Founder and managing director of Dziphathu Green Tech, Mudau Phathutshedzo, is the epitome of what it means to redefine freedom day in South Africa through his start up company that focuses on collecting plastic and biomass waste to convert the waste be useful and valuable products.
Mudau Phathutshedzo, who hails from Tshikuwi Village in Vhembe has sought to be a problem solver in the midst of a staggering youth unemployment in South Africa which is having severe effect on young people’s belief with prospects of finding employment and mental health.
Unemployment among young people in South Africa remains a major concern. According to Reuters, the level of youth unemployment is recorded to be at a staggering 43.4% which cripples young people’s ability to actively participate in the economy by living sustainable lives and unleashing their potential and be a source of hope for their families.
But, in contrast of this gloomy and disappointing state of affair about youth unemployment in South Africa, Mudau Phathutshedzo’s eagerness and ability to soar above the storms has meant that his company has created 12 jobs for youth in his local community.
And, the processing of the goods in his business involves the essence of preserving the environment by using waste plastics to produce bricks for paving and building, and also production and creation of outdoor furniture and fence poles using plastic waste.
Interestingly, the processing of the goods further involves the usage of biomass waste like sawdust and cow dung to produce eco briquettes for cooking and heating. The briquettes don’t produce smoke and they last longer compared to charcoal. The briquettes are called HASHA MULILO eco-briquettes. Furthermore, his company produces biochar based organic fertiliser using waste biomass. The organic fertilizer is used in agriculture for soil application.
Without question, Mudau Phathutshedzo’s company stands out cut above the rest through addressing three sustainable development goals which are listed and paraphrased below as following;
- No poverty, because 12 jobs have been created for young people in his community.
- Affordable and green energy because of environmentally free briquettes.
- Climate change which comprises the efforts of his company to be based on mitigating climate
change related issues and making efforts for people to adapt.
As a result, the efforts of Mudau Phathutshedzo’s company’s main objectives are centred around the idea of freeing the environment from waste materials like plastic and biomass while creating jobs for young people – which automatically translates into shaping a new narrative of young people being key catalysts of redefining what freedom day means to them.
With this in mind, while Freedom Day is approaching, Mudau Phathutshedzo urges the South African government to support young people in their projects because eventually job creation in process gets to be implemented, and his closing statement to young people in South Africa is for us to see innovation as a closing gap in the market to address current astronomical challenges which South Africa is currently grappling with, and this does not require any degree.
Young people in South Africa need to see difficulties as opportunities – remembering in every opportunity there is a difficulty identifying the problem and coming up with solution – and this will redefine what Freedom Day means to young people in 2023 in South Africa.
