from FUTHI MBHELE in Durban
DURBAN – AFTER he lost his grandmother to a stroke, Melusi Cele decided to embark on an initiative to ensure others did not succumb to this silent killer.
Play On Mzansi team busy roasting meat for customers
That year, she decided to start Play On Mzansi, a team building company pledging a variety of fun, engaging team-building activities for groups of all sizes, corporate companies, school groups, families, friends and church groups.
The company offers indoor and outdoor activities that are interactive and educational. They are designed to build teamwork, develop problem-solving and communication skills.
“I opened the business in 2019 after my grandmother died of a stroke,” Cele (34) said.
“She was the only one working, feeding 15 family members. I don’t know how she managed but we never slept on an empty stomach.”
“We got everything we wanted. She was making sure we didn’t suffer but later she died of a stroke as she didn’t get enough time to rest. She was always working for us,” Cele said.
He told Durban Today that he realised that there was a lot on his grandmother’s shoulders but she did not want to talk about it before she died.
“I came up with this idea to help people release stress and learn life skills at the same time. A chance to play while learning is tough. Be able to cope at school and feel your value in the team,” Cele said.
He said when he grew up, he always wanted to be a businessman and help other people.
“When I started the business I didn’t have any money. I was depending on the money I got from my clients. If they book they pay 50 percent up front. I started buying equipment with that money,” Cele explained.
Nene has done training in courses like hiking, sport climbing and biking with Adventure Recreation Association.
Like other businesses, the years 2020 and 2021 were a challenge because of COVID-19.
“I was close to shutting it down but I managed to carry on and it only picked up towards last year 2022,” Cele said.
– CAJ News
