Former South African rugby star John Mametsa provides
alternative energy solutions for the state. With his wife Tumi, he says their
future in the business is bright.



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In his prime, former Blue Bulls winger John Mametsa had
rugby fans screaming in delight at his try-scoring exploits at Loftus Versfeld
Stadium. Between 2001 to when he retired in 2010, he had brought smiles on
people’s faces.



Hidden beneath the rugby bravura on display on a weekly
basis were Mametsa’s entrepreneurial exploits, which led him to co-found
Soltech, a solar technology company he started with his wife Tumi.



Soltech has bridged the gap between solar technology and user-friendly consumer products by creating school backpacks, outdoor umbrellas and lifestyle bags custom-fitted with solar power.



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The smiles are back but Mametsa has brought them in a
different form. 



Soltech’s main aim is to help companies achieve their
corporate social investment targets and make a real difference in the lives of
school children who might not have electricity at home, or whose access to
electricity is limited.



“Generally, I love giving back. Just to see the kids smile
brings joy to me,” Mametsa says.



“It is the best space I could have asked for. Other than when I was involved in rugby, this is the best thing I could have ever been a part of. 



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="535" height="607" src="https://www.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/John3.png.png" alt="" class="wp-image-40695" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/John3.png.png 535w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/John3.png-300x340.png 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/John3.png-264x300.png 264w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 535px) 100vw, 535px" /><figcaption>John Mamemtsa. Picture: Supplied</figcaption></figure></div>



Putting smiles on kids’ faces is the best thing. Because we are dealing with children, we have aligned ourselves with people that want to make a difference.



“We don’t stop at just giving them the bags where they can
charge phones and study at night but we also educate them about the social ills
that come with roaming on the internet and social media.”



During this period of Eskom blackouts, uncertainty about
South Africa’s energy and a widening chasm between the haves and have-nots, he
says Soltech’s products make a difference in the lives of ordinary citizens. 



In a sense, they’ve taken the might of solar technology and
put it right in people’s hands. The school bags come with a solar-powered
battery, which has a night lamp and cellular phone battery charger installed.



“With everything that’s going on at Eskom now, they (citizens) are using millions of liters of diesel per month, just to keep the lights on,” Mametsa says. 



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“Hence, it’s coming back to hit our pockets and they (Eskom
– South Africa’s national energy provider) are raising the electricity prices
again. Such things we have to read about so that, as we grow, we educate the
people that we are selling the bags to.



“At some point, you need to convert [to reusable energy
sources], you need to start using solar energy. We are still fortunate that
there’s an Eskom in the first place. What about those countries that don’t even
have electricity at all?



“Yes, we have power cuts but the people that really need the
bags are people in the rural areas.”



Admittedly, Mametsa was the pretty face and Tumi
conceptualized the idea when they started. But their partnership was perfect in
more ways than one. Tumi, just like her husband, had a massive entrepreneurial
drive. 



While Mametsa was playing rugby, he would dabble in taxi and printing businesses – an uncommon trait among sportsmen and sportswomen who are at the peak of their powers. Tumi was no different. As a student, she would sell hair and cosmetics products, something that sharpened her business senses.



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And despite a successful 11-year career in corporate as an
accountant and financial manager for companies such as Alexander Forbes and the
Film and Publication Board, Tumi took a bet on herself and dedicated her time
fully to building Soltech.



The result was that, in just the company’s second year, they
have signed a memorandum of understanding with Finland solar technology company
Tespack. Tespack founders Caritta Seppä and Yesika Robles were last year named
in Forbes ’s 30 Under 30 Europe. 



The joint venture will see Soltech come out, among other
things, with a solar-powered, fast-charging power bank, which should totally
disrupt the smartphone accessories market. 



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="592" height="555" src="https://www.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/John2.png.png" alt="" class="wp-image-40696" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/John2.png.png 592w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/John2.png-300x281.png 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 592px) 100vw, 592px" /><figcaption>Tumi Mametsa. Picture: Supplied</figcaption></figure></div>



“There’s going to be skills and knowledge transfer,” Tumi
says.



“The DTI (Department of Trade and Industry) is also backing
us on the partnership because we need them and their funding to assist us. We
will be hiring South Africans to work the machinery, which was something that was
very attractive to the DTI.



“The Tespack partnership confirmed my belief that our
company could grow from a small tree to a forest someday. Once we manufacture
in-house we can streamline the process. And there are so many other ideas for
products I have, such as ladies’ handbags and stuff.”



Here at home, Soltech has partnered in CSI projects with Liberty and Exxaro and they hope to grow their client base in the next couple of years. It is a huge endorsement of their products and should see them salve some of the hurt from the country’s electricity crisis, especially to those who need it the most.



-Sibusiso Mjikeliso

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