Family and friends of the late Vincent Cedras gathered at Clifton Fourth Beach last Friday, July 5, to honour the life of a man known as the father of beach traders.
Mr Cedras, 63, from Strandfontein, passed away last Wednesday, July 3. He worked as a vendor on Atlantic seaboard beaches for 50 years, and his favourite location, according to his daughter, Vinetia Rinquest, was Clifton Fourth.
“He enjoyed this beach because it’s the busiest and he also loved the beauty of this beach. He worked at the other beaches too and he started out here as a child with his father so quite a few of our relatives have done this and some are still doing it,” said Ms Rinquest.
“My father gave me the chance to work here and at Llandudno Beach as well, and I love the outdoors so I was happy doing this. It gave me the chance to see the dynamics of this business and how my father worked so it was an honour to be part of it.”
Ms Rinquest said in addition to selling water and ice cream, Mr Cedras rented out chairs and umbrellas and provided opportunities for young people to work on the beaches.
“He first had to get permits from the City for the different things they were trading, and then there was also the buying and selling of the goods. He managed this entire project, collecting stock, doing stock take, picking up the guys that worked with them, he saw to it that his staff ate and were happy and also the customers, that was very important to him that they were happy,” she said.
“He also gave job opportunities to those less privileged, even guys that had negative influences he would give them a chance too. He was hands on and gave them advice not only in the business but in matters of life too. He left me alone to work on Llandudno as he wanted me to see that I could do it on my own and he did that with everyone.”
Zenobia Thorne, 46, worked with Mr Cedras for 15 years and says he advocated for her in a male-dominated business.
“I was unemployed at that time and Uncle Vinna gave me my this job and at every beach I was the only lady working here. After Covid he asked if I wanted to work here (Fourth Beach) and if I could handle the guys. They (traders) complained that I was talking too much to the customers and that some of them only bought from me. He told them that because I’m the only lady I will have that advantage, and he really supported me throughout,” Ms Thorne said.
“He was my beach father, I will miss his presence here, he was understanding and now and again he shouted at me but it was nothing serious. No one can replace him and what he did, he was really good to us all,” she said.
Paul Jacobson, a business owner in Sea Point, says he worked with Mr Cedras for three decades.
“Vinna was a humble man, he was hard working and traded consistently for 50 years. On Sunday he would get to the beach late because he went to church first, so that tells you of his religious devotion. There was rarely conflict when it came to Vincent, he did everything by the book and he was a pleasant person to be with,” Mr Jacobson said.
