The difference between the majority of us and Thembi Maesela is that, while we consider waste as something valueless, to be hastily condemned to the nearest landfill, she sees hidden treasure in it.
Passionate about environmental conservation, for close to three years, Maesela has been running Marumo Green Projects, an outfit that focuses on waste management, cleaning (mainly of shopping malls), and recycling. They don’t only focus on recycling papers and boxes but they also recycle ewaste and tires.
“The beauty about my business is that green initiatives are almost like second nature to me. I did not go because I saw others making a fortune; I did it because it my calling,” she explains to Transform SA Online.
It would be disingenuous to claim that it has been plain sailing for the Burgersfort-based business. Maesela mentions the all-too-familiar obstacle standing between survival and closure – lack of poor access to operating capital. “Getting the business up and running, and earning the trust of big corporations that we can do the job just as efficiently as our bigger competitors, has been quite a challenge. It seems they do not want to take a gamble with small service providers such as us,” she says.
Mines have not been forthcoming, showing extraordinary reluctance to give Marumo Green Projects business. “We compete for business against companies that are big and well-known,” Maesela laments.
Nonetheless, inspired by the biblical proverb of “a headstone that become a cornerstone”, she been undeterred, regarding every rejection as a motivation. “When things don’t go our way, we dust ourselves and move on. Whenever we face a challenge, we look at the bigger picture ahead of us. Obstacles have not diminished our desire for success.”
In comparison to most black-owned entities in its specialty, Marumo Green Projects is well-resourced. Besides a multitalented team of committed employees, the company has the right resources in the form of forklifts which are used to pick loads and compactors which are used to compress materials which consist of boxes and plastic.
What makes Maesela feels contented is not just owning her own business, but creating employment opportunities for others. Marumo Green Project employs 30 employees, 20 of whom are part of the cleaning of the malls and 10 assist with the recycling.
Maesela is looking at growing Marumo Green Projects beyond the confines of Burgersport. “We aim to be the one of (if not) the biggest company in Limpopo and get international recognition at some point.”
As she rushes to work after meeting a team from Transform SA Online, she advises people who want to get into the industry to have the environment at heart. “You need to love the environment, as soon as you love it you will love working with waste”.
