Amanda Esethu Mazula | TCB Resell Programme | Cape Town
My name is Amanda Esethu Mazula. I am 37 years old and I live in Delft. I have three children. I also take care of my father-in-law who is sick, although he does not stay with me because my house is small.
I am an ED (Enterprise Development) lady in the Resell department at Taking Care of Business (TCB). I joined TCB in March 2025.
Before joining TCB, I had been at home doing nothing for quite some time after COVID-19. Life was not easy at all. I was sending out many CVs but never received any response. As a woman, I started to see myself as nothing because I could not provide for my children the way I wanted to. I even started blaming other people for things that I could not make right.
I decided to join TCB because I wanted to be a mother who provides for her children and someone who can make a difference in other people’s lives.
When I first started, I thought I would just come, do shopping and go home. I did not know that I would be equipped with so much knowledge through the classes. I learned things like how to become a money maker and how to balance my business account with my personal account.
My journey with TCB has not been easy. There were times when I wanted to quit because I had too many arrears that I needed to pay. At times it was difficult for me to see the difference.
However, TCB has taught me many important skills. I learned how to give people my clothes with credit, to be responsible for my actions, to always try to have some savings, to think outside the box and not to be afraid of taking risks.
Being part of the circular economy and giving new life to materials makes me feel excited and grateful because not everyone has the opportunity to be part of this programme.
As a person, I have also changed. The way I used to think about myself and the way I tried to fit in with other people has shifted.
TCB has changed my life in many ways. It helped me forgive my mother for being absent in my life. I used to cry a lot and look for love in the wrong places. Sometimes I would even take my anger out on my children without realising how much I was hurting them. Since I started sharing my problems with the other ladies in class, I realised that I am strong. I have all the tools I need to achieve things in life and become a better person.
My family’s life has also changed a lot. My husband no longer feels the burden of doing everything in the house. I am now able to buy my children stationery and pay for their school transport.
What makes me unique is that I see myself as an eagle. I am not afraid to go all out on my own. Three words that describe me are self-motivated, adaptive and resilient. Two things I depend on daily are my business and how I market it outside.
What motivates me the most is that I am able to support my children, make a difference in other people’s lives and regain my dignity as a mother who has her own business.
What I love most about being a business owner is the independence. God has been great. Being independent makes it easier for me to plan my life and my work because I am not at TCB every day and I have time to plan my business.
My dream for the future is to grow even more with my business skills.
My advice to others who want to be self-employed is that they must be disciplined and understand that if they want to grow, they must market their business.
Taking Care of Business (TCB) is a nonprofit social enterprise. We are empowering unemployed South Africans and their families to escape the cycle of poverty through small business opportunities, mostly within the circular economy.