14 November 2023
When Lethokuhle Shangase recently had an entrepreneurial idea, he approached Maritzburg College Senior Deputy Headmaster Matthew Marwick with it, which has led to a valuable learning experience with a direct benefit to him and the school.
“Ever since I was young, I was entrepreneurial,” he told Pinnacle Schools. “I was motivated by my parents, and I am also part of an organisation that focusses very much on entrepreneurship, the Allan Gray Orbis Foundation.
“That has motivated me to find problems that I can see in society and to find solutions to fix those problems. I thought that a car wash was a great way to make the school a cleaner environment for the teachers and the boys.”
Encouraged by Senior Deputy Head Marwick, Lethokuhle had to share his business idea, so he constructed a business plan and presented it.
“I was able to negotiate”
“I was very sincere about all of the things that I wanted to do,” he said. “I was able to negotiate with certain rules and regulations that I need to follow within the school.
“I was very persuasive, and I also offered that I could actually make the school a better place, and I could also pay a commission to the school, which would help the school.”
Lehokuhle’s service operates on weekday afternoons, between 14:30 and 16:30, and he offers two options. The first, an exterior clean, which includes washing, drying and tyres and takes about 45 minutes, is available at R40, while the second, which costs R70 and lasts about an hour-and-a-quarter, also includes the interior.
He has done his homework, too, making use of YouTube to research the most effective ways of washing and drying cars. He has also invested in quality cleaning equipment.
Online booking
The school staff, especially, has become his go-to customers, and they’re able to book their car washes online through a booking system he has set up. There, customers can see what timeslots are available and book those. If they need to reschedule, they’re able to do that, too. And reminders are sent out to those who have booked washes.
Describing his experience so far, with almost a month of business under his belt, Lethokuhle said: “Overall, it has been positive. I have been active in gauging feedback from the staff members by sending them surveys, just to make sure that I am providing a quality service.”
Already, his business has expanded, with Lethokuhle being joined by Gabriel Jordan, thus making sure there are two people working on a car at once (see feature photo).
Teamwork
“I realised that teamwork is more important than working alone. I can actually go far and get more things done with a partner,” Lethokuhle said.
“He came to me with an offer because usually in the afternoons I don’t have too much to do,” Gabriel said. “I saw a friend in need of some help, so I decided to come and help him. I also get paid as well, so that’s a bonus.”
A cut of the weekly takings goes directly to the school, because some of its resources are used in carrying out a car wash, while the remainder of the money the duo brings in is currently being reinvested into the business by buying more equipment.
Future plans
Lethokuhle, who is the fourth form (grade 10) said he will continue with the car washing business next year, but he has his sights set even further into the future. He would like to implement it at other schools, especially where teachers live on campus, and he would like to employ others to work for him, even beyond his school days.
“I like solving problems. I am a great problem-solver. I like working on ideas. My mind is restless. I am always thinking about how I can make the world a better place. One of the ways I can do that is by starting small in order to achieve big things later on in life,” he concluded.
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