A NUMBER of Bulawayo hairdressers have bemoaned how a lot of people looked down upon their profession, which they described as important as nearly every person wanted their hair attended to.
BY JOEL TSVAKWI
NewsDay Life & Style caught up with a number of barbers who indicated that it was unfortunate that some of their clients felt their profession was a low job.
Jona Shoko, who has been a barber for six years, said their work was like any other profession and ought to be respected.
“We are like any other people plying their trade to make ends meet,” he said.
Shoko, who said he scored eight points at A-Level, said he resorted to the trade as he could not afford to further his education.
Another barber, Rodrick Muleya, said business was so brisk that he was able to earn a living, but said school holidays were their peak business times.
He also said the majority of their clients were drawn from members of the uniformed forces, who were always expected to look prim with clean shaven hair.
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“Officers from the police, prisons and army are our best customers. They have so much respect for us. They constitute the bulk of our customers and during their pay days, we rest assured that each one of us can go home smiling,” he said.
He however said commuter omnibus drivers and conductors, as well as touts, were tricky customers.
“Drivers particularly kombi drivers and their touts are the worst of our clients. They view us as worse than dogs, to some extent they don’t even want to pay us,” he said.
The hairdressers recalled the “golden era” around 2010 when South African footballer Teko Modise popularised the Mohawk haircut during the Soccer World Cup finals in that country.
The hairdressers said they have been able to acquire assets and were bread winners for their family, courtesy of their jobs.
“I have managed to buy a car, to build my own rural home and in the city am living pretty well — even better than some people who are formally employed,” said Shoko.
