Business

The woman who runs a beauty salon making up to R1,200 a day selling hair, wigs, braids, nails, and lashes in Pretoria Central

Bianke Neethling • 3 July 2026

Nompilo Mdlalose is a ‘kasipreneur’ who founded her own beauty salon that now generates between R500 and R1,200 a day.

Centia Beauty Salon also employs three people, with Mdlalose planning to expand her business in the coming years by introducing professional training sessions and her own line of hair products.

The term ‘kasipreneur’ was coined by informal economy expert GG Alcock in his book KasiNomics Unleashed.

It refers to entrepreneurs like Mdlalose who have built successful businesses in South Africa’s informal economy, sometimes called the “emerging” economy.

Based on Alcock’s research, South Africa has a booming informal economy that is worth as much as R1 trillion, but is often overlooked in favour of the formal economy.

In his book, Alcock argues that the informal economy comprises thousands, if not millions, of businesses that South Africans use to generate income where the formal economy falls short.

While considered “informal”, these businesses often mirror the structure of formal economy businesses.

They can include anything from bake-for-profit bakers to backroom rental barons, goat breeders, kasi delivery, mattress makers, vetkoek fryers, kota franchises, and backyard auto mechanics.

Alcock has been an advocate for the growth of the informal economy for decades, believing that developing this sector is the key to unlocking South Africa’s economic potential.

In an interview with Daily Investor in October 2025, Alcock explained that the term “informal” does not really represent the informal economy.

This is because “informal” implies that businesses in this sector are unstructured, unsophisticated, small-scale, or low-profit, which is not always the case.

“Just because these businesses operate within an informal space doesn’t mean the businesses themselves are informal,” he said.

“They may operate slightly differently, and they may be invisible to many people, but basically, the entire formal sector economy is represented in this space.”

This is certainly the case for Mdlalose, who has managed to build a thriving business within this often misunderstood economy.

Centia Beauty Salon

In Prime Towers on Francis Baard Street in Pretoria Central stands Centia Beauty Salon, which has become a premier destination for high-quality beauty services.

It was founded and is still run by Mdlalose, who employs a dedicated team of three people, offering top-tier hair and beauty treatments to the city’s residents.

The salon sells premium Vietnamese hair and offers expert hair and wig installations starting at R350, as well as intricate braiding services starting at R300.

The salon also offers professional nail services starting at R250, alongside lash extensions.

A Daily Investor representative recently visited Centia Beauty Salon to observe how the business operates and found that the salon primarily caters to working professionals and women seeking reliable, premium beauty treatments in the heart of the city.

The business is doing well, bringing in a steady R500 a day, and anywhere between R1,000 and R1,200 during busy periods.

Another misconception about many informal market businesses is that they operate primarily in cash.

However, as Alcock has also noted, the informal economy is developing fast, with many informal businesses having digitised and now accepting alternative forms of payment.

In Mdlalose’s case, Centia Beauty Salon accepts cash, card payments, and EFT transfers.

Mdlalose told Daily Investor that she has clear plans to expand her business. She intends to introduce beauty and hair training sessions to upskill others in her community and to launch her own dedicated line of hair products.

In the meantime, Mdlalose and Centia Beauty Salon plan to stay true to their motto and commitment to clients: that every lady sitting in their chairs will leave feeling “crowned”.

The photos below were taken by Daily Investor’s representative and show Centia Beauty Salon’s operations in Pretoria.