Murendeni Mafumo (39) is the founder and CEO of Kusini Water, a social enterprise that builds water purification systems from nanotechnology and macadamia nut shells. Innovative, sustainable and low-cost, these solar powered filtration systems are delivering clean water to vulnerable communities in South Africa and Lesotho.
When was Kusini Water launched and who does Kusini Water supply water to?
Kusini Water was launched in 2017 and has offices in Johannesburg and Limpopo. We currently have 22 full-time and 80 part-time staff. We deliver clean water to around 100 communities – including informal settlements, townships and rural areas – in all nine provinces of South Africa and Lesotho. We are planning to supply clean water to areas throughout the Southern African Development Community (SADC). We provide potable water for drinking, cooking and other household use.
What are Kusini Water’s initiatives?
Our initiatives are:
- A sustainable solar-powered water purification system using nanotechnology and macadamia nut shells. The system can filter water from any source, removing chlorine, bacteria, viruses and other contaminants.
- Water champions, who are unemployed youth that are trained to run water systems in communities. We train them to remove viruses and bacteria from water and to clean, maintain and replace our water treatment systems built from nanotechnology and macadamia nut shells.
- Building water systems for villages where there is no piped water at all.
What led you to using macadamia nut shells as water filters?
I have been working on research and development around using alternative material for water purification systems since my third year, which was 18 years ago. Some of this material has included corn starch, mielie starch, coconut and macadamia nut shells.
Where do you get the water to filter and do you provide water for free?
We provide free water to all schools and clinics in communities we serve. This water is subsidised through the income generated from the water kiosks. We get it from groundwater, streams and rivers.
You worked as a water scientist at the City of Cape Town and Johannesburg Water before founding Kusini Water. What made you decide to leave your 9 to 5 job and become an entrepreneur as founder and CEO of Kusini Water?
I was so inspired after taking the Business and Entrepreneurship course through the Mandela Washington Fellowship that I decided to found Kusini Water.
Where did you get the capital to start Kusini Water?
I received it from several sources including money I won in a start-up competition at the Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS). I also used capital from the Innovation Hub, which is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Gauteng Growth and Development Agency. In addition, I also put some of my pension fund into the business. We purify eight million litres of water a month.
What do you most enjoy about running Kusini Water and what are the major challenges of running your organisation?
I really enjoy seeing something I envisioned come to fruition. It’s an amazing feeling to see your dreams come to life! My major challenges are being responsible for my employees and accessing funding either through grants or corporates. I am very grateful for the funders who currently support our work.
What qualifications do you hold?
I hold a Chemistry undergraduate degree from the Cape Peninsula University of Technology. In addition, I completed a water treatment programme at the University of Cape Town.
What are the reasons for South Africa’s water challenges and what should be done to address them?
There are various reasons for South Africa’s water challenges including South Africa being a very dry country (we are in the top 10 driest countries in the world), population growth surpassing water availability and water infrastructure needs exceeding capabilities. Just some ways we can tackle water shortages in our country are by decentralising water resources and having much broader collaborations between local government, the private sector and civil society.
What are the dangers of not having clean water?
Lack of sustainable clean water supply leads to higher levels of waterborne diseases. It also causes lower levels of economic participation and educational outcomes for various reasons, including children spending less hours in school because there is no water.
What are your views on transformation in South Africa?
I think transformation is justice and a necessary process. As a country we come from far. It’s just that the country’s economics, production and systems reflect the people of the country and our ambitions in all forms.
What has been your proudest moment?
One of my proudest moments was carrying out a project in an area in Limpopo, where there had been a number of service delivery protests due to frequent water shortages. Kusini Water worked with the local government to bring water to the community, including a community farming scheme. The water we provided enabled the farm to be productive. I’ll never forget the tears of joy of old ladies seeing water flow from taps that had been dry for years.
