/ 19 October 2005

Ziyakhipha Ekasi!

It is early in the morning outside house No 3426, in Chiawelo Extension Two, Soweto, and Lawrence Ramadisa is putting out his wares. He arranges boxes of shiny green apples, cabbages, beetroot and spinach. He even has strawberries, though these are not very popular in the neighbourhood.

Radamisa is one of the growing number of entrepreneurs in Chiawelo and the fruit and vegetable stall is just one of his ventures.

Stepping inside his four-roomed house, you have to be careful not to trip over the cables criss-crossing the floor to supply power to eight computers, a fax machine and tele-phones in a tiny makeshift office. It is hard to believe that soon the place will be buzzing with people using the services from this tiny room that is Ekasi Internet CafÃ