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CITY PRESS, 14 OCTOBER, 2018 7
business

VOCATION TO CONSERVE Paseka Lesolang is the founder and managing director of Water, Hygiene, Convenience PHOTO: ELIZABETH SEJAKE

aseka Lesolang may have just turned 30,
but he has been at the forefront of a NAVIGATING THE
brand new industry for the past 10 years.
The founder and managing director of
Water, Hygiene, Convenience (WHC)
Pproduces several products that save
water, including the Leak-Less Valve, which can ensure
that up to 700 litres of fresh municipal water lost every
day due to a single leaky toilet can be saved.
He invented the device in his grandmother’s garage WATER
when he was in matric after becoming annoyed with
the incessant hissing of her leaking toilet. And so
determined was he to make a go of his business that he
turned down three international football scholarships he
was offered after completing school.
To do this, he has overcome severe obstacles: his
attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, a disrupted
childhood that entailed moving schools frequently as his
single mum held down three jobs, and raising $10 000
in less than six weeks in a crowd-funding campaign to
take up an opportunity to study an MBA at the
University of Colorado in the US. WAYS
But there is one problem that even Lesolang is finding
it difficult to crack: the state of South Africa’s
municipalities.
In December last year, then minister of Water Affairs THE PRODUCT
and Sanitation, Nomvula Mokonyane, announced that
the country’s municipalities had racked up a combined
R10.7 billion in unpaid water bills which they owed to The Leak-Less Valve is a water control mechanism that locks at
the water utilities. Some were so far in arrears and owed a predetermined level inside the toilet cistern and prohibits the
so much that they were threatened with being cut off. Entrepreneur Paseka Lesolang’s simple device further influx of water in the instance of a leak. It also acts as a
The bulk of the losses, Lesolang says, were from leaks. leak detector.
With municipal finances in such a dire state, councils “By the time you hear that annoying hissing sound, your toilet
cannot afford to pay Lesolang to supply and install his can save the 700 litres of fresh water a single has been leaking for at least six months. By the time you see that
product in their households, which could help them brown line at the back of the pan, it has been leaking for at least
solve the problem. leaky toilet loses a day. However, Nicki Gules 12 months,” says Lesolang.
“I have interest from municipalities, however they “Now, when it’s leaking at that rate, you are losing more than
have serious financial challenges,” he says. 700 litres of water a day. The louder the sound, the bigger the leak.
With such a crucial client base so under pressure, discovers that his journey has been far from easy The darker the mark, the more water you are losing. If you haven’t
Lesolang has had to turn to the private sector for heard that annoying hissing sound yet, it doesn’t mean that your
business, but the demand is “not enough to excite the toilet is not leaking because it only starts making the sound after
machine”. six months.”
“I have the capacity to produce 6 000 units on a He has secured an agreement with Massmart to stock The Leak-Less Valve costs R199 for the product and R150 for
single shift. I can take it to 18 000 units on three shifts the Leak-less Valve in their stores; this project was the installation, as well as a R240 call-out fee for residents of
per day. However, I only have interest from individuals launched last month. Pretoria, and slightly more for those who live outside the city.
and I cannot switch on the machines to keep production Lesolang’s company has created 26 jobs since 2015.
constant,” he says. Five of those are direct jobs and 21 indirect and include FOR ORDERS
“So I produce in tranches whereas the machines need ’’ the plumbers – alumni of the department of water and CALL: 012 430 2127
to be singing. I have capacity I cannot use due to sanitation’s War on Leaks programme – whom they have WHATSAPP: 076 772 4596 OR
insufficient bulk demand. I have sufficient individual We were coming with a solution to trained to install the product. EMAIL: PASEKA.LESOLANG@GWPSAF.ORG
demand, but this is too little for us to scale. We’re avoid day zero. “If we could secure municipal business, that number
constantly developing these projects where we’re would rise significantly. For one municipality installing
trying to build this demand in bulk In We were going to save Cape 100 000 units we’d create 150 jobs. Then if the Western
production.” Town a minimum of 3 000 Cape gave us its business, we could create over 1 500 LESOLANG’S ADVICE
This situation has a severe impact on the partnership jobs,” he says.
financial position of WHC, which the Olympic swimming pools Lesolang is now busy with his “Vision 2030” and has FOR ENTREPRENEURS
Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) with the worth of water every year “all these other innovations both within the WHC
gave a revolving credit facility to, after framework, and of others beyond WHC which is “This is not for the faint-hearted, so you need to be prepared
identifying Lesolang as an entrepreneur who disruptive technology in other industries from your for this mentally, physically, emotionally, socially, economically,
could, with its help, grow an entirely new IDC release the funds, it’s: ‘Paseka, about that, climate all the way to finance, and from construction to materially and spiritually. You need a support system,” he says.
industry. the past municipal manager is gone, you have mining”. “You definitely need a mentor, and I don’t mean one. I mean
“The IDC is not stingy with money; the IDC to have a new discussion with a new one’.” Also, it was confirmed last month that WHC will now a mentor in every aspect – I have a manufacturing mentor, a
actually gave me a lump sum. But terms and Lesolang also had no luck with the provincial be collaborating with the Global Water Partnership to financial mentor, a leadership mentor, a general business
conditions apply: I can only use the money for bulk government of the Western Cape which has been stimulate youth involvement in the water industry as mentor and a sales mentor.”
production and that is what I need most,” he said. in the grips of the worst drought in a century. well as innovation, job creation and industrialisation in One of Lesolang’s mentors is Tom Chi, the US innovator
“Had it not been for the IDC, I would not be having “I have presented to the Western Cape twice if not the SADC region. The company will soon be presenting behind Google’s self-driving car, Google Glass, Microsoft
the discussions I am having with the municipalities, three times. And their response was, ‘Paseka, we as its award winning water conservation and job creation Outlook and Yahoo Answers.
saying, ‘Look you have a community with 10 000 toilet municipality are responsible for all water issues to the project at the World Water Week in Sweden. “To be the best, you need to learn from the best people. So
cisterns; I can take care of them and you can pay me meter. Beyond the meter is the responsibility of the Lesolang is passionate about conservation, which he you need to be in the habit of identifying who does things much
later’. It is just the commitment from the municipalities homeowner’,” he said. regards as a calling. better than you, or who has accomplished what you would like
that is now holding us back.” “We were coming with a solution to avoid day zero. “My grandmother and my mother have groomed me to achieve, and try to learn something new from them.”
One of the major problems Lesolang identifies in We were going to save Cape Town a minimum of 3 000 with a very strong spiritual background and I believe Another thing, he says, is that, if you “take care of the
municipalities is unstable leadership. Olympic swimming pools worth of water every year.” that this is my vocation: to conserve natural resources, business, the business will take care of you”.
“We are dealing with a municipality which has In the lonely world of entrepreneurship, Lesolang specifically water,” he says. “One needs to differentiate the bank accounts – which is
changed the municipal manager six times in 24 months. cannot allow these defeats to get the better of him. “Water is mentioned more than 2 000 times in the personal and which is business – and try to keep it that way.
So we make progress with one municipal manager, then “We need to keep on keeping on and I am constantly Bible so it goes to show how important it is, and here Keep it clean, because entities like the IDC don’t fund
as we are about to inform the IDC and they are about to out of the office seeking new business,” he says. we are and it is running out.” businesses that are not clean.”
The IDC financing process in 5 s teps 4 5 The SBU undertakes a d ue

R1 million or more for entrepreneurs for new businesses or expansions diligence process. If the plan
Appli- meets all the requirements,
The potential 1 All business 2 If it falls within 3 cations the money is transferred
client drops off plans are the mandate, the that Agroprocessing Industrial Chemicals Textiles Heavy Light manufacturing The rest of
their business registered PIBC allocates pass and agriculture infrastructure and clothing manufacturing and tourism Africa
plan at the IDC's by the it to a m anager the
Pre-Investment records to begin basic assessment
Business Centre (PIBC) at departement screening as process are forwarded
19 Friedman Ave, Sandown, and part o f t he basic for review to one of
or at one of the IDC's r egional screened for assessment the 13 strategic Metals and New Automotive a nd Media and
Chemical
provincial offices a m andate process business units (SBU's) mining industries transport audiovisual Machinery a nd products and
capital
equipment equipment pharmaceuticals Graphics24