What began as a simple problem in a university dormitory transformed into a thriving business for Nelson Mandela University student, Mthokozisi Njapha, who turned his need for a fridge into a rental empire that now boasts 200 units and a delivery vehicle.
In 2016, Njapha, then a first-year Mechatronics engineering student, identified a gap in the market when he struggled to find affordable refrigeration options in his campus residence.
“I needed a fridge, but I had two major problems,” Njapha recalled. “As a student, I was broke and couldn’t afford to buy one outright. And since I wasn’t from the Eastern Cape, I would need to worry about storage during holidays.”
The young entrepreneur, originally from KwaZulu-Natal, decided to test his solution by creating posters advertising fridges for rent, despite not owning any at the time.
“I lied. I had zero fridges,” he admitted. “But I just wanted to see if there was interest. I was curious.”
When dozens of students expressed interest, Njapha and his business partner, also originally from KZN, Nkululeko Mbatha, pooled their student allowances to purchase their first three second-hand units, officially launching Rent-a-Fridge SA in August 2018.
Njapha’s journey was far from smooth. Along the way, he faced significant challenges, including the devastating loss of his grandmother, Melina Phakathi, who had raised him and taught him everything he knew.
“My grandmother taught me almost everything. I know how to cook, clean, and bake. I know how to tend to the garden outside,” Njapha explained. “She emphasised the importance of being a self-starter, not being heavily dependent on anyone.”
When Njapha unwittingly lost his university funding after attempting to change courses without following proper procedures, he found himself not only out of school but homeless in a city far from home.
“Life started to become difficult,” he said. “I was couch surfing for most of 2019. I found a way – there was an auntie who helped me with a place to stay for like a week and a half, then I went to my friend, and couch surfed there until my business partner’s landlord agreed to let me move in.”
Despite these setbacks, Njapha persevered.
The business partners secured their first funding from the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) in 2019, which provided them with 25 new fridges. They later received additional funding from the NYDA and the Isiqalo Youth Fund, enabling them to expand their inventory and purchase a delivery vehicle.
Today, their business serves not only students but also young professionals, families in need of temporary fridges during repairs, and even local businesses requiring additional refrigeration during peak seasons.
“We currently have just below 200, if not exactly 200 fridges,” Njapha stated proudly.
The entrepreneurs’ resilience caught the attention of Peter Miller, a local property owner who provided them with additional loan capital after they demonstrated their business acumen and reliability. In 2023, Njapha returned to Nelson Mandela University, where he is now studying towards a B.Com in Computer Science and Information Systems, funded by the Hexagon Trust bursary.
“I decided I need to go back to school,” he explained. “I was like, okay, I’m making money, but I’ll just forgo that, look for a bursary, and just rather focus on building the business and equipping myself.”
In conclusion, Njapha said he is proud of how far he has come with his business partner, but also realises there is still much more to be done.
“We get requests for service in other parts of the country, but we haven’t gotten to that level yet – a lot more still needs to be done.”
Rent-A-Fridge SA is available on all social media platforms, and can be emailed at [email protected].
