Tshego Molefi, 31, and Ofentse Melato-Dube, 34, are the founders of North West waste-management company Moli&Mela. It provides efficient, eco-friendly waste and recycling services to households and businesses, providing innovative and sustainable solutions that reduce waste, conserve natural resources and promote environmental stewardship. The first female (and black) business to be awarded a waste contract at Sun International’s Sun City Resort, Moli&Mela gives jobs to 65 permanent and 100 part-time employees. It has also provided services at the annual Nedbank Golf Challenge. Although starting a business with no funding was difficult, because no bank would finance them, Tshego and Ofentse learnt how to use what they had to grow their business. “One lesson we learnt was that we should never underestimate ourselves or be defined by our backgrounds. And always work with what you have. Just start,” they say. The pair are in the process of setting up a recycling facility that will provide employment and a source of income for more than 200 people in the Moses Kotane region of North West. “We are motivated by our employees. They rely on us to help them feed their families. That will always motivate us,” they say.
Diploma in Journalism, Tshwane University of Technology (Tshego)
We were the first female (and black) business to be awarded a waste contract at Sun International’s Sun City Resort. We have also serviced the annual Nedbank Golf Challenge.
Siya Sigcau. He showed us the ropes of waste management. We were inspired by his management style and his business as a whole.