DURBAN - THE founder of the country’s first black-owned kettle brand, Zuluish, has appealed for financial assistance to expand and create more employment opportunities.
Entrepreneur Yandisa Zulu, 32, recently launched the first product of his electronic appliance brand.
“People are receiving the brand very well. We have orders from the UK, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, Kenya, Swaziland, Botswana, Namibia and more.
“We need a cash injection of at least R5 million to acquire machinery to meet the demand,” Zulu said.
The R5 million cash injection would result in 5 000 jobs being created, which will increase to 10 000 jobs over a 10-year period, he said.
“We will bring in trainers to up-skill people in the use of machinery and manufacturing.
“There are people who are studying and getting degrees that will be irrelevant a decade later, unless we as South Africans define our economy and create jobs,” Zulu said.
In order for the Zuluish brand to acquire the “Made in South Africa” label, all the pieces including screws have to be assembled in the country.
“My intention is that we manufacture everything locally and empower people.”
He said his work was a collective effort.
“I am willing to relocate to any province and build a company there provided they assist me in acquiring the necessary machinery,” said Zulu, who is currently based in Gauteng.
He described the market as very wide with lots of gaps that needed to be filled. “Africa buys appliances to the value of R25 billion per year. Acquiring moulding, assembling and printing machines will give the company a 40% slice of that market.” He said he was currently buying different parts of the product from various companies around the world and assembling them.
All the machinery used in this industry is manufactured in different countries including Japan and Brazil.
“The idea was to bring something affordable to the people. My kettles are 70-80% bigger than the normal kettle. When I did this, I had in mind people who did not have geysers.”
Daily News