Nandipha Mdzanga is a jack-of-all-trades entrepreneur when it comes to commercial cleaning and garden services.

The Doringkop resident has been running her cleaning and gardening business, Amila Cleaning Services, so successfully for the past six years that it earned her third place in the iLembe Chamber of Commerce Entrepreneur Competition last year.

The mother of four – two boys and two girls – moved to KwaDukuza from the Eastern Cape after matric with the hope of studying business management.

Things did not go according to plan though, and she ended up as a domestic worker before transitioning to a cleaner at different firms in Mandeni and KwaDukuza.

“In 2018 when I worked as a cleaner at Lafarge Stanger Quarry, the manager asked me to open a cleaning and gardening company. He directed me to a person who helped me sort out the registration of my company and also provided training on identifying alien plants. Once that was done, my company was hired by the quarry to be in charge of cleaning and maintenance of the place,” said Mdzanga.

The 39-year-old now employs seven full-time workers. She also has one part-time worker but increases the number when special jobs come her way.

“What sets us apart from other garden service companies is that when you hire us for cutting grass, we also remove the alien plants depriving other plants of water in your garden. I am currently in the process of obtaining a pest control certificate,” said Mdzanga.

She aims to expand Amila Cleaning Services as a powerhouse in the cleaning industry around KwaDukuza and create more employment opportunities. She also plans to establish a market for the Doringkop community.

“It is a very large area, and it does not sit well with me that we have to travel to Stanger every time we need something. If I can acquire a piece of land, I can turn it into a market where all the traders can work, cutting the cost of travelling.”

Reflecting on the entrepreneur competition, Mdzanga expressed her gratitude for the knowledge gained. She personally learned a lot about compliance and financial management.

You can contact her at 079 438 8859 or email nandipha.mdzanga@gmail.com.

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