#MakingIt – One man’s waste is another man’s throne

A stint at a tyre recycling company allowed Mr Vusumuzi Yende to spot a gap in reusing old, discarded tyres to manufacture furniture.

The 36-year-old father of eight children said he left formal employment to establish his own business.

“I saw an opportunity to create a lot of innovative things with the tyres instead of burning them and throwing them away,” he said.

He said the tyres are abundant. As soon as he gets his own van he can clean iKasi by collecting the discarded rubber tyres.

“When I started the business, people didn’t see beauty in the manufactured items. I had to be creative by spray painting the furniture with metallic paint used for vehicles,” he said.

He now has orders pouring in as the furniture stands out.

“I borrowed a compressor to do the spray painting and make to the furniture look stunning.”

Mr Yende hopes to pass the skill on to his children. At the moment, among other employees, he works with his 17-year-old son.

Mr Yende has a right hand man, Mr Khutso Maponya, who helps to conceptualise more innovative items to expand the business.

“Currently I employ three people but I want to see the business grow to create more jobs for the locals. I want it to be a factory and have distribution shops and eventually have a franchise,” said Mr Yende.

He said they manufacture coffee tables, chairs, flower pots, rubber mats and they also do decorations for day care centres.

These are either sold or rented out.

The business is run from his back yard at 568 Caprivi Street in Temong Section.

He said the furniture is suitable for all purposes and has been booked for art exhibitions.

Mr Yende can be contacted on 060 389 8368.

“Unemployed people must sit and reflect on what they are capable of. Their lives are in their hands,” said Mr Yende.

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