How an entrepreneur from Diepsloot is Turning Scraps into gold!
Sometimes, a great idea starts in the most unexpected places.
For Nondumiso Sibiya, that place was Diepsloot, a busy township in Johannesburg where piles of rubbish often line the streets.
Instead of walking past the problem, she decided to do something about it — and in the process, she’s helping to reshape how South Africa thinks about waste.
But some people don’t wait for change. They build it.
That’s what Nondumiso Sibiya has done with Boomba.mobi, a community-driven waste project that’s proving sustainability doesn’t have to come from boardrooms or billion-rand budgets — it can come from local people who care deeply about where they live.
Nondumiso Sibiya - (Founder) - Boomba.mobi
♻️ Turning Waste Into Opportunity
Nondumiso co-founded Boomba.mobi, a clever platform that gives real rewards to people who recycle.
Here’s how it works:
Residents collect items like plastic, cans, and cardboard and bring them to collection points. Instead of getting nothing for their effort, they earn things they can actually use — like food, clothing, or airtime.
It’s simple, practical, and fair. Everyone wins: the streets get cleaner, and people get something valuable back.
🌍 Building a Circular Economy, One Step at a Time.
What makes Boomba.mobi special is how it brings big green ideas down to ground level.
The project helps communities:
Compost food waste, turning leftovers into rich soil
Recycle plastics and metals to reduce pollution
Earn rewards, creating income opportunities
It’s a real example of the circular economy — where nothing is wasted, and everything has a use.
And unlike many big “eco” campaigns that look good on paper but don’t change much, Nondumiso’s approach actually works for everyday people.
💪 Cleaning Streets and Creating Jobs
For Nondumiso, cleaning up waste is only part of the story. The real goal is to empower people.
Through Boomba.mobi, she’s helped create local jobs, support small recycling businesses, and bring environmental education to schools and communities.
It’s proof that sustainability isn’t just about saving the planet — it’s about improving lives too.
Diepsloot recycling initiative keeps neighbourhood clean and create job opportunities | image - citizen.co Fourways Review
🌱 What Businesses Can Learn
At MACSOL, we find stories like Nondumiso’s truly inspiring.
She’s shown that real change doesn’t always come from fancy technology or big budgets — sometimes, it comes from one good idea that works for real people.
Here’s what every business can learn from her:
Reward good habits — motivation makes a difference.
Keep things local — community-based solutions last longer.
Reuse what you can — waste often hides opportunity.
Be open and honest — people respect real results, not greenwashing.
Real People. Real Impact.
Nondumisos’ story is a reminder that sustainability starts with action — not slogans.
By turning waste into worth, she’s creating a cleaner, stronger, and more hopeful South Africa.
So next time you think about what “being green” means, remember her story — because sustainability isn’t just a global issue. It’s something we build right here, at home.
A worm farm rewards Diepsloot communities with food and clothes for their food waste - image credits - News24
