Solomzi Maseti, the owner of a wheelie bin cleaning business in Kaalfontein near Midrand, proves that people with disabilities are also able.
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Maseti, who was born suffering from Down syndrome, is the proud owner of Happy Joy Bin Cleaner.
He started the company in 2024 and has never looked back.
“When starting to offer this kind of service, I did not have any financial support,” he said.
“I was just armed with courage, the zest to become a businessman and the support of my family, especially my aunt.”
How it all started
He started cleaning a single bin, but today he has more than 10 clients who rely on him to clean their bins.
The journey was not an easy one as he had to go around the township, convincing households that he could take care of their bins. “It was difficult because some of the people were refusing to accept my offer, while others wanted it, but they did not have enough money – something that made me consider charging just R25 a week and R100 a month per bin,” he said.
“This price accommodates everyone because I did not want to deprive people of this vital service.”
He said the business idea came to him when he observed his neighbours struggling to take their bins to the roadside for the garbage truck to collect.
“The elderly were struggling the most,” he said.
“After putting the trash in the truck, there was a bad smell and some bins would be left on the road for a long time as the owners were not around.”
What services does he offer
His service included coming to collect the bins and place them near the road. After offloading, he cleans the bins and takes them back to where he collected them.
Maseti works alone, but sometimes his siblings assist him, especially when the garbage truck does not come, as they have to offload the trash at the dumping site about a kilometre away.”
Those are some of the challenges that I face as an entrepreneur,” he said.
“In the next five years, I wish to see this business grow in a way that is able to service the entire Kaalfontein and the surrounding areas, creating employment for at least five people.
“For this business to grow. I need two pressure washers.” 7 Apart from conducting a door to-door marketing strategy, he also uses social media and instant messaging such as WhatsApp to market his business.
A dream come true
Maseti grew up admiring billionaire Patrice Motsepe, and described him as a go-getter in the business fraternity. His advice to unemployed young people is that they must not wait to be employed; instead, they must seek ways to create employment. When he is not busy dealing with dustbins, he spends most of his time watching sport and when he was growing up, he did athletics at school and threw the javelin.
“I love watching the Com rades Marathon on TV and other sporting codes as well,” he said.
Maseti, 38, who was born in Kagiso on the West Rand, said he hopes his business gets a spon sor, or a donation of a pressure washer.
He started primary school in Dr Yusuf Dadoo Primary School on the West Rand. He later moved to the Eastern Cape, where he dropped out in Grade 11. When his parents died, he relocated to Kaalfontein to stay with his aunt.
His favourite meal is pap and milk, while his favourite drink is Fanta Orange. His aunt, Vuyelwa, said she is proud of the way Maseti considere opening his own business, instead of waiting for a social grant. “The young man is brilliant and always thinks of ways of making money.
“I really wish to see him be successful in life and be able to grow his business and create employment for other young people,” she said. “I wish that every young person could think like him.” – [email protected]