In the rural reserve of Macekane, just outside Empangeni, a young girl once filed her nails with quiet curiosity, not knowing that the same hands would one day shape a business and a movement of their own. That girl is Snenhlanhla Mndaba (32), founder of Nezoh Talents, a proudly local beauty business specialising in nails and make-up, rooted in heart, hustle, and heritage.
A product of Obizo and Macekane Primary Schools and later Qhamuka High School, Snenhlanhla’s early dreams were shaped by circumstance. After matriculating, she enrolled at Umfolozi TVET College for Business Management and later at UNISA but had to drop out of both due to financial challenges. Still, what life denied her in classrooms, she reclaimed in real-world experience.
In 2022, Snenhlanhla began her journey in beauty right on the streets of Empangeni, stationed by Nando’s, brush in hand, purpose in heart. For three years, she worked as a sidewalk nail technician, facing harsh elements and municipal by-laws that made it hard to even hold space. Yet through all the red tape, she built a loyal client base that saw her not as a street vendor but as an artist.
Her breakthrough came in 2024 when she secured a proper facility behind Game in Empangeni CBD. The move was bittersweet she lost some clients due to the new location, which is near a tavern but she stood firm. “I couldn’t be a street vendor forever,” she says. “Growth comes with sacrifice.”
She didn’t stop at doing nails, she upskilled herself, attending multiple short business courses including a year long Business Management training and mentoship at Richards Bay Technical & Assessment Centre. Though she lost business during that time and even her equipment went missing, she pressed reset, trained again under a fellow technician, and came back stronger. In 2023, she completed another programme by National Youth Development Agenda aimed at helping small businesses become funding-ready.
Her growth has not been a solo journey. As a believer in passing on the torch, Snenhlanhla trained Ms Nomcebo Dludla, who now works alongside her and is already shining as one of the top talents in her corner.
But perhaps the most touching part of her story came this week, when she sponsored nail services for two Matric learners from Thanduyise High School, attending their Matric Dance at Mzingazi Golf Estate. It was more than a random act of kindness, it was deeply personal. Snenhlanhla never attended her own Matric Dance. “The situation at home wasn’t good,” she recalls. “So I wanted these girls to feel seen, celebrated. I didn’t want them to miss what I missed.”
She’s not just running a business, she’s becoming the big sister she never had. A mentor. A reminder that township success stories don’t have to leave the township behind.
When asked what advice she’d give to her 16-year-old self, she didn’t hesitate:
“Focus on school. Forget about boys. Understand your home situation and be real about it. Explore your passions and learn to adapt, the world is always changing.”
At Nezoh Talents, beauty is more than polish and powder, it’s purpose, presence, and power. And Snenhlanhla Mndaba? She’s just getting started.
