Black-Owned Businesses in Cape Town
A list for you to put your money where your mouth is.
The irony of the racist intersection of my country of birth and my country of residence is not lost on me. I was born in the United States. I live in South Africa. To put it bluntly, I’m from the most institutionally racist country in the world, and I live in the most overtly racist country in the world.
Between the generations of chattel slavery that root me to my Black American heritage and the generations of Apartheid that permeate my present existence, I’m in a strange psychological space. As I stand in solidarity with my Black brothers, sisters, and allies who fight for equity and justice on American soil, I stand remotely. I stand via Instagram stories and I stand via LinkedIn posts. I stand via signatures on Change.org and I stand via PayPal donations.
What else is a Black American living in South Africa to do? What more can the diaspora writ large do but check in with our kinfolk who are experiencing pain, donate to the organizations attempting to permanently end that pain, and raise awareness around what the pain actually is?
My contribution is to put my money where my mouth is and support Black businesses; to raise up Black entrepreneurs in the global economy where money makes the world go ‘round.
Together we can amplify melanated voices and support Black businesses. Here in Cape Town, I’ve got a list for you to start. This list is both Black South African and panafrican, because being Black AND being an immigrant is even better reason to support these businesses. There are six sections: Events & Community, Fashion & Photography, Food & Restaurants, Products, Skin & Haircare, and Wine & Gin.
For those of you who don’t live in South Africa: borders will reopen one day and you’ll want to come visit because this country, and Cape Town in particular, is stunning. So save and star this article for when you start jet setting again and want a taste of the Motherland. The real Motherland.
Now let’s get down to Black business because Black Lives Matter. Tsamaya gabotse.
Events & Community
Chimurenga — For African arts, politics, and culture.
Fixie Fit SA — For those who prefer two wheels to four.
Rands — For chisenyama with a vibe.
Saint — For those who like to pop bottles.
Selective Hearing — For those who know local talent is lekker.
Slow Cooked — For the best day party in town on a Sunday.
Fashion & Photography
Dr. Pachanga — For serious panafrican vibes.
Gemini Handcrafts — For the sleekest handcrafted leather.
Made by Mercy — For all things cute, snuggly baby.
Ogūn — For the most stylish men in town.
One of Each — For bags that slay, just like you.
Pang Isaac Photography — For the highest quality pictures of food, fashion, and fun.
Snapshot Mobile Cinema — For the next generation of up-and-coming photographers and videographers.
Tali & Damy — For bespoke jewelry.
Tukiya’s Closet — For predated but never outdated.
Unknown Union — For turning heads all day everyday.
Wale Mandla — For Cape Town’s boldest prints and patterns.
Food & Restaurants
4Roomed eKasi Culture & Foods — For food that transports you home.
Aaron’s Place — For jollof, plantain, fried fish, and more.
Lapa Artisan Condiments — For alllll the flavors.
Mama Bongi — For your sweet tooth.
Seven Colours Eatery — For home cooked amazingness in every bite.
Sikis Koffee Kafe — For the koolest speciality coffee in Khayelitsha.
Spinach King — For those who like green as much as they like Black.
Tapi Tapi — For those who like their ice cream drizzled with freedom.
Ubuntu EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil) — For those who like their oil Black.
Products
Imibongo kaMakhulu Dolla — For beautiful dolls who look like the beautiful you.
Pots About Plants — For pots with both plants and pizazz.
Sheba Feminine — For people with periods.
Silulo Ulutho Technologies — For your communication technology needs.
Skin & Haircare
Afro Corner — For you to get your hurr did.
Kafui Naturals — For you to look and smell like you’ve never looked and smelled before.
O’live — For soaps and other nice natural tingz.
Uuka — For those who brush their shoulders (and cheekbones) off.
Younger Beauty Bar — For those who like their hair did, nails did, everything did.
Wine & Gin
For something (a lot of things) to sip on.
Adama
Bayede!
House of Mandela
Imvula Wines
Khayelitsha’s Finest Wines
Lathithá
Magna Carta
Mayine Gin
M’hudi
Ses’fikile
Siwela
Last but not least, check out Black Owned Cape Town on the ‘gram for more of Cape Town’s latest and greatest Black owned businesses.
Nicole Banister is half Black, half Persian, and all big hair. Born in the USA but based in South Africa since 2013, she dreams of having a Sepedi-speaking cameo on a soapie and finding spatlo in Cape Town. You can follow her travels and turn-up nights on her Instagram, and you can read her curated collection of the world’s most hilarious sexy stories on My Basketball Team.
