Trust Tshenku’s expertise for quality care

When Montsheng Claudia Sefali could not further her studies or secure permanent employment after completing matric, she decided to open Tshenku’s Laundry Services in Jagersfontein. 

Jagersfontein is a small town in the Free State and it is historically known as a diamond-mining centre in the province. 
The 34-year-old had the idea of starting a business in 2013, considering that she lived in a mining town and many people would potentially need her services. 

She started saving money to buy equipment and started operating the business in 2020. 

It specialises in washing, ironing, and folding clothes and blankets for clients. “I completed my matric in 2007. My family did not have enough money to enable me to further my studies. However, I fortunately, was accepted for several learnerships over the years, including a motor mechanic learnership in 2008 for two years, and received my level 1 and 2 certificates from the Manufacturing,

Engineering and Related Services Sector Education and Training Authority (merSETA) in 2010,” she explained. 
In 2013, Sefali was accepted for an apprenticeship at Barloworld Equipment in Bloemfontein for five years and completed her trade test certificate for general mechanic level 1 in 2018. 

She continued to work for the company but was unfortunately retrenched in 2020. 
“I used some of my savings to buy equipment for the business and opened Tshenku’s Laundry Services in December 2020,” she explained. 

Running a business has not been without challenges, but Sefali’s resilience keeps it afloat. 
Some of the challenges she faces include the burden of paying monthly rent where the business operates from and the limitations of using household washing machines that often break down under heavy duty. 

Initially, she had employed two staff members but could not retain them due to financial constraints. 

Tshenku’s Laundry Services has received support through training and funding from the Small Enterprise Development Agency (Seda) and the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA). 

In 2022, it received a tumble dryer, two irons, and laundry scale the NYDA, and received teardrops and flyers from Seda in 2023. ¥

For more information, contact 

Montsheng Sefali 
Cell: 073 207 9738 
E-mail: Tshenkumc@gmail.com 
Facebook: Tshenku’s Laundry Services

The NYDA can be reached on www.NYDA.gov.za