Volume 65 December 2026-January 2026 : Business

Article & Photos: Itumeleng Semele

He is an accomplished hairstylist who knows what he wants out of life.Thus,  Creative Talent Hair Salon`s Sydney Kutlabjwe talks about how his love for hair as a barber or hairstylist with a tinge of nostalgia.

Here is a man whose career in hair saw him hoping from one salon to another doing what he knows best - hairstyles of different cuts and colours. The 54-year-old Sydney of Mapotsane ward in Mochudi admits he is Gaborone`s longest serving Motswana male hairstylist.
Coming from a family of five and being the eldest meant there was not enough much money going around at that time and at the age of 23 he felt compelled to board a bus to Gaborone to look for a job in the then small town of Gaborone.

“I did not know anyone in Gaborone but circumstances forced me to leave my family for Gaborone with expectation that I would get a job. I had no one but myself to turn to. I could not turn to my mother at the time as she was not earning enough money,” says Sidney.

He had just completed junior secondary school and would then spend months looking for an opening but since he did not posses any qualification beyond junior certificate, no one showed interest in him. However, that did not dampen his spirit.
In 1985, he met a gentleman called Joe Mtonga from South Africa who was in Botswana to promote some hair product in Botswana.  He asked Sydney to join him in promoting and marketing the product. Realising Sidney`s talent, Mtonga later invited him to South Africa for a short course in hair beauty.

“When I asked him why I had to enroll for such a short programme, he told me that he was planning to open a salon in Gaborone and that he would like me to work for him,” recalls Sydney.

“I never looked back and I do not regret it at all. I am what I am because of Joe Mtonga. He mentored me well,” says Sid with confidence.

In 1987, he popped in at Lily`s Hair Salon at Gaborone`s main mall, and asked to see the manager. “I approached her and boldly told her that I wanted to work for her,” remembers Sid.“She asked me if I knew anything about hair and its products. That day marked the start of my long career,” says Sid.

With the little money he earned, Sydney rented a one-roomed house at Partial not even sure how he was going to cope. He had to work hard.

“I struggled to make ends meet. The P250 monthly salary I earned was not enough to sustain me but I never gave up,” he recalls.

Some family members and friends thought he was crazy working as a barber. They never appreciated that one would make a living cutting people`s hair. Two years later, Sydney quit Lily`s Hair Salon to join Afro Dizzier. He did not earn any salary at Afro Dizzier but just commission.

He quit in 1994 to join Lady Vanessa where he stayed for six years. In 2001 he moved to CJ Salon later named Cassamia Salon at main mall.

Asked why he had to move from one salon to another, Sid simply says “I had now gained experience, and was therefore looking for better offers and something that would not only benefit me but my clients as well.”

“The many years that I have been in this industry have taught me one thing, that clients deserve great service as well as a beautiful environment,” reckons Sid.

He worked until 2012 when he moved to Creative Talent Hair Salon where he would be introduced to an arrangement called RENT A CHAIR.

In such an arrangement, one enters into agreement with a salon owner to rent space including some equipment and they work at their own pace. 

Sid says the arrangement is the best because it has worked wonders for him. “Just a month after signing the agreement, I was surprised how much money I am able to make,” he says.

Twenty-seven years in the hair industry and having worked for eight salons, Sid is undoubtedly a veteran. He boasts of being master of the short hairstyles - Bob cuts and S-curl.

Sid says he is a true professional, not the type that overbooks only to pass customers to other hairstylists. “I respect my clients and I always make sure that they get their hair done by me,” he says.

His loyal customers and those who have been under his hands attest to his innovative skills and professionalism. Sid is perfectionist.

As we end the interview, he hands me his business card and his last piece of advice is that: clients deserve great service, therefore, learn first to provide the best quality service.

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