“I desperately needed to make a living for my family. At the time we could not even afford a loaf of bread. We also could not expect others who were also going through tough times to support us.” Lance Chinasamy. Picture: Supplied
When the Covid-19 pandemic left both Lance Chinasamy and Tanya Pillay jobless, the Umhlali couple turned adversity into opportunity by starting a homemade roti business.
Now their determination and quality product have made them a beloved fixture at Salt Rock's Tiffany's Shopping Centre.
In 2020, the couple, both 38, went through a bad patch when Chinasamy lost his job as a controller at Woolworths, leaving them penniless. Pillay had lost her job earlier the same year.
The couple had struggled to make ends meet but decided to take control of their lives by empowering themselves with their cooking skills. They took to making and selling a firm Indian favourite, roti, outside the shopping centre in a bid to catch the high traffic volumes in the area.
The couple lived in Pillay’s childhood home in Umhlali with their 11-year-old twins.
The property had a banana farm in the backyard.
“We did not start out with selling roti. We first sold bananas to make money. But the fruit was quickly depleted and we had to find alternative ways to put food on the table,” said Pillay.
That was when she had the idea to make and sell roti.
In 2021, Chinasamy, and his young son sold roti on the roadside at the Umhlali circle until they moved to the nearby traffic lights.
“I desperately needed to make a living for my family. At the time we could not even afford a loaf of bread. We also could not expect others who were also going through tough times to support us.
“I asked my friend's mum to teach me to make roti. I practised and made sure to produce the freshest and softest roti possible, so it would sell fast,” said Pillay.
Pillay is in charge of making the roti, while Chinasamy sells it using his charm and customer skills.
“It is not easy to roll roti every day. It is tiring and time consuming. But we put all our energy into it because it helps us feed our children. I make over 80 rotis a day by myself in my home kitchen. I then pack them in fours and we sell this for R20,” said Pillay.
She said she did not mind the hard work for as long as they had money to survive.
“I don’t want to make millions. I just want to be able to afford a life for my family and to have my children fed and educated. I am happy to make the roti.
“One day our children will recognise how we triumphed in adversity. Lance also comes home exhausted from selling the roti. But the income we generate from this job goes to making our lives better. This keeps us going each day,” said Pillay.
Pillay said her father had suggested they change their selling location to the shopping centre and that would change their fortunes.
With their twins, now 16, in school, Chinasamy sells the rotis by himself.
Every day at around midday he takes a 10 minute walk to his selling point.
He stays there until 6pm or until he is sold out.
“The rotis don’t sell out everyday. Some days I return with one or two packs and give it to children at the nearby informal settlement, who often do not have food to eat. Their faces light up when they see the roti,” said Chinasamy.
He said many of the locals supported his business and he loved meeting new customers, especially during the holiday season.
“Many of my customers appreciate my honest intentions. I Am grateful that we are so well-loved in the community. Even the police officers buy roti from us,” said Chinasamy.
He said he hoped to see the business grow further in the future, so he could help his children realise their dreams.
To support Chinasamy contact him on 078 144 8690 for the freshest rotis on the KZN north coast.