Online Reporter
Victor Madzinga
IN Gwanda, there are few people who have not heard of “Auntie Sane”. For some, she is the woman who serves affordable meals from her restaurant. For others, she is a businesswoman who has built a successful enterprise from humble beginnings. Yet for many struggling families, she is simply a kind-hearted neighbour who believes that nobody should go hungry.
Behind the popular name is Saneliso Nkolomi, a woman whose life story is rooted in family, hard work, faith and a deep commitment to uplifting others.
Although she has built a respected business empire in her own right, Saneliso’s entrepreneurial journey began long before she opened her first restaurant.
Business runs through the veins of the Nkolomi family.
Her father, Mishek Bata Nkolomi, a retired police officer, spent years building and managing successful businesses in Gwanda. After stepping away from the hustle and bustle of commercial retailing, he turned his attention to breeding pedigree Brahman cattle on a plot on the outskirts of town, where he now quietly manages a thriving herd.
The family’s business footprint stretches across Gwanda.
One of Saneliso’s brothers, who is based in the United Kingdom, owns the two-storey building that houses Pick n Pay in Gwanda. Another brother owns the property occupied by Choppies supermarket.
A third brother, who previously operated Mc Inn Supermarket and Phoenix Gardens, popularly known as
Tshisanyama, now runs the well-known Cry Mantengwane in Pakhama and BBQ in Gwanda’s central business district, establishments that have become favourites for both residents and visitors.
Growing up in such an environment, it would have been difficult for Saneliso to escape the pull of entrepreneurship.
She is the fourth child and the only daughter of Mishek Bata Nkolomi and the late Norget Moyo Nkolomi. Over the years, many people in Gwanda came to affectionately call her “Auntie”, a nickname that has since become her brand and identity.
Speaking about her upbringing, Saneliso explained that she was born in Bubi and grew up in a home where generosity was not just encouraged but practised daily. Besides raising their biological children, her parents also took in and raised another son as their own.
That spirit of compassion would later influence the way she approached business.
The Nkolomi family’s success enabled all the children to attend boarding school, an experience that Saneliso says helped shape her independence from an early age.
Away from home, she learned responsibility, discipline and self-reliance, qualities that would prove valuable in her future ventures.
The family’s generosity also became well known within the community. At St Martin’s Anglican Church in Gwanda, where the congregation may be small, acts of giving have never been in short supply, thanks largely to the quiet support of the Nkolomi family over the years.
It was Saneliso’s mother who first recognised her daughter’s entrepreneurial potential.
Believing she had a talent for sewing, she encouraged her to enrol at a tailoring school after completing high school.
That decision would set Saneliso on her first business journey.
Armed with her new skills, she established a tailoring business that soon gained a loyal customer base. She made wedding gowns, curtains, bedding, household furnishings and school uniforms, becoming known for the quality of her work and her reliability.
The business provided a steady income and built her reputation within the community.
As the years passed and she started a family of her own, Saneliso began to think more deeply about the future.
The demands of raising children were increasing, and although tailoring provided stability, she knew she needed to explore new opportunities.
“I realised that tailoring alone could no longer provide everything my children needed. While it brought food to the table and a roof over our heads, I knew I had to think differently,” she said.
At a crucial moment in her life, she turned to the person she trusted most for guidance: her father.
Saneliso describes him as her mentor, role model and greatest source of wisdom.
She says his calm advice and patient leadership helped all the Nkolomi children navigate life’s challenges.
“With his encouragement, I took a leap of faith into the food business. That leap marked the moment I switched from being a tailor to running a restaurant with a deep love for people.”
The decision would change the course of her life.
At first, she operated a restaurant from premises owned by one of her brothers in Gwanda town. Customers came for traditional meals, but they soon discovered that she offered something more than food.
Saneliso made a habit of walking between tables, speaking to customers and ensuring everyone was satisfied before leaving.
No customer was too important or too ordinary for her attention.
That simple approach became the foundation upon which the Auntie Sane brand was built.
People came back not just because the food was good, but because they felt welcome.
Several years later, another opportunity presented itself.
Saneliso successfully negotiated a long-term lease with the National Railways of Zimbabwe. Today, she operates three business units on the railway premises: a restaurant, a convenience shop and a small bakery.
Together, the ventures form Ko-Auntie Sane Investments.
What she has built may not be flashy, but it is respected. The business has grown through consistency, affordability and a reputation for serving quality food.
Yet for Saneliso, success has never been measured solely by profit.
She firmly believes that businesses should create opportunities for others.
Guided by the philosophy that empowering communities leads to broader development, she sources many of the products used in her restaurant from surrounding rural communities, ensuring local families benefit from her business activities.
She has also become a passionate advocate for women’s economic empowerment.
Alongside two women from Chipinge, she worked tirelessly to establish stronger links between fruit farmers in Chipinge and markets in Gwanda.
The project required persistence, travel and determination.
Although one of the women involved passed away in January this year, the initiative continues to create opportunities for both growers and traders.
The arrangement makes economic sense.
Chipinge is renowned for producing fruits such as bananas, pineapples, oranges, avocados and sugarcane, while
Matabeleland South’s dry climate limits agricultural production.
By connecting the two regions, Saneliso and her colleagues helped create a sustainable supply chain that benefits communities on both sides.
Despite her growing success, Saneliso remains firmly grounded.
“My children continue to be my greatest inspiration, but my purpose extends beyond my family; I believe that business should always have a human heart,” said Saneliso.
“No one should go hungry if I can help, whether it is giving someone bread when they are short of money, serving someone a one-dollar meal so they have something to eat for the day, or helping a child in need of something as simple as a bar of soap. I believe kindness is just as important as success.”
Those words explain why many people in Gwanda speak of Auntie Sane with admiration.
For her, business is not merely about transactions. It is about people.
It is about preserving dignity, creating hope and ensuring that even those facing difficult circumstances are treated with care and respect.
Seeing people live with hope and dignity, she says, remains one of the most rewarding aspects of her work.
The philosophy has earned her loyal customers and transformed her businesses into community spaces where people feel valued.
In many ways, Saneliso is a reflection of the values instilled in her by her parents.
She carries forward her father’s work ethic and entrepreneurial spirit, while also embracing her mother’s attention to detail and nurturing nature.
Yet she has added her own signature ingredient: compassion.
That compassion has transformed ordinary commerce into something far more meaningful.
When asked about her ambitions for the future, her answer is striking.
Rather than speaking about expanding into a nationwide chain or accumulating wealth, Saneliso focuses on impact.
“My dream is not only to build successful businesses but to create opportunities that uplift families, strengthen the local economy and leave a lasting impact on my community,” she said.
For a woman known simply as Auntie Sane, that dream may already be taking shape.
Every loaf baked, every meal served, every local farmer supported and every struggling customer helped brings her one step closer to the community-centred legacy she hopes to leave behind.
