Timothy Mtsweni, an innovative manufacturer from Bethal, in Mpumalanga, is a firm believer in young people harnessing their passion and skills and turning these into business opportunities that will create much-needed jobs. Today, he manufactures quadri-cycles after the idea was sparked in him by a school project in 2008.
After completing Grade 12, while working for a smoldering company in Bethal in 2009, he was recruited for a welding apprenticeship programme. “When I finished my trade test in 2015 I decided to pursue a business venture and stopped looking for a job. That is when I started to make the quadricycles,” he said. In 2015, Mtsweni purchased his first pipe bender, which he used to build his first quadri-cycle prototype.
“Bethal is a small town and there is not much to do. But with my skill and the idea, I had no option but to pursue my dream. As I was finding my way, I was lucky to find the NYDA through its outreach programmes. I went to their offices, they explained the whole process, I applied and the application was approved,” he said.ALSO READ:With the funds, he was able to purchase much-needed material – including pedals, steel, and chains – in order to expand.
“Currently I have four clients in Cape Town, Durban and Gqebhera. They place orders, pay a 50% deposit, and after that we manufacture the quadri-cycles and courier them to clients,” he said. He is upbeat about the trajectory of Success Cravers, saying the ultimate goal is to get the South African Bureau of Standards’ approval and become an established manufacturer.