took considerable time because she used government support services through the Small Enterprise Development Agency (SEDA).
For Buyiswa, patience was essential.
"The only thing that was tiring was having to check up from SEDA," she says.
Despite the delays, she never considered giving up.
"I am not the person who starts things and does not finish them."
Learning as She Went
One of the most interesting aspects of Buyiswa's journey is that she did not begin with extensive business knowledge or a mentor guiding her every step.
Instead, she learned through experience.
She used the internet, attended small-business workshops and made use of SEDA's services when formalising her business. She also observed businesses operating on a larger scale and learned from what they were doing.
Rather than seeing her lack of knowledge as a disadvantage, Buyiswa adopted a mindset of continuous learning.
She has since participated in several development and incubation programmes, including an 18-month programme through The Hope Factory, a business hub offered by UDDI, and, in 2026, an incubation programme offered by Business Hub Africa at Nelson Mandela University.
Her experience has taught her that there is no point at which an entrepreneur can claim to know everything about business.
"You can never say you know the market," she explains. "It changes and so are customer traits and demand for certain things."
Understanding the Rules of the Food Industry
While Buyiswa found the general process of formalising her business relatively easy, she admits that there were many things she did not initially know about operating within the food industry.
Among the requirements she encountered were health certificates, business licences, Certificates of Acceptability and permits required to operate at certain events.
These requirements highlighted the importance of understanding the regulations that apply to a particular industry before entering it.
For aspiring food entrepreneurs, Buyiswa strongly emphasises the importance of food safety.
"Do not serve old food or use expired products," she warns.
For her, maintaining high standards is not simply about complying with regulations. It is part of protecting customers and building a trustworthy brand.
Becoming the Brand
Despite the challenges she has faced, Buyiswa says she does not regret the way her journey unfolded.
She believes her ability to continue operating and growing the business in South Africa's difficult economic environment is a result of God's grace, perseverance and her willingness to keep learning.
She also believes that entrepreneurs need to differentiate themselves.
"Everyone is selling food, be different and unique," she advises. "Have that one thing that people come for always."
For Buyiswa, branding is more than having a logo or a business name. It is about becoming closely associated with the business and the experience customers receive.
"Brand yourself. Be your business."
Advice for Aspiring Food Entrepreneurs
For people operating food stalls, home-based businesses or small food ventures, Buyiswa's advice is simple but powerful: start with what you have.
"You must love what you do. Not be comfortable, learn, learn and learn."
She encourages aspiring entrepreneurs to understand what their customers want and then find ways to provide that service differently from their competitors.
She also believes that entrepreneurs should not allow setbacks to convince them that they have failed.
"Start with what you have. The important thing is for you to start."
Her own journey is evidence of this philosophy. What began as an attempt to provide food and maintain her children's schooling eventually became a formal business with multiple services and an expanding customer base.
Looking Ahead
Buyiswa's entrepreneurial journey is still developing. Although Iziko African Cuizine has already grown considerably from its beginnings, she believes there is still room for expansion.
Her business currently serves customers across Uitenhage, Despatch, Gqeberha, Kirkwood, Addo and Jeffreys Bay, and she hopes to extend her reach into more nearby areas.
Looking back, she sees her journey not as a series of mistakes that should have been avoided, but as a collection of experiences that helped shape the business she has today.
She did not begin with a detailed business plan, extensive funding or a mentor. She began with a need, the resources she had available and a willingness to work.
Her story demonstrates that entrepreneurship does not always begin with a perfect idea. Sometimes, it begins with necessity. An entrepreneur may start with one service, discover another opportunity and gradually build something much bigger than they originally imagined.
For Buyiswa, the key has been refusing to remain stagnant.
"Never give up when doors are not opening. Stay true and shine in your corner. Eventually those doors will open."
From an internet café and printing service born out of necessity to Iziko African Cuizine, a growing food and events management company, Buyiswa's story is ultimately one of resilience, adaptability and continuous learning.
And perhaps most importantly, her journey shows that sometimes the business you start is not necessarily the business you end up building.