photos: Katlego Mokubjane, Lwando Mxutu
Even the name The Lazy Makoti is an ode to her tradition and culture. When you think of Mogau, you certainly think of one of South Africa’s sweethearts and someone who has put traditional food on the map with such f lair and passion. Having met her, she truly is ref lective of her brand with a warm and welcoming smile like we see her online.
With the emergence and continued growth of social media channels, Mogau has been able to connect with people not only in South Africa, but throughout the African continent and worldwide through her Instagram, YouTube collaborations and appearances on television. She now has over 500,000 people following her journey on Instagram alone which is a huge accomplishment. South Africa has got a rich food culture that its people are extremely proud of. The Lazy Makoti preserves this culture and brings about a renewed sense of excitement for traditional food.
Mogau was born and raised in Limpopo, South Africa, a province which is approximately 4 and a half hours away from Johannesburg, where she is now based, and she grew up with her mother, father and young sister. Her mum is a teacher and her father a priest, and she heavily credits her childhood and her mum’s love of cooking and baking for the interest that was naturally sparked in her from a young age – she was actively involved in food preparation from 12 years old.
An aspect that makes The Lazy Makoti unique among her fans and followers is the fact that she doesn’t overcomplicate her dishes to a level of intimidation for wannabe home cooks or chefs, and she uses simple ingredients that most people already have at home. Her dishes are fun to make, colourful and also healthy, something which is important to Mogau as she recreates famous traditional dishes like you would expect Gogo (grandmother) to make for the family.