Mazoyi Mixture medicinal bottles are flying off the shelves of pharmacies around the country and curing minor illnesses which affect young children.

The mixture made from aloe as a main ingredient is produced by Lwazi Marawu’s company called Mazoyi Group.

Marawu says the mixture cures illnesses such as colic, eczema, phlegm and wind.

Owner of Mazoyi Mixture Lwazi Marawu sells his medicinal mixtures across the country.

He started the business in 2009 when he saw how newly born babies and toddlers were affected by the four illnesses.

The 33-year-old businessman from Butterworth in the Eastern Cape said his mixture was tested by the Agricultural Research Council and the Egolibio Life Sciences Incubator.

The mixture is made at Marawu’s factory in Alice where he cooks the herbs with his team using machinery which were bought by a R50 000 loan from the Raymond Mhlaba Municipality.

Marawu said the business was distributing to the Link pharmacy group and retail chain stores.

“We distribute to selected Link pharmacies, Superspars and cosmetic chain stores. We also distribute to wholesalers such as City Wholesalers and Africa Cash and Carry.”

Marawu, who holds a bachelor’s degree in Public Management, added that receiving an education was vital for youngsters who aspire to go in to business, he said studying business management helped him to think as a businessman.

Mazoyi Mixture is also distributed in Gauteng, with the secret to it is success being a good understanding of the company’s target market which are mainly in rural areas.

“Our business is about working with people who then refer others to our business because of how we deal with them,” he said.

Marawu said Mazoyi Mixture currently employs 14 people who produce 15 000 to 18 000 bottles of the mixture. These are packaged in 500 millilitre bottles.

-This article was originally published in the GCIS Vuk'uzenzele.