By -Prominent Bulawayo businesswoman Beauty Mpofu who founded and owned Sis Bee’s Kitchen chain of restaurants, will be buried on Friday at Lady Stanley Cemetery in Bulawayo.
Sis Bee died from renal failure at the age of 67 at Mater Dei Hospital last Friday.
Her son Mr Alile Yusufu said the family is working out logistics for the Friday burial.
“At the moment we are working on logistics such as the venue for the funeral service and other such issues,” said Mr Yusufu.
During the Kalawa Homecoming, some artistes would eat at Sis Bee’s and her food was also popular with exhibitors and visitors at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair.
ZITF Company deputy CEO Ms Stella Nkomo said Sis Bee’s death was a sad loss to Bulawayo and women entrepreneurs in particular.
“She was a business leader who won countless accolades, a confirmation of her business acumen and originality. I also admired her determination and spirit. These are the kind of women that inspire and motivate us to be the best versions of ourselves. May her soul rest in peace,” said Ms Nkomo.
Sis Bee’s eateries are popular outlets, serving traditional dishes such as isitshwala with beef, amalusu, road-runner chicken, amangqina, amasi, ibhobola, ulude and amacimbi, among other traditional delicacies.
Born on September 13, 1954, in Mbaulo in Filabusi, Sis Bee attended Mbaulo Primary School and Matopo High School.
When she came to Bulawayo after school, she worked at Lancashire, which specialised in women’s undergarments.
She retired in 1998 and started her food business operating from home in Emakhandeni suburb.
In 2002 she opened her first outlet along Fort Street between 3rd and 4th Avenue.
In 2010, Sis Bee was selected to provide food for tourists in Limpopo Province during the Fifa World Cup held in South Africa.
She also represented Zimbabwe at the Swaziland Reed Dance in the same year after providing catering services during the Swaziland International Trade Fair, which coincided with the Reed Dance.
She then opened the Parkade Centre branch in 2011 before opening her third branch at Nicoz House at the corner of 8th Avenue and Fort Street in 2019.
Sis Bee has won numerous ZNCC, Mega Fest and Zimbabwe Investment Authority awards. This year she won the Bulawayo Metropolitan Province Service Excellence Award in the fast-food sector.
She is survived by four children and 10 grandchildren.
Mourners are gathered at 12 Ellenbogan Road in Ilanda.
-State media