Thabiso Mncwabe - Twin Twice Tissues

I want to show other young people that there is power in youth and that young people are capable of doing great things that can change the country and contribute to the local economy. Many young people, especially in rural areas, have lost hope in life as we face a lot of difficult challenges. I want to encourage them to believe in themselves and turn their passion into something they could benefit from and also create opportunities for other people.

Thabiso Mncwabe, Founder of Twin Twice Tissues.

Thabiso Mncwabe is the founder of youth-owned entity, Twin Twice Tissues, based in Greytown, KwaZulu-Natal.

Thabiso started his business after realising that there were not many affordable locally manufactured products for people in rural areas. He sought to address this issue through the creation of his own toilet paper manufacturing company, which could also tackle the high unemployment in rural areas.

Today, Twin Twice Tissues is a proud supplier to a number of major outlets in KwaZulu-Natal, including Spar grocery stores that are located in the province. When Thabiso started his business, he did not have sufficient capital to bring his vision to life, so he approached a number of business funding programmes for assistance. This helped him acquire the start-up capital he needed to secure factory space, machinery and raw materials. He also got the opportunity to attend a six-week course during which he learned the fundamentals of running a business and manufacturing toilet paper.

When he started, he only had five employees who worked in his factory in Greytown. However, as the years progressed, the demand for Twin Twice Tissues increased due, in part, to the government improving sanitation in rural areas and building flushing toilets. Thabiso realised that he needed to expand his business to cater for this growing demand and applied to the SAB Foundation Tholoana Enterprise Programme.

In 2017, he was accepted and, as well as business skills development and mentorship, he received R200 000 in funding which he used to buy a business vehicle to assist with the procurement of raw materials, as well as toilet paper deliveries. After graduating from the Tholoana Enterprise Programme, Thabiso applied for the Tholoana Enterprise Programme Bridging Finance. He obtained a loan of R1.1 million which he used to purchase additional machinery and raw materials, as well as open a second manufacturing factory in Pietermaritzburg.

After participating in the programme, Thabiso was able to increase sales by 150% and employ more people to work at both factories. To date, he has four company vehicles, has created 26 new jobs and has a yearly turnover of R4 million. With the SAB Foundation’s assistance, he was also able to build his client base and is now a supplier to various retailers in the province, as well as being a part of Unilever’s Janitor Programme.

The business training he received as part of the Tholoana Enterprise Programme was a highlight for Thabiso, and he credits it for helping him build his business into the credible company it is today. His business efforts were recognised when he received a Presidential Award and today Thabiso is a mentor to promising young entrepreneurs in his community.