 My name is Maya from Ghana and I'm visiting South Africa for the first time. We're trying to get to know what other Africans are doing in South Africa and we came across you and we felt like no, you're the best person to share your story with us. First of all, your name and then where are you from? Well, my name is Ken Ayeran. I am a Nigerian. I've been in South Africa for over 23 years. Over 23 years. First of all, what brought you to South Africa? Well, originally, I was a media practitioner. I was sent here as the bureau chief of the news agency of Nigeria, covering the entire South Africa. After doing that job, I went back to Nigeria, took voluntary retirement and then went to private. I came back, I was here in 1996 to 2000 and came back 2002. And then went into my own things. Wow. A lot of people are talking about you here in South Africa doing an amazing thing. But people watching us really don't know what to do in South Africa. When I do a bit here and there, I got involved with the Chevron group. You know, the Cartex franchisee. That was in 2002. I became the first Nigerian to get a franchise in the world, in the country. And they are operating that franchise in the West Bank. In 2003, I established the home base group, which essentially is where we are now. We're doing food not just for the Nigerian people, but for the African community. And we're targeting Africans from the different parts of the continent and tourists who visit Africa. Of course, if you have a group of Italians, they won't come here and be looking for pizzas and pastas and those kinds of things. They've seen the best of it where they're coming from. And obviously they want to know what these Africans eat. So the home base menu is essentially a collection of what Africans eat from the different regions of the continent except for North Africa. Because those ones do more Mediterranean things. And you're South African, Zambian. Zambian, can you find your food? If you're from Ghana, I suppose you will. You'll find your Jollof rice here. You'll find your Gary and Gary photo. And red red and everything. But that's essentially what we do. And the idea actually is to project that which is African because I believe that we have the best food, the very best if you cannot compare what we eat to what other people eat. The varieties there, the nutritional value is there. So apart from the restaurants, is there anything that you do that when people come in here, maybe you can accommodate them or you can have them? So I own the Golden Rose Lodge in Fendel. Down has been on since 2009. And we host a lot of people there. Sometimes you get, like now, places have been booked out. Which is the reason I told you we couldn't. But people once had some privacy for themselves. And as the commission they say, they would prefer some privacy and all of that. Since 2009, we use it during the World Cup and we use it consistently ever since. We also do luxury car rentals. You know, we have May bags. We have Bentley's. We have Mercedes Benz that we let out. We're not running a taxi business. These are high-end, high-value cars that we use. But only when we have clients who know the value and can afford these cars. So say you're president around, for instance, and you want to say, you don't want to drive into a Toyota Corolla, for instance. Or who knows? Then we provide some services. We have the right car for England. And these cars are driven by our own trained shoppers who are also trained bodyguards. So they provide protection. They know the terrain. They take you to where you go. And they drive in luxury. We do that. But let's talk about this. I really understand. I'm just trying to tell Africans that whenever they find themselves in South Africa, you can also do something for yourself. Just like Mr. Ken. But Mr. Ken, we want to know how Nigerians live in South Africa. We all know what we heard before coming here is about xenophobia. Do you have anything to say about that? Look, I've been here for so long. I'm very honest with you. And what you hear sometimes and what you see at two different things. Thank you. What I always say to my brothers is before you leave your home, before you leave your country have a plan. Have something that you want to go and do. And don't leave your home and go and become constituted nuisance in somebody else's place. You know, I came here to do business having worked here. You know, I brought capital and invested. And I'm employing South Africans and other nationals. Here in this country in all of my ventures I think that the world will work for me in excess of 100. And these are people who have families. The guys have wives and have children and have dependency. And the ladies have children. Some have husbands who don't work, who don't have jobs as they look at. So the ripple effect is from the different things that we do we're taking care of a quite a number of people. The system appreciates people like that. I wouldn't say Zerufuba is not dead but I say I've not experienced it. I sit quietly and do my business. I conform to the rules of the land. I keep our baby long. If the law says if you come into the country make yourself legal. I came here as an investor. You know, as a businessman I got a business permit, I got a permanent resident, I got a citizenship. So I do, I play by the rules. You know, when it's time to do statutory things you do statutory things. But it is not to say it is not, it is not there. But most of the time you'll find that the people will be reacting to what they perceive as the negatives coming from the foreigners. Some of them would accuse the foreigners of doing drugs. They would accuse foreigners of taking their women, of doing fraud and those kinds of things. And sometimes, maybe when they feel they have had too much of such from people from elsewhere who come in and don't obey the rules of the land and they tend to take laws into their hands. But the government is also doing a lot to try and encourage the people to say look you can coexist with the people with a lot of them conduct skills let them come with capital rather than attack them and then you know, you can actually work with them and learn from them. Before I let you go I wanted to send a message to your fellow brothers and sisters out there who want to come to South Africa and invest because you know why when I came to South Africa a lot of people are telling me to get out of that jungle. Don't stay in that jungle but look at you, I mean like you live your best life in here anything you want to do with your family. Look I've been here for let me talk like a South African they say touch wood it's been good and my message will be look South African welcomes investors no doubt about it the president has been going all around there's nothing I've tried to get in this country that I did not get that being in Nigeria because I would go about it the right way you want to run a business first of all be legal legally resident in the country so you don't see the policemen see home affairs people from the Ministry of Interior and then you start talking and regularize your state you know, identify what you want to do once you have done that if you have capital to invest identify the business you understand what I'm saying where we are now this is Santan city I'm sure they would have told you this is the most prestigious mall in the country I mean and nobody has discovered one from their business here just playing by their book then when you come and your intention is to get rich overnight I've been doing business I've been working I told you 24 years you know whatever comes to be I think whatever I get from what I do might be little drops we put together and we live our lives I enjoy peace I don't want that type of life where you want to turn rich don't turn become extra wealthy overnight but you can sleep at night now I would rather just do what to you know be able to send my kids to school be able to feed be able to to change my shirt and having done all of that I want to go home with my wife and then relax you know not when you hear that when a cop grows you think it's a policeman that is looking for you you know you I don't like that kind of life so that's my advice you want to come to a country like this if you have capital to invest identify the opportunities if you have skills you know they have such things they have the skills shortage go to the embassy in your very respected countries apply with your skills that you have this skill that skill they will grant you so when you come you can go to the various departments there's a ministry of labour you've got to register with the people whether it's there are labour brokers there are recruitment agencies you go to number one you would have been legally respected when there's an opportunity I'll give you the job I've seen a lot of people, my friends who came in like that and they are fine and they have it where people have problems is when you come and then you won't do everything you will do it the other way exactly you won't know but you know that there are people who are doing it the other way that is why it's bringing all this you know of course alright I mean I think Mr. Ken has talked a lot today and most of you have heard from himself not from me so I want to tell you whenever you come to Johannesburg his place is there for you to eat his um is it a hotel or lodge? yeah my lodge is in Fendian the lodge is there for you to sleep and you know if you want to drive some luxurious cars his place is there for you it's your boy Mr. Garda baby right here in Johannesburg St. City I'll see you in the next one peace out thank you so much thank you very much