SA opera singer hits the right note with pet-washing business

Masakhane Sotayisi offers a pet-grooming service in his local community in Khayelitsha, Cape Town.

CAPE TOWN, March 25 (ANA) – A clean pet is a happy pet, according to a budding business owner, Masakhane Sotayisi.

Sotayisi, 30, has a career in performing arts as an opera singer, which started with Isango Ensemble, a Cape Town-based theatre company, in 2013.

Last month, Sotayisi went from sounds to hounds. He started offering a dog-washing service in his local community in Makhaya, South Africa.

Sotayisi told the African News Agency (ANA) that his passion for music began when he was young.

“Travelling to Munich and Tokyo has been the highlight of my career,” he said.

Thanks to his singing career, Sotayisi has had the pleasure of travelling to countries such as the United States, China, United Kingdom, Luxembourg, France, Norway, United Arab Emirates, Netherlands, Australia and New Zealand.

Like many others who have careers in the arts, Sotayisi was not exempted from the unexpected disruptions that came with the Covid-19 pandemic.

In March 2020, South Africa went into a hard lockdown, which saw the closure of borders and businesses and the ban of large gatherings.

Sotayisi said Covid-19 restrictions started while he was preparing for a European tour.

Because performances require an audience, everything came to a halt and he could only work virtually.

The idea of starting a dog-washing business was partly influenced by the fact that he was at home, he said.

However, he and his brother took it seriously when they noticed that their dogs still had ticks after a wash.

In his local community, there are no dog-washing businesses, so he saw a need for one, he said.

If he kept the local dogs clean, then his dogs were less likely to have fleas, he explained.

The pet-washing business offers a wash, moisturiser, flea dip and vitamins for dogs.

The reception in the community has been positive, he said.

Since it’s a new business, he said that he is open to any kind of donations in the form of brushes, tubs or supplements. Contact can be made through his business page: Facebook/Masakhane’s Pet Wash (eDiphini).

He has been volunteering at an animal welfare centre in Philippi, Cape Town, to learn more about the maintenance of pets.

Soon, he hopes to make his business mobile, which will allow him to reach more communities.

Theatres are still not able to operate under lockdown level 1, and Sotayisi said the government has failed the arts and culture industry on so many levels.

“It’s been hectic for us as artists. Jobs are scarce and we can’t do any productions.”

Sotayisi said he hopes to perform abroad again, and when that happens the pet-washing business will be left in the capable hands of his brother.

– African News Agency (ANA); Editing by Yaron Blecher