Kamogelo Olaitan
With only R1,000 left in her savings account after losing her job and burying her two grandmothers, Zelda Nkambule knew she had to take a big leap to survive.
Zelda from Everton in Sebokeng took the R1,000 and stocked up on rechargeable lights. It was an idea she had got from her sister’s neighbour who is in the same business.
As she was selling the lights to her community, Zelda discovered that more and more people would like to have reliable lights particularly during loadshedding.
That’s when she decided to go into the solar system installation business and she hasn’t looked back since.
“I once registered for a course in installing solar geysers but didn’t finish the course. I went back to my books and read about installing solar systems and also spoke to experts and asked for their assistance,” Zelda said.
She received assistance and in less than two years, her business is growing steadily and now employs two people to help with the installations.
Zelda has come a long way since she was retrenched as a radio presenter for Lesedi FM in April 2020 just days after level 5 lockdown was introduced.
Soon after that her grandma’s sister got sick and she used her savings for her medical care. Within weeks her grandmother also became sick and she was forced to use the rest of her savings to get help for her grandmother.
A month later her grandmothers died four days apart and Zelda was shattered.
She had no money, no job and the people she loved were gone.
“I was selling the lights as a street vendor and I could see people peeping through their windows gossiping because I was once a celebrated presenter. That didn’t bother me because I knew I had to survive. I also sold solar power banks and winter jackets,” Zelda said.
To promote her solar power business Zelda offered to be a presenter for a local radio station in exchange for free advertising for her business and soon she was getting calls to install solar systems for rental rooms in her kasi. Before she knew it she was being called to provide her services to big complexes and individual homes.
“I had to overcome my fear of heights to put food on the table. My dream now is to employ more people and light more homes,” she added.
Zelda wants to expand her business and install solar systems throughout the country. She wants to visit China where solar panels are made to experience how the product is created.
