A dream that started in Soshanguve has beaten hundreds of businesses from across South Africa to win Standard Bank’s national Kasi SME pitch challenge.
Rodney Maduwa knew three minutes on stage could sell his vision and change the future of a business that started in a five-square-metre shack in Soshanguve.
The founder of Maduwa Paint World has been named the winner of the 2026 Standard Bank Kasi SME National Pitch Challenge, walking away with R1 million after competing against entrepreneurs from all nine provinces.
Now in its fourth year, the competition forms part of the Standard Bank Kasi SME Summit and aims to help township businesses unlock growth through funding, mentorship, business development support and market access.
This year’s summit was held under the theme, Commercialising Kasi: Unlocking Competitive Township Businesses.
Three minutes to make the case
Getting to the national final was only half the battle.
Maduwa had three minutes to convince the judging panel that his township-based paint company had what it takes to scale.
Finalists were assessed on entrepreneurial excellence, commercial viability, scalability, market opportunity, financial sustainability and community impact.
Maduwa took the preparation seriously,rehearsing the pitch so often that even his five-year-old son became familiar with the it.
“I am sure my five-year-old son can recite my pitch because every day when I got home, before we watched TV, I would plug in my laptop and connect it to the TV,” Maduwa said.
But when the moment arrived, the nerves kicked in.
“When I heard the other entrepreneurs’ pitches, my face was shaking,” he said.
The nerves did not derail him. His pitch stood out, earning Maduwa Paint World the R1 million grand prize.
Ezempilo Primecare Clinic, founded by Sisanda Potye, was named first runner-up, while Mpumalanga’s PSD Scent Perfumes, founded by Phumulile Mkhonza, took second runner-up.
From a shack to a paint factory
The national victory marks another milestone for a business that began on a much smaller scale.
Maduwa Paint World started in a five-square-metre shack in Soshanguve. Maduwa registered the business in 2013 while working in the automotive industry and later worked as a paint specialist at BMW before leaving formal employment in 2019.
His chemistry background has also shaped the company’s manufacturing ambitions. He studied BSc Chemistry before completing an honours degree in polymer chemistry/science.
“When I started to work at Nissan South Africa’s graduate programme, I told myself that once I started working full-time I would start my own company to create a legacy,” he said.
The business has since moved to a larger facility in Rosslyn and grown into a manufacturer of decorative and industrial coatings.
Betting on local manufacturing
The R1 million comes as Maduwa Paint World prepares for its next phase of growth, producing acrylic emulsion locally.
The company has already invested more than R1.5 million into its emulsion plant, with the prize money expected to fund storage tanks and automation.
Maduwa has said the business wants to reduce its reliance on imported raw materials while strengthening local manufacturing. It has trained more than 200 young people in painting skills, with some becoming employees, subcontractors or entrepreneurs.
Standard Bank’s Head of Enterprise and Supplier Development, Naledzani Mosomane, said the competition demonstrated the potential of township businesses to build scalable enterprises.
“This year’s competition showcased the ambition, resilience and innovation that exists within township economies across South Africa,” Mosomane said.
The prize is a step towards a vision that started long before the national pitch.
“I had a plan where I structured my life, when I’d leave my job and when I’d grow my business. This prize was not there but here we are now,” he said.
