We’re thrilled to Thulani Ntsuntshe as a speaker at the Township Economy Awards! Born and raised in Tembisa, Thulani began his entrepreneurial journey at just 15, running errands for classmates and later becoming an informal “loan shark.” After exploring HR and Business Administration studies, he gained valuable lessons from early ventures and joined the Awethu Project incubator in 2013.

That year, he launched an eco-friendly mobile car wash, which quickly expanded, employing five people within three months. In 2014, Thulani co-founded Five Star Fire with R1.3 million in funding from the SEFA Awethu Youth Fund. Today, the company employs 15 staff and serves clients like Nestlé, Mercedes-Benz, and Bidvest.

Thulani’s vision is to make Five Star Fire the leading fire protection company in South Africa.