04 Aug 2014

The current rate of unemployment in the country has forced men and women to diversify and compete for jobs that were historically known to be performed by a specific gender.



Forty year-old Aleck Sibanda, who was born in Transkei, South Africa and grew up in Zimbabwe but now living in Botswana is one such a person.

 Not only is this man a talented poet, but he is a hairdresser of repute, whose love for hairdressing started in 1999 in Zimbabwe when he was still a model. 



He said due to his dedication to time management, he learnt to plait other models’ hair at Medusa Modelling Company so as to kill two birds with one stone.

 Moreover, Sibanda said in 2002, he relocated to Botswana and concentrated in performing and writing poetry as well as hairdressing.



As a hairdresser, he learnt that customers come to salons to relax and unwind, therefore it is apparent for the service provider to concentrate more into what they are doing while at the same time being friendly. 

He said he attracts his customers by sharing jokes with them and in a given time, he recites his poems to them. 



Sibanda stated that men have taken the hairdressing business by storm, stressing that men can plait and do women hair extensions just the same way as the female hairdressers’.

 Funny enough, he adds, is that women customers nowadays prefer to have their hair done by men than the women.



On the poetry side, Sibanda said he plans to write and publish poetry books since he started reciting his poetry in 2003.

 His first book titled “My upbringing,” which was supposed to be published in 2003 was not successful and he is still looking forward to working with recognised publishers to have it out. 



Sibanda said as a patriotic African, he addresses the issues of HIV and AIDS, corruption and gender violence in his poems and teaches against the spreading of HIV by people who are already on ARV treatment.

 He stressed that the issue of HIV infection should not be looked at as a blame game but should be addressed as a 50/50 situation for both males and females.



A customer at the salon where Sibanda plies his trade, Tshepang Keipeile said he has known him since 2012 and has been his service provider ever, stressing that he gets advice on how to control dandruff and take care of his skin.
 
Keitheile stressed that  Sibanda likes to joke and quotes legendary Africans while at the same time doing a satisfactory hair job. 



Another customer, Keletso Maphepha said her hairdresser is a professional stylist who treats his customers with respect, whether they are male or female.
 
She stressed that male hairdressers are more accommodating to customers and they work hard to satisfy their clientele because they are eager to catch up with their female counterparts. 
ENDS