Environmental & waste management sectors taken on by young entrepreneurs

Environmental Waste Management SAB KickStartSAB KickStart aims to encourage a culture of entrepreneurship among young black South Africans. This they do through their annual SAB KickStart programme which focuses on nurturing youth-owned businesses by providing them with the necessary mentoring, training and resources to excel.

Last week we profiled the first five finalists in the catering, communications, health and fitness industries. This week we will be introducing finalists who operate in the environmental and waste management sector:

Otjiwarongo Projects, East London

Employs three permanent staff and ten on a part-time basis.

Wanni Toyana made the decision to start up his own independent business in 2009 after operating as a subcontractor on a grass-cutting project. The business provides vegetation management services to both public and private sector customers. Otjiwarongo Projects specialise in grass-cutting, tree felling and bush clearing and are looking to explore more value-adding service offerings through the KickStart process.

Nyembe Waste Management, Pretoria

Employs three permanent staff members.

Millicent Nyembe established her business in 2012 and focuses on the cleaning of crime scenes and ambulances, and the transportation of health care risk waste. Using her previous experience in the industry her business currently services a number of waste generators, including hospitals, clinics, hospices and laboratories.

Hlobane Waste Management Services CC, Kwazulu-Natal

Employs eighteen staff members.

Hlobane Waste Management Services CC is owned and operated by Mthandeni Ngidi. He realised that there was an opportunity in managing what people do not want and that he could make a profit from it. His business provides on-site waste management solutions and helps reduce waste to landfill sites as well as the costs of disposal to clients.

Tsepho Merafong Trading, Johannesburg

Employs one permanent staff member.

Tsepho Merafong Trading is an environment and sustainability solutions company established by Tsepho Marumele. Their services include sustainability reporting, greenhouse gas emission measurement, greenhouse gas reduction strategies, greenhouse gas training as well as carbon tax advisory services and training. Tsepho aims to reduce the negative impact institutions can inflict on the environment.

Ben Petroleum, Cape Town

Employs one permanent staff member.

Benjamin Mdokwana is a serial entrepreneur. His business purchases paraffin at wholesale prices, repackages it and resells it to the local community through the use of mobile flow bins. Benjamin plans to expand his current operations to a fuel depot facility that will supply independent truckers and bus services with discounted petroleum and diesel products.

Coming up

Next week we’ll profile the remaining eight SAB KickStart finalists for this year, all of whom operate in the manufacturing and fabrication industry. Keep an eye on SAB Stories for more!

You can also follow SAB KickStart on Twitter or Facebook for more on these finalists as the programme develops.