Tsholofelo Moeng started with one washing machine, a small dryer and a business operating from home. Today, this businesswoman is running a growing enterprise that not only employs others but is expanding its services in the community where she was born and raised.
As South Africa commemorates Women’s Month, Moeng’s journey as Managing Member of MaRocks Laundry Services in Tshing Township, Ventersdorp, offers a powerful example of how women can build economic opportunities from limited resources, persevere through uncertainty and ultimately create livelihoods for others.
Moeng’s story is not one of an entrepreneur who had everything in place from the beginning. A graduate in Economics from Tshwane University of Technology and North-West University, she initially struggled to find employment after completing her studies. While searching for work, she sold biscuits to make a living.
It was this determination to create an income and respond to the needs of her community that eventually led Moeng and a friend to research local business opportunities. Their research resulted in the establishment of MaRocks Laundry Services, which began modestly from her home.
The business initially operated from a quiet street with limited customer traffic, using just one washing machine and a small dryer. But what started small would become an opportunity not only for Moeng, but for other members of her community.
The turning point came when Moeng and her business partner attended training conducted by the National Development Agency (NDA), which supports community-owned enterprises. The training encouraged them to apply for NDA grant funding and helped them identify the resources required to take the business to the next level.
Following a due diligence process that included a site visit and assessment of supporting documents in 2022, MaRocks Laundry Services was approved for R222 316.03 in NDA grant funding in 2024.
The funding enabled the business to acquire four additional commercial washing machines, a 2 500-litre water tank, a 7.5kVA generator, two steam irons and a basic office container.
The intervention helped MaRocks improve its turnaround times and continue operating during water and electricity interruptions. More importantly, the growing business began creating opportunities for others, employing three additional people, with part-time workers brought in during peak periods and an outsourced delivery service supporting operations.
Moeng said the growth of the business has been driven by several intentional decisions, including providing quality service, generating word-of-mouth referrals, establishing an online presence through Google and making use of networking opportunities provided by the NDA.
“A few intentional interventions have attributed to the growth and success of the business, including word-of-mouth referrals, registering the business on Google, providing quality service and network opportunities provided by the NDA,” she said.
Today, MaRocks Laundry Services provides services to households and local businesses, including funeral parlours. The business washes blankets, carpets, sneakers and clothing and provides steam-ironing services.
But Moeng is not stopping there.
The NDA has provided the business with a further R198 495.53 in sustainability grant funding, which will support the purchase of two industrial sewing machines, an industrial overlocker, an additional container, sneaker-cleaning equipment, an industrial steam iron, a press steamer and a lockable storage cabinet.
The expansion is expected to create five new employment opportunities while sustaining four existing jobs. It will also allow MaRocks to diversify into sewing and alterations, sneaker cleaning and other services for residents of Tshing Township and surrounding areas.
For Moeng, the difference between where the business started and where it is today is tangible.
“We are able to operate faster than before. When there is no water, we are still operational, and even when there is no electricity, we have a generator to continue working. The space is bigger to accommodate bigger orders,” she said.
Her next ambition is to introduce a same-day dry-cleaning service in Ventersdorp, where she says residents currently have to travel out of town to access such services.
The proposed service could create further employment and revenue opportunities while meeting an unmet need among local residents, the hospital, clinic and surrounding guest houses.
“Sometimes I get scared because it gets overwhelming. Going to school and working in the corporate sector was the plan; I did not plan for this. I have however managed and am surviving and thriving. I do not regret being here; I am doing better - providing livelihoods to others as well as myself. I have a bigger responsibility now and show up as a businesswoman,” she says.
Her experience has also challenged perceptions about who can access business support and what it takes to build a successful enterprise.
“The perception is that you need to be connected in government to receive funding. This was not the case for us. We worked hard, believed in our dream and were guided through the process, step-by-step, to get to where we are,” Moeng said.
She encourages young people, particularly women, to pursue available opportunities while understanding the importance of discipline, financial compliance and sound business administration.
For Moeng, keeping proper financial records, conducting daily reconciliations and maintaining a dedicated business account are among the foundations entrepreneurs need when preparing their businesses for growth and potential funding opportunities.
Her own journey, however, is perhaps best captured in what MaRocks represents within her community: the possibility of starting small and growing from there.
“To be in this space means women are able — we can stand our ground and occupy spaces. Being successful in a town like this gives hope that one can start where they are, improving their own community,” she said.
As Women’s Month celebrates the achievements and contributions of women across South Africa, Moeng’s story speaks to more than the growth of a laundry business. It is a story of a woman who started with limited resources, built from where she was and, through determination and targeted support, is now helping other people build livelihoods of their own.
Through its support for women- and youth-led community enterprises, the NDA continues to contribute to poverty eradication, local economic participation and sustainable livelihoods. - SAnews.gov.za
