Nicola Mawson
Ntika Maake decided in 2022 that he was going to take a break from being an advocate to start Mothersoft, a company that makes single ply toilet paper.
He was born in a rural Limpopo township; his mother was a domestic worker, and his father a driver. From these humble beginnings, Maake managed to rise to become a lawyer, with a string of qualifications including the BIuris and LLB Degrees, and a Diploma in Corporate Governance (Unisa).
He also has Diploma in Project Management (Executive College), a Postgraduate Certificate in Climate Change and Energy Law, a Postgraduate Certificate in Water Law (Wits) as well as a Master of Laws in Extractive Industries in Africa.
Maake left his legal practice to finish his doctorate in Property Law, but that plan was put on ice in June 2022, after he spotted a gap in the market to invest in a business that would give him a return and help achieve his dream of creating employment for others.
However, getting Mothersoft off the ground was not easy - he had to spend 18 months in the driver’s seat of his company’s bakkie delivering toilet paper products to stores.
Things began to move after he landed a deal with his local Pick n Pay Qualisave store in Midrand, and the franchisee allowed him to supply their five stores around Gauteng.
“We produced on a low scale for the first seven months, without having any contracts. I started knocking on retailers’ doors and was rejected but I did not lose hope,” Maake said.
His company supplies packs to 96 Pick n Pay stores in Mpumalanga, Gauteng, Limpopo, Northwest, and Free State, which has helped him grow volumes by 150%, and expand his staff complement. He now employs eight staff, four of whom are part-time.
Maake has also created employment for six students from Ekurhuleni East TVET, who joined Mothersoft last month to complete their internships in retail and marketing.
“They will be placed in the Pick n Pay stores which I supply to get work experience. This is part of my plan to help young people who have completed N5 and N6 who critically need the corporate world exposure, and enable them to complete their studies.”
Maake’s entire family is involved in the business, including his children. “It is important that children be exposed to business activities at an early age so that they know where money comes from.” He relies on his MBL graduate wife, Refiloe’s financial acumen to assist with the company books.
Mark Bandi, Pick n Pay’s Head of Small Business, said the company valued entrepreneurs and supported them: “Besides bringing innovative new products to market, they create jobs. By supporting these businesses in scaling up, Pick n Pay helps them become meaningful contributors to our economy.”
In the last financial year, the retailer spent R6.2 billion on SMMEs in South Africa and 94% of its own brand food and groceries were local, Bandi told Business Report.
“Pick n Pay's Enterprise and Supplier Development Division aims to increase local procurement by accelerating the inclusion of small suppliers into our supply chain, improve and develop a great quality range of local products at competitive prices,” he said.
Maake said that having Pick n Pay as a customer had helped him get access to government funding so that Mothersoft could expand into producing mini-tissue paper, serviettes and facial tissues. “I want to buy more machines and open a branch in Limpopo so we can reduce logistics costs.”
He said the company aimed to grow in line with its business needs as he diversified its product range.
Maake expects his staff complement to grow to around 15, and is hoping to appoint an operations manager for Mothersoft, thus allowing him to return to his doctoral studies and law practice.
“I did not realise my side-line business would blow up the way it has.”
BUSINESS REPORT