Making money from trash

The saying goes that one man’s trash is another man’s treasure – and pallets in the world of trash are gold for George Moruledi.

George, like his father and the rest of his family, grew up where going to auctions was a regular occurrence.

As he got older, he began buying and selling goods he acquired at auctions. But recently he began to feel it wasn’t always worth reselling these goods. Instead, he used the equipment to start other projects.

George recently bought a table saw and instead of selling it, he hired two young, troubled carpenters to make pallet furniture.

One of the men he hired was Sonnyboy Mbetha, a 25-year-old carpenter from Mohlakeng who used to work in construction and could not put the skills he had to work.

“Working with wood? – I love it,” Sonnyboy said.

The trio have been going out finding used pallets, and recycling them into furniture which is already a success, both in the Mohlakeng area and beyond. They make pallet tables and wall couches, but one of their most interesting pieces is a bench with a built-in cooler box.

“We come up with our own ideas and make everything ourselves, including the upholstery. There are currently two guys making the furniture but I’m looking at having a team of six,” George said.

At the moment, they make the pallet furniture in George’s yard, but production comes to a halt when it rains. So George has arranged for them to move to a factory in Randfontein by 1 April.

George, who also works for the West Rand District Municipality, has truly taken the district’s vision to see township enterprises revitalised and booming to heart.

Do you perhaps have more information pertaining to this story? Email us at randfonteinherald@caxton.co.za  or phone us on 011 693 3671.

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