Wits Student develops water purification drinking 

system for rural households

At just 22 years of age and hailing all the way from the village of Bundu in Mpumalanga, Busisiwe Mashiane has conducted research to come up with a better way to help South Africans get water. Inspired by her background, where clean water wasn’t easily accessible, Mashiane created a technique to clean nonpotable water, it is an affordable and fairly new way that residents from rural areas can use to purify their natural water using the sand and sun. The system comprises of a slow sand filter designed to clean natural water to potable water (i.e drinking water) using a bed of sands (namely play sand, course and fine gravel and activated carbon). The purified water is then placed in the sunlight to kill off any remaining bacteria.

I went out to get insight from Mashiane who is currently  a fourth year chemical engineering student in the School of Chemical and Metallurgical Engineering at Univeristy of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg.

·         Why did you choose to research the water filtration system that collects clean water from polluted using the sun and sand in South Africa? I was undertaking a water treatment course last year and when I had a conversation with my lecturer, he suggested we explore ways of coming up with an idea we could implement. This conversation prompted me to choose this project because it was building on work done briefly by another student. We decided to build on the concept with the aim of looking at a practical real-life application of the project which could be applicable in rural areas around the country and Southern Africa. My interest in this was borne out of the fact that it presented an opportunity a way that whereby I could assist my family and community, especially when considering the water crisis. 

·         What is the objective of your project?  My main objective is to make it accessible to those who really need it, such as underprivileged communities around the country. It is meant to be a low-cost solution intended to provide them with drinkable water.

·         Where do you see your project in five years? I'd like to see it being used in many households around the country where it is making a real difference in peoples lives.

·         What equipment did you use for your water purification system? The design of the system is quite simple, there are 3 main containers, 1 is the feed tank (the cost of this depends on the size) then its the filter container (about 100 litres), then its a sterilization tank (a clear container) and finally its a storage tank which can be anything where the water can be stored for use. The filter itself is made up of the sands I mentioned above. 

·         What difficulties did you encounter during this project? The project is still a work in progress so there's a possibility that there are many challenges to overcome. Thus far one of the biggest challenges is as a result of me living in inner-city Joburg with no personal transport which means getting river water has been a challenge. I have had to ask my supervisor to collect this water for me, he has been of great help. Another challenge has been balancing the work I need to do for the project with my primary academic work which is not very easy considering Wits is a very intense institution. However, it's all going well so far and I'm excited to have more time for it now that I'm done with exams.  

·         What would you like the impact of your project to be in South Africa? I'd like to see it improve the quality of life of people living in disadvantaged communities. 

·         How do you balance social life and academics? It's a work in progress and some days are better than others. I’ve discovered that it is best to do what needs to be done as you go along and to make sure you don't obsess over little things. I like working under pressure because I feel that's when I perform best so yeah I'm far from perfect in this department but I just do what I can when I can and a social life is a very important aspect of life so I make it happen. One last thing, if you love something you'll find a way to get it done no matter the circumstances).

The young innovator says her water purification system is still in testing phase but hopes to see some households using it and not relying on municipalities.

Creating beautiful furniture from recycled wood - 

The inspiring story of Oageng Manana

In townships, there are not too many young people in the furniture-making business, which allows

the unique craftsmanship of the 26-year-old Oageng Manana to stand out. Manana is the founder and CEO of CityBirds Craft Corporations, a Klerksdorp based small business that uses recycled wood materials to create beautiful pieces of custom furniture.

Manana was born and bred in Jouberton, North West. After completing grade 12 in the year 2009, he enrolled for an undergrad in BSc Physics & Chemistry the following year at the North-West University. He later enrolled for a postgraduate program at the University of Pretoria in BSc(Hons)(Med)-Medical Physics which he completed in the year 2015. From 2015 to 2016 he pursued a career by undertaking practical and voluntary work.

In 2017, Manana opted to quit work and pursue an entrepreneurial journey. He claims the idea of establishing his business started out as a concept in early 2017 when he developed an interest in the creative arts. “Prior to 2017 I often created random visual art paintings and sketches using pencils, watercolors and acrylic paintings which were all self-taught,” he states. In 2017 he began paying more attention to his creative side, creating more paintings and sketches. Manana says he felt like he needed more, therefore an interest in craft design was developed in him.

He worked with various mediums in operating different handcrafted products for his personal use. Friends who came over would request for a tour of the house, raving about his taste and asking if he would make similar pieces for them. Bit by bit, he began selling individual items and using the revenue generated to continue doing what he was good at.

“The basic focus was home furniture and before long I had started creating handcrafted furniture such as coffee tables, armchairs, cabinets and other items. I then established my company named CityBirds Craft Corporations,” says Manana.

Manana says CityBirds Craft Co is a lifestyle brand with an interest in the design industry. It specializes in modern handcrafted customized furniture, interior design, visual arts and home decor accessories, with the aim of growing into other design aspects in the near future. He uses eco-friendly equipment to build his furniture. “I use all types of solid wood, furniture-friendly natural steel, coated plastic and fabric,” he states. Manana also makes use of user-friendly hand mobile tools like your jointers, router, jigsaws, sander machines, table saws, etc. His products are handcrafted, meaning after all the measured cuts, assembling, molding, sanding, furnishing, and painting are all done by hand.

When questioned on his preference for solid wood, he said wood is one of the most valuable recyclable materials because it can be transformed into a wide variety of secondary products.

CityBirds Craft Co’s main aim is to modernize, customize and make homes aesthetically pleasing, catering to the clients’ needs, style and space. 

The company is a home for creatives like Manana, the talented, whether self-taught or trained. In five years, he plans to recruit more young people who just like him have no home in big corporates as a result of inexperience and unrealistic academic backgrounds. More than anything, he wants to participate in the economy of this country because he regards unemployment as a crisis.

His future endeavors include using his company as a tool to find passionate young individuals who will not become an unemployment statistic but will also have the ability to do something they truly love while making a difference. “Our country exports a lot in the home interior design sector, they turn a blind eye to the talent young South Africans possess,” says Manana. His goal is to eliminate that sort of narrative and also revel in the pride of creating something 100% South African produced so we can also export and expand our industry as far as the design industry is concerned.

Challenges encountered by Manana during the project is finances, which pose a big threat in executing his projects. “I need to hire people, expand my logistics, I need to expand, I need to save time and I need bigger machinery to make certain cuts, and with the help of funding and better financial back up all of this can be superseded, he concedes” 

Manana’s company has more goals and hunger to grow as far as creative design/arts is concerned to accommodate all these talents. He wants to impact the country more in the employment sector. “With my previous experiences, I know the pain, depression, and frustration that comes with unemployment whether educated or not,” he says.

To access his work, talk orders, customize your home and follow the progress, readers can find CityBirds Craft Co in all social media platforms. On Facebook ‘CityBirds Craft Co’, on Instagram @citybirdscraftco. The website is still in building progress and will be launching it around August 2018. CityBirds Craft Co. is also powering an Eclectic Installation exhibition on the 2nd, 3rd and 4th of November in Klerksdorp at the Klerksdorp Museum. The exhibition will feature one other great visual artist.