Since the start of Season 2 of the Real Housewives of Durban (RHOD) everybody’s been talking about the return of Westville’s Busisiwe Seme – a guest-come-fan-fave – who won over the hearts of viewers in the first season, and not for her sass and drama!
We didn’t think we would be but we are fans of the Real Housewives of Durban – a reality show about hard-working business women who play just as hard. With Season 2 out, we’ve been watching wide eyed, and understand just why digital influential business woman maBusi, as she is fondly known, walked away with a solid fan base at the end of the first season.
A dynamic, charismatic and sociable woman, maBusi says she originally joined the show as a guest, hoping to get exposure for her business, but what she got out of it was way beyond what she’d anticipated.
“Being part of a group of dynamic affluent influential women who focus on the lives and social dynamics of our society and culture was just a small part of it.”
Despite being unproblematic and friendly, maBusi was often made the butt of the jokes by the other wives but, with authenticity and kindness two of her strongest traits, she kept her composure and won over fans for it.
“Being on TV is a risk on its own. Standing up for myself against the other wives who have security and support from their husbands was also a risk. I don’t know how to be anything but myself, and who would have thought it would work in my favour in such a public domain. I was embraced with such warmth and love.”
A lover of fashion, travel and family, maBusi’s business acumen kicked in at a very young age.
“Growing up in the apartheid era influenced me to work hard and made me determined to move out of the township lifestyle which was designed to suppress and limit us. In high school my mother set me up with a small business at school selling chips and chocolates. It taught me how to be financially independent and that’s when I developed my love for business.”
In 2018 maBusi was told by her gynaecologist that she had fibroids and would have to have an op to have them removed.
“I was not keen on going under the knife, so was determined to find a solution. In my search I stumbled across Yoni Intimate Steaming in the USA that offered alternative gynaecological healing to women. I took the plunge and it helped me.”
Feeling inspired, the resilient and successful mother of two – who believes there is nothing more expensive in life than missed opportunities – gave up a corporate job and followed her dream of being an entrepreneur.
“Giving up my stability and starting a business from scratch was a huge risk but, it was one of the best decisions I ever made. Seeing how women are being liberated and regaining their self-confidence through holistic healing makes it all worthwhile.”
Apart from brining a world of intimate alternative healing to women in South Africa, maBusi launched her own GlamFab boutique and most recently her online jewellery store, all of which have seen her work closely with some of South Africa’s biggest beauty, fashion and health brands.
“I love local brands. Khosi Nkosi (for traditional fashion), Fabrosanz (for versatile clothing) and BCozy (for sleepwear) are some of my favourites. Fashion is an extension of my personality. It allows me to be creative and gives me freedom to be who I am. You are what you wear, and in my case elegance must never take a day off.”
maBusi is also a huge fan of discovering new places and cultures when time allows or work calls for it.
“We have so many of God’s wonders on our doorstep and Cape Town tops that list. I also love great company, my mother’s especially. As an only child, I make sure I am there for my mother as she was for me. We have dinner dates in Umhlanga regularly as she loves the sea views, and, like me, she has a passion for fashion, so our outings often include a trip to the mall.”
maBusi is also passionate about giving back to the community, not only through tangible goods but empowering and grooming young women to be the best they can be.
“A brilliant personality goes a long way to being a great entrepreneur, as do self-discipline and having good administration skills. You have to believe in yourself, be determined to succeed and then surround yourself with honest and supportive people. In everything we do, we must try until we succeed. I love a challenge, learning new things and finding new ways to solve problems. But, as hard as I work, I also play with a purpose, because it’s important to have that balance.”
Her future plans are to include young men in her empowerment efforts to ensure our society is in a better position.
“Every one of us should have dreams. And then don’t just talk about what you want to do … put it in action. Take that risk. And never give up. If you failed first time round and you wake up the next morning, that means you’ve been given another chance to try again and you’re one step closer to achieving your goals.”
Details: You can watch the Real Housewives of Durban on Showmax and follow maBusi on IG: @mabusilicious, FB: Mabusi Seme or Twitter: @mabusis3
Photos: Penny Katz Photography, IG: @pennykatzphotography, 083 214 0692, Makeup: Nokubonga Njongo, IG: @prettynglamy, 073 528 5469, Stylist: Sandra Edwin IG: @myfashion_link, 078 910 6593
