Lungisani Gumede is only 20 years old and has great plans for the future.

For the last three years he has been working at mastering his carpentry skills and is reaping the rewards of his efforts. During 2017 Gumede formally registered Soulhiller Services and Projects as a manufacturer and service business. The company is 100% black youth owned and is an exempted micro enterprise, level 1 B-BBEE contributor.

Gumede’s initial interest in carpentry centred on making doors. While you can easily obtain mass-produced doors, they lack the prestige of a handbuilt, solid wood door. He has had to acquire the specialised skills needed to ensure that his doors â€" which are in great demand â€" hang perfectly.

The company has extended its range of wooden products to include furniture, flooring, and cupboards. As wooden products work hand in hand with construction services, Gumede saw a gap to operate in two divisions: maintenance and construction services.

While initially serving his local township market, he has seen interest from further afield and is expanding his reach. Gumede would like to market his products further with the goal of exporting his custom-made products. He says, “In South Africa alone, there is an increasing demand for wooden products. Apart from
the households, and construction developments that require our products and services, there is an increasing number of crafts and lifestyle markets in Gauteng that requires our wooden products for their layouts.” 

Soulhiller Services and Projects 
soulhillerservicesandprojcts@gmail.com
C: 082 587 4268