The National Empowerment Fund (NEF) has enabled Sivuyise Sotshongaye (31), from Flagstaff in the Eastern Cape, to revive his family’s timber business and honour the legacy of former President Nelson Mandela.
Sotshongaye is the Managing Director of Sotsho Treated Timbers (STT), a company registered in 2015 but only operational since 2022 after receiving R5 million in funding from the NEF.
The business specialises in selling Copper-Chrome-Arsenate (CCA) poles and construction poles, supplying various hardware stores and farmers across seven towns in the Eastern Cape and one in KwaZulu-Natal.
Copper-Chrome-Arsenate (CCA) is a chemical used to treat wood so it lasts longer and doesn't rot, get eaten by insects, or get damaged by rain. It’s mainly used for outdoor timber like fencing, building poles, and farm structures.
Speaking to Vuk’uzenzele, Sotshongaye said the business evolved from Flagstaff Treated Timbers, founded by his father in 1990.
“My father’s business thrived for more than three decades... It gave us a very comfortable life and enabled us to attend the best schools. But the market shifted several years ago, the equipment deteriorated, and the company shut down in 2017. My siblings and I had to step in to continue our father’s legacy,” he explained.
In September 2021, STT received funding from the NEF. Sotshongaye said the funds were used to purchase a truck, a treatment plant, and chemicals for treating poles. A portion was also allocated to working capital.
He said keeping his father’s legacy alive is an emotional journey filled with pride, especially after seeing the pain in his father’s eyes when the original business closed. With the NEF’s support, STT was able to rebuild and modernise the plant.
“As his son, I vowed to make him proud. The NEF gave me that stepping stone to keep the family legacy alive. When we joke with our siblings, we say we’re building generational wealth. My father remains actively involved in the business as one of the directors,” he said.
So far, the business has created more than 17 jobs, with most employees being young people. 
“We’re trying to tackle unemployment and poverty. For us, fighting unemployment means helping parents send their children to school, giving a young man the means to support his family and put food on the table, and empowering a single mother to give hope to her daughter,” he added.
NEF investment in STT
NEF Chief Executive Officer Mziwabantu Dayimani said: “When the NEF invested in STT, we knew we weren’t just supporting a business. We were investing in a young entrepreneur determined to rebuild a legacy and drive change in his community. STT shows that black youth-owned businesses, when empowered, can transform entire value chains and reignite rural industries.”
He added that STT’s story reflects what is possible when young people are given the tools and resources to lead.
Sotshongaye said that, as a young black South African, celebrating Nelson Mandela’s life holds deep meaning.
“It represents freedom and opportunity. He opened doors for us to chase our dreams and fulfil our visions. He is the epitome of ‘black child, your dreams are valid’—literally,” he concluded.
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