FOOD & WELLNESS CONVENIENCE

Themvalethu store was a dream founded in the Qweqwe village of Mthatha in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa by my late father, Tennyson Mzimtsha Sikutshwa. The dream started when doors of the first store at Qweqwe mission were opened for trading in the early 1970’s. The aim as I was informed by my father who was a true visionary was that of having a general dealer store that helps the community in various ways, where food supply, general products and job creation are all concerned, within the village setting. Thembalethu store truly transformed the lives of the community of Qweqwe village and other close villages as it quickly became a true convenience store in many ways, as villagers got to experience a village mini shopping centre even before the dawn of the South African democracy achieved in 1994. Zithulele, which was a name my father was affectionately called by mainly the community members, which meant “silent one” had achieved his dream of helping his community, of which made him a “go-to” member of the community members even in time of need, and he did support them in various ways possible, through financial means and other means, of which he was even hand-picked to become a village chief at some stage, back in the 1990s. The journey of the Thembalethu store dream did come with some challenges, partitularly when my father reached retirement age, of which resulted in the closure of the store in the early 2000s. On my father’s passing in year 2010 the store was rented out of which I decided to revive my father’s dream by taking it over in year 2024 and make it what it has become today, a convenience shop, tshisa nyama, liquor store and gas centre. For me as the son, taking my father’s dream to greater heights did not only mean only maintaining the Qweqwe mission store but to expand the business in any way possible, meaning even setting-up more Thembalethu convenience stores in Mthatha CBD and where ever else possible, so that where ever my father is, if indeed he can seen my endeavours, he would see his dream still prospering through me his beloved son who he help raise to be the humble and committed man I’ve become, and all thanks to his teachings and faith in God of beautiful possibilities. If you are still reading about the history of Thembalethu store and what it offers, note that it never came easy as all good things in life, just like my father who struggled before his dream was realised, I also faced many adversities, which included being a street beggar, being jobless and being jailed for doing no wrong, which was due to sibling rivalry just because my sisters were against me being awarded the same Thembalethu store and family village compound as my father’s only son when he passed by the courts. I now thank God almighty and my ancestors for helping me throughout it all and particularly for allowing me to revive my father’s dream of the Thembalethu store brand. Through God Almighty nothing good is impossible. Amen!
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