Lungile Tose

Words: Alica English

A stone’s throw away from Nocwaka, Big Issue vendor Lungile Tose is trying to stay positive amidst the cold and rain. Lungile joined The Big Issue in 2005, and is the sole provider for his family, which includes his elderly mother, siblings and their five children.

While he lives in a backyard dwelling in New Crossroads, the 52-year-old vendor also supports his two children who live with their mother.

When Lungile first started selling the magazine in 2005, his pitch was in Newlands Avenue, Claremont, but he soon moved his pitch to Constantia Village and has been selling the magazine there since then.

He mostly cycles to his pitch from home, but on days like today when there is a downpour, he opts to take a taxi. “It takes me about half an hour to cycle from New Crossroads to Constantia. I prefer cycling because it is too expensive to travel by public transport – it costs me R52 a day to travel to and from my pitch by taxi,” he explains.

Lungile says times are tough since the start of the lockdown. “These days business is slow because of the Coronavirus. When it is raining, like today, customers are even more scarce. I have made one sale so far, and I am hoping to get a few more sales because I need to buy R50 electricity and food each day.

I am glad to say that I am still standing with the help of God,” he says.