Matome turns old geysers into braai stands

POLOKWANE – Matome Maphala, owner of Matswi Braai Stands from Seshego, Zone 4, is a self-taught braai maker and entrepreneur who excels in an industry filled with challenges.

Maphala uses old geysers to manufacture braais stands. The business concept came about in 2017 after Maphala completed his electrical trade qualification.

The passion of making braais using geysers was drawn from an abounded geyser in their backyards. “I told my brother about my idea of making something out of the old geyser and he assisted me with his welding machine,” said Maphala.

With the first braai being a success, Maphala then thought of making a living from it.

“We sell our products to individuals. However, starting from April 1 we will supply a store that specialises in everything to do with braai in Gauteng,” he added.

Maphala get the geysers from plumbers around Polokwane. He is a client of Small Enterprise Development Agency (Seda) Polokwane which assists him with marketing material, mentorship and exhibitions and he was also assisted financially by National Youth Development Agency (NYDA).

Amongst the challenges that Matswi faced was that they couldn’t deliver their products 50km outside Polokwane due to transportation issues. And they can’t courier their products as it’s very expensive due to the size and weight.

Another challenge is that they sometimes run out of geysers and that slows down their production.

To purchase a braai stand or get in touch with Matome, call or WhatsApp 072 388 4367/082 624 4331.

Matswi Braai can also be found on Facebook, Twitter and TikTok.