The Milk restaurant survives Covid-19 and is set to create more jobs

Cape Town - The re-launch of The Milk Restaurant and Bar in Khayelitsha is set to bring more jobs as well as retain jobs for its current employees.

This is after the restaurant nearly closed down permanently due to Covid-19 and saw 50 job loses, threading the livelihoods of employees.

Owner Siphelo Jalivane said they partnered with the Mbeki brothers who invested in the restaurant and saved it from a complete shutdown. He said that since its opening in 2018, the restaurant has seen a great progress and managed to employ many locals around Khayelitsha.

‘’The business took a huge knock during the pandemic as it was only in operations for a year and few months when Covid-19 hit our shores. Due the pandemic we closed for seven months, we had to retrench staff and restructure. This gave me a chance to look at my failures, success and areas of development I need to focus on.

‘’It was and still is my vision to bring the fine dining experience to the township for the township. Before the pandemic, the Milk used to be an entrainment and tourism attraction for Khayelitsha, creating jobs for the youth and previously unemployed. We were a place for business meetings and lifestyle and leisure with our three different floors which offered something for everyone.’’

He said with the new amendments to lockdown restrictions, they are hoping to see growth, expansion as well as more creation of jobs in the township.

Lucia Mdanjelwa is a 29-year-old employee who is also a resident of Khayelitsha and has been with the restaurant since inception in 2018 where she had started as a waitress and now she is a supervisor.

‘’This jobs means a lot to me. It is an opportunity for me to develop myself as a person and professionally. I have grown since taking this job. I am gaining experience both in hospitality and customer service,’’ she said.

Co-owner Mfundo Mbeki said it was also an opportunity of growth for him and his brother and they wished to collaborate more. The Mbekis said they were pleased to have saved the jobs of about 35 staff members who are primarily black youth and women.

‘’We had a sit down with Siphelo Jalivane and the idea of investing in the establishment came about. It’s a different ball game for us as we do not have the knowledge to run a restaurant as yet but we will learn as we go.

‘’We plan to add our own flavour and strategies that have worked for us at our other establishment in building a formidable restaurant in the township. We have brands that are willing to work with us in making sure this dream comes alive,’’ said Mbeki.

The newly revamped restaurant with three floors providing a variety of services is also said to give customers different dining experiences in one.

Weekend Argus