Young entrepreneurs in environmental sector finally realise their dreams
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Gauteng-based Simphiwe Makapela established The Hamelin, a rat eradication business, and is one the of the young entrepreneurs who benefitted from Imvelisi’s Enviropreneur Programme. Picture: Facebook
Johannesburg - Despite living in different parts of South Africa, Simphiwe Makapela, Kylie Davids and Luvuyo Gushu each began their entrepreneurial journey with a common goal – exploring opportunities to develop successful businesses in the water, biodiversity and environmental sectors.
Historically, entrepreneurs looking to venture into specialised sectors, such as water and biodiversity, often encountered barriers to entry caused by a lack of access to mentorship, training and support.
Luckily, Imvelisi’s Enviropreneur Programme – an ideation and early-stage business development platform offering young innovators access to the resources, mentorship and networking – stepped in to assist these entrepreneurs.
The Hamelin
For Gauteng-based Simphiwe Makapela, establishing the Hamelin, a rat eradication business, has been a life-long dream. Growing up in a township exposed Makapela to the growing rat infestation problem plaguing countless communities in the province.
“I realised that although there were attempts to eradicate rats in townships, these efforts weren’t very effective. So, my partner and I decided to patent a design for effective traps to finally rid communities of this rat problem.
“After completing the programme, I was able to adopt a business mindset, despite already being entrepreneurial, and started to think more strategically. What was truly amazing was seeing entrepreneurs enter the programme with nothing but an idea and leave with the knowledge and resources required to turn that idea into something tangible and navigate the green economy,” adds Makapela.
His business idea was to design poison-free traps that could be installed in the ground within townships across Gauteng, capturing rats without hurting the environment. After 38 attempts over a year, 20 Hamelin traps were successfully installed and tested in an informal settlement in Msawawa, on the outskirts of Randburg. The test was successful, with the traps capturing more than 6 000 rats in just over a year.
He plans on extending this overseas.
Whale Deck Eco
For five years, Luvuyo Gushu envisioned starting his environmental education centre. It wasn’t until 2020 that this dream became a realit ywith the establishment of the Whale Deck Eco in a small community in Ramsgate, KwaZulu-Natal.
The business provides educational walking tours for holiday-goers and school groups,and offers a magnificent view of the ocean from the whale viewing deck.
“Imvelisi's Enviropreneur Programme changed the game for me. The clarity, the direction and the focus
I received have been incredible.”
Gushu is now looking to venture into organic farm tours through partnerships with other conservancies along KZN’s south coast.
Shanti Natural Care
For as long as she can remember, Kylie Davids has loved nature and even studied natural science in university, obtaining two degrees in environmental and water sciences. In 2009, she established Shanti Natural Care, after moving to a small farm on Cape Town's West Coast that was surrounded by fynbos and other herbs.
Her business formulates and manufactures hand-crafted natural healing products, including creams, soaps and tinctures, using fynbos, essential oils, indigenous herbs, honey and CBD found in the cannabis plant.
During Imvelisi’s five-day bootcamp, she gained business development skills as well as access to one-onone mentorship.
“The mentorship I received was especially beneficial because the person assigned to me understood my business. I gained valuable knowledge about product design and labelling.”
The Imvelisi Entrepreneur Programme remains an ambassador for the critical area of early-stage entrepreneurial development in the country's green economy.
The Star