[School comment]
Over a dozen of matriculants at the
for Blind will get their matric ball swagger on when they receive free haircuts
from a professional barbershop in
Calvin Smith, 38, owner of HairMcAnix, will,
for the second time in as many years, offer his advanced services for the
Bellville school’s pupils “because of passion”.
First, he explained, last year, a Facebook
friend had challenged him to pamper 15 pupils for free, and has since decided
to work with the school again. He said should the number be greater, he would acquire an extra hand from his former proteges, who have gone on to open their barbershops, across the city.
Originally from Stellenbosch and now settled in Kuils River, the busy barber, with whom one has to make
an appointment before going for a haircut, usually cuts 10 clients’ per day at
his Kerk Street-based business, but he has offered to increases the number of
heads he will cut on Wednesday September 28, a day before the pupils’ matric
ball at the Rondebosch Golf Club.
He cut 15 pupils for last years’ matric
ball and said he would cut around the same figure on Wednesday.
The qualified barber, who has an upcoming
assessment at a major institute, where he will supervise aspiring barbers, said
he could cut more but would need more manpower, preferably his apprentices
scattered around the City, during that day.
“Cutting their hair is a pleasure to me.
I’ll do my best to put a smile on their faces,” he said.
“I wake up early in the morning to do this
because of passion for it. It’s my devotion and that’s just me.”
Mr Smith, who regularly cuts A-list
celebrities, including TV personality Katlego Maboe and R&B artist Loyiso
Bala, among others, promised the pupils “are sure to get advanced haircuts” on
Wednesday. He has a call-out ser
All the clients come on appointments, he
said, but on Wednesday his attention will be on the pupils.
Mr Smith will go to the Lofdal drug
rehabilitation centre in Kraaifontein next month, where he will set up a
workshop and offer one-year apprenticeships to some of the recovering addicts,
who will work for him during the course of next year.
Next year he plans to help 10 recovering
addicts to join his business on year-long apprenticeships.
Jerome Miller, a regular client at the
barbershop, heaped praise on Mr Smith for his kind initiative.
“He’s very professional. I think it’s an
awesome initiative. We need to see more entrepreneurs giving back to the
community.”
Vera Petersen, manager of the school’s marketing and fundraising, said: “It’s a great initiative. Too many business people don’t reach out to the less fortunate. Calvin is one of those rare business people with a sense of community spirit.”
