The (35) from Mofolo, Soweto will represent SA at this years’ Global Finals in Toronto, Canada in June where he will pitch against finalists from 29 countries across the world for the title of Global Winner and a share of $1 Million.
His pitch was about the shortage and hardships his neighbours were experiencing on proper houses, to such an extended the idea was born to focus on identifying low-income homes with backyard shacks that could benefit from being replaced with formal structures. In 2005, he embraced an opportunity to upskill and qualify as a builder.
From this Nhlanhla saw an opportunity for a business that would benefit others in the same way. He knew that many families in and around the townships across South Africa had the same need. He grew up in a crowded tiny family home in Mofolo and in desperation for some privacy, built a backyard shack for himself.
Jokingly- he labelled it the ‘4-Seasons’ because the rain poured in in winter, the sun baked the tin roof in summer, the chill of autumn got into his bones and in spring the winds often blew off the roof and sides – he knew he needed to come up with a solution and that’s’ how Hustlenomics was conceived in 2015.
“Hustlenomics combines the provision of housing with positive socioeconomic and environmental outcomes while cutting building costs by 30%. This is achieved by manufacturing interlocking bricks made from natural soil and recycled construction waste material, which is used to build safe dwellings that blend in with nature while reducing the carbon footprint of the building,” he says.
He continues” The business model focuses on providing affordable housing for low- income families with informal backyard shacks who cannot get access to traditional home financing. The team replaces these shacks with durable structures that can be used either as income-generating rental units or to extend the family home.
It applies an innovative, shared home financing model where rental income generated from the completed structure is used to recoup building costs, with the idea that the owner eventually obtains full ownership,” says Nhlanhla whose names mean both lucky and an elephant- so he has it all grasped in.
The Hustlenomics– a profit organisation -team currently comprises of five part-time qualified artisans and five part-time unskilled and semi-skilled youth, employed on a project-by-project basis. To date, the team has built 30 homes in Soweto.
The Chivas Venture champions the bright young minds who continually dream up creative and authentic solutions – and then make them a reality, and for Nhlanhla and his team this fits perfectly like a glove.
Entrepreneur Andile Khumalo, one of Judges said Nhlanhla “is an amazing young man and he deserves to represent SA at the Global Finals”.
We wish him and team all the best at the finals in Toronto.
Image Supplied (Judge Andile Khumalo, winner Nhlanhla Ndlovu (middle) and ass brand manager at Chivas -Marco Vandeput at the announcement ceremony).
