If you can’t take your vehicle to the car wash – Owethu Ndzabe and her army of cleaners will come to you.
Ndzabe has entered the small business world with a unique idea – a mobile car wash. His goal is not just to offer convenience but also to create jobs for young people struggling to find work.
Ndzabe, a first-year student at the Durban University of Technology’s Pietermaritzburg campus, is the founder and CEO of Novashine Mobile, a car detailing company that delivers services directly to clients’ homes.
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The Mossel Bay born entrepreneur told Vutivi Business that his motivation to start the business came from seeing many of his fellow students struggling financially.
“I live in a residence with more than 300 students, most of them funded by NSFAS, and the allowance runs out quickly,” he said. “I wanted to create a business that not only helps me but also provides part-time work for other students.”
Unlike traditional car washes, Novashine is fully mobile. Using vacuum cleaners, a pressure washer, and detailing products, Ndzabe and his small team of seven employees clean cars wherever their clients are. While the model eliminates the need for customers to queue at a car wash.
“The biggest hurdle so far has been transport. Calling Ubers to get to clients has become an extra fixed cost we didn’t anticipate. Our dream is to raise funds for a detailing van, which will allow us to serve more clients and expand.”
Ndzabe registered the business with the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC) earlier this year.
He started with limited funding, relying on small investments from friends and supporters to buy the necessary equipment.
“Mobile car washes remain a relatively unusual business in South Africa’s SME space, but they have the potential to create jobs while catering to the growing need for convenience. I already employed seven students and hopes to expand the business to include more of my residence mates once operations are more established,” he said.
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