Catch a ride and a massage at rank

Lumka Mpayisa pampering one of her clients.

Massage is no longer available only at luxury spas and upscale health clubs, thanks to entrepreneurs like Lumka Mpayisa, who operates her business from a container in the heart of in Khayelitsha, near the Site C taxi rank.

Lumka, who until last year worked as a security guard, said she decided to venture into the massage business after a few trial sessions.

“I attended a course at Ascendis Health Spa and was motivated to bring massaging closer to the people,” she said.

With this in mind, she set up her massage bed and chairs in major taxi ranks in Cape Town and as far as Mthatha, and was further motivated by the response.

“Look, people work under immense pressures and their stress levels are high,” she sighed as she recalled her first days.

She said bringing massage therapy to taxi ranks offered a chance to people who would not have ordinarily entered a spa.

“Everyone needs a massage from time to time and our people stay far from these places and this is their chance to be pampered,” she added.

“If you’ve never tried massage, you can visit my place at any time.” A happy Nombuso Nqwenani , 43, had just received her massage and was still glowing from the experience.

“I am satifisfied with what she did to me and I feel relieved, the strain in my shoulders has gone,” she said.

Taxi driver Ndikho Mhlambi, 40, was also pleased with the service. “It was my first time and I can assure you it’s not my last visit. I will encourage my colleagues to come here because we are all stressed,” Ndikho said.

Lumka said from time to time, she would venture outdoors to work at taxi ranks as a way of growing her business.