Durban entrepreneur flourishes amid high unemployment rates
A young university graduate, who is forced to open up his own business and learn how to succeed despite the odds, now employs others in need.
WITH unemployment statistics sitting at a staggering 32.6% in the second quarter of 2023, according to Statistics South Africa, it is no surprise that former Durban University of Technology (DUT) student Sanele Bhengu decided to create his own employment and hire unemployed youth in the process.
Sanele Bhengu, a public relations graduate, started an upholstery cleaning company, called Nzinga Cleaning and Maintenance Services, when he couldn’t get a job after graduation back in 2019.
“I have always wanted to, one day, have my own business, but I didn’t think it would be so soon after tertiary. When I struggled to get a job, though, I realised there was no better time than now because I needed an income to take care of myself. And since I have always loved problem-solving and getting results at the end, I wanted a business that could give me instant satisfactory results each time I completed a job. So, I started a cleaning business because I would always feel so happy when I saw the finished product,” said Bhengu.
Also read: Glenwood Learner works on solution to ocean pollution
Because Bhengu had no formal education on how to run or manage a business, he had to find ways to acquire knowledge that would help him efficiently run the business, while making minimum mistakes along the way. “I attended and completed a Small, Medium and Macro Enterprise [SMME] Incubation Programme facilitated by the DUT Centre for Social Entrepreneurship and Small Enterprise Development Agency [SEDA].
“This programme really opened my eyes on how to run a successful business as they taught us a lot on financial literacy in a business, customer service and communication as well as how to create lucrative businesses that are sustainable,” Bhengu added.
The business, which operates in Durban and surrounding areas, has reached many milestones for a business that started just a few years ago and is now able to create employment for people who are in desperate need of work.
Also read: Davenport garden project blooms
“I see myself turning this company into a group company with different subsidiaries, operating in at least five provinces and getting more long-term contract work that would enable me to create more employment opportunities for the youth,” added Bhengu when asked about the future of his business.
For more from Berea Mail, follow us on Facebook, X and Instagram. You can also check out our videos on our YouTube channel or follow us on TikTok.
