Two best friends, Lindiwe Motha and Refiloe Makau, are turning friendship, determination and entrepreneurship into a new chapter with the launch of Siyakhona Differently (Pty) Ltd, a newly established laundromat at ACTOM Knights, 2 Magnet Road, Knights, Germiston.

The business is part of an initiative established by ACTOM to create meaningful employment, skills development and economic participation opportunities for differently abled professionals.

For Motha and Makau, the new venture is about much more than washing, drying and folding clothes.

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It is about creating an environment where differently abled professionals can work, develop their skills, gain valuable experience and demonstrate their contribution to the economy.

The name Siyakhona, meaning “we can”, captures the heart of the initiative, a belief that people should not be defined by disability, but by their abilities, determination and potential.

From best friends to business partners

For Motha and Makau, the launch represents a particularly meaningful milestone because they are embarking on the journey together as longtime friends.

Their friendship has now developed into a business partnership, allowing them to combine their strengths while building an enterprise they hope will grow and create further opportunities.

“Starting a business is never without its challenges. From managing day-to-day operations and customer service to maintaining quality standards and building a sustainable client base, we will have to navigate the realities of entrepreneurship. But we believe with the foundation we have received from ACTOM and the support, we will strive,” said Motha

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For the two women, Siyakhona Differently is an opportunity to build greater independence while contributing to a wider purpose – showing what can happen when differently abled people are given access to meaningful opportunities.

More than a laundromat

The newly established laundromat provides practical employment and skills-development opportunities while delivering a professional service to customers in the Germiston community.

The initiative reflects ACTOM’s commitment to inclusive economic participation, particularly within South Africa’s manufacturing and industrial environment.

Rather than viewing disability inclusion simply as a compliance or corporate social responsibility requirement, Siyakhona Differently seeks to demonstrate the value of creating real opportunities for differently abled professionals to participate in the workplace and economy.

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The initiative also has the potential to challenge misconceptions surrounding disability by allowing customers and members of the broader community to see the skills, professionalism and capabilities of differently abled employees first-hand.

Creating a culture of inclusion

Sylvester Makamu, ACTOM HC director, said South Africa continues to face barriers to meaningful employment for people living with disabilities.

“Siyakhona Differently seeks to contribute to changing that reality by creating an environment where ability, rather than limitation, is placed at the centre of the conversation.

“For ACTOM, the initiative demonstrates how businesses can play a practical role in promoting inclusive economic participation,” said Makamu.

The launch placed the spotlight on the broader conversation around inclusive employment and the need to create sustainable opportunities for differently abled professionals.

For Motha and Makau, the opening marks the start of a journey.

Their story is one of two friends taking a step into entrepreneurship while becoming part of a much bigger mission to demonstrate that inclusion can be practical, sustainable and economically meaningful.

For Lindiwe Motha and Refiloe Makau, this new laundromat is proof that when opportunity meets determination, a new chapter can begin.