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Mzoli's

Tourists outside Mzoli's in April 2006
Location	Gugulethu township, Cape Town, South Africa
Coordinates	33°58′35″S 18°34′11″E / 33.97639°S 18.56972°E / -33.97639; 18.56972
Owner	Mzoli Ngcawuzele
Type	Butcher shop Restaurant Nightclub
Genre(s)	Deep house Kwaito Cape jazz Marimba
Capacity	Several hundred
Opened	2003
Closed	2021

Mzoli's (also known as Mzoli's Place, Mzoli's Meat, or Mzoli's Butchery) was a butchery in Gugulethu, a township on the outskirts of Cape Town, South Africa. Since Mzoli's opened in early 2003, the restaurant had become a popular gathering spot for Cape Town residents and a tourist attraction. Amongst Gugulethu's residents, Mzoli's Place has a reputation for public drunkenness and disrespect for the local community. Mzoli's is named after the founder and owner, Mzoli Ngcawuzele. The restaurant closed indefinitely in May 2021 partly due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

History

The establishment opened in early 2003. Owner Mzoli Ngcawuzele obtained start-up funding from the Development Bank of South Africa, which supports black-owned businesses. In October 2006, an economic study said that Mzoli had "moved, from selling meat informally from a garage, to owning one of the most popular hangouts in Cape Town".

In November 2006, more than 30 restaurant patrons, including a group of tourists and Democratic Alliance councillor Masizole Mnqasela, were arrested in a police raid for drinking in public. The restaurant did not sell alcohol, but Ngcawuzele explained that he could not stop people from bringing their own. The incident generated controversy in the local press. Tour operator Ryan Hunt claimed that police swore at the patrons and threatened people for asking questions. "The police created a dangerous situation. People are always encouraged to visit township attractions, but now they are turned away with that kind of situation," he said. Mnqasela, a member of Cape Town's economic development committee, added, "Mzoli's is internationally acclaimed and is key to township tourism. What kind of message is the police sending?"

Some local residents near a long-planned shopping mall that is being built by a business partly owned by Mzoli's owner criticized his plans in 2008. Some businesses were legally evicted or threatened with eviction from older buildings owned by Mzoli, which were then knocked down to make room for the new property development.

In 2018, Mzoli's was temporarily closed due to a car in front of the butchery being set alight in a protest for better housing. In 2020, amidst rumours that Mzoli Ngcawuzele had died, the Daily Sun reported that he was "still alive and well" and was celebrating his 66th birthday. In May 2021, the restaurant was closed indefinitely. Mzoli Ngcawuzele's daughter Sisanda Mangele said it closed due to "a lot of things, from physical safety to the state of the economy and restrictions of the pandemic".

Business

Located in the township of Gugulethu, a black neighbourhood 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) southeast of the centre of Cape Town, Mzoli's was a "do-it-yourself" market and eatery, selling meat to patrons who in turn hired independent entrepreneurs running braai stalls on the grounds to grill the meat and prepare meals. Mzoli's also provided live entertainment and has become noted as a venue for deep house and kwaito music.

As well as local people, Mzoli's attracted television stars, DJs such as DJ Fresh, politicians such as Tony Yengeni, businesspeople, tourists, and college students. Mzoli's was considered to be a "base camp" where "black diamonds" gather and network. In April 2016, Tina Walsh of The Guardian called it "a big open-air shack" which "has a devoted following".

In 2016, the Travel Channel show Secret Eats with Adam Richman featured a segment at Mzoli's during an episode filmed in Cape Town.

See also

• List of restaurants in South Africa

Media related to Mzoli's at Wikimedia Commons

• South Africa
• Food
• Companies

References

1. Adami, Kelly (25 August 2005). "They may be Legless, but they're going places". Financial Mail. Archived from the original on 26 September 2006. Retrieved 17 September 2007.
2. ^ "Mzoli's - the ultimate user-generated restaurant". cherryflava. 2 May 2007. Archived from the original on 5 July 2007. Retrieved 17 September 2007.
3. "Gugulethu residents to protest against new Mall backed the famous Mzoli and Old Mutual". Western Cape Anti-Eviction Campaign. Archived from the original on 12 April 2009. Retrieved 18 March 2010.
4. "Where would we go if it shut down?". City Vision. 25 November 2004. Archived from the original on 15 April 2009. Retrieved 17 September 2007.
5. ^ Masweneng, Kgaugelo (5 May 2021). "Tourism goes cold as popular shisanyama, Mzoli's Place, closes its doors". SowetanLIVE. Archived from the original on 6 November 2021. Retrieved 6 May 2021.
6. Mtyala, Quinton. "Some first sunset sundowner places in Cape Town". come2capetown.com. Archived from the original on 17 October 2007. Retrieved 22 January 2008.
7. ^ Unathi Kondile. "Mzoli's Meat". Youth Radio. Archived from the original on 6 August 2007. Retrieved 17 September 2007.
8. Ana Deumert and Nkululeko Mabandla (18–20 October 2006). "Language, Communication Networks and Economic Participation, Towards an Inclusive Economy" (PDF). University of Cape Town. Retrieved 22 January 2008.
9. ^ Vusi Nzapheza (21 November 2006). "Patrons harassed". Cape Times.
10. Zara Nicholson. "Swearing cops 'disgust' arrested tour operator". Cape Argus. 2006-11-22. p.5.
11. "David vs Goliath in Gugulethu". Mail&Guardian. 20 November 2008.
12. Lukas, Byron (5 May 2021). "Mzoli's Place closes its doors for now". capetwonetc. Archived from the original on 6 November 2021. Retrieved 6 November 2021.
13. Makora, Misheck (11 October 2020). "MZOLI: I'M STILL ALIVE AND WELL". Daily Sun. Archived from the original on 6 November 2021. Retrieved 6 November 2021.
14. Magadla, Mahlohonolo (6 May 2021). "Cape Town's popular shisanyama, Mzoli's Place shuts down indefinitely". News24. Archived from the original on 6 November 2021. Retrieved 6 November 2021.
15. Walsh, Tina (7 April 2016). "Barbecue and beats in Cape Town's Gugulethu township". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 7 November 2021. Retrieved 7 November 2021.
16. "Clock and Dagger". Cooking Channel. Archived from the original on 1 January 2022. Retrieved 1 January 2022.

• Buildings and structures in Cape Town
• Butcher shops
• Restaurants in South Africa
• Food and drink companies based in Cape Town
• Tourist attractions in Cape Town
• Restaurants established in 2003
• 2003 establishments in South Africa
• 2021 disestablishments in South Africa
• Shops in South Africa