When Neo Lechela couldn’t find ice in her hometown of Welkom one summer afternoon, she had no idea that the frustration would spark a fast-growing business. 
Today, the 33-year-old is the founder and chief executive officer of Neza Ice, a company that manufactures and supplies 2 kg ice packets to shops, taverns, garages, restaurants and events across the Free State.
“My business started around 2021... We couldn’t find ice anywhere, even the fuel stations were out of stock,” Lechela recalls.
At first, she tried making ice in her own way.
“I used cold drink containers and plastic bags, but my mother would complain about the mess I was creating.”
Her determination, however, did not waver. She began searching online for industrial ice-making machines, but their prices were intimidating. That’s when she turned to business development support.
“I came across the NYDA [National Youth Development Agency]. I went straight to their offices in Welkom,” she explains.
With a R50 000 NYDA grant, Lechela was able to buy her first ice-making machine, capable of producing 150 kg of ice per day.
Before stepping into business, Lechela was a sports intern at the Free State Department of Sport, Arts and Culture. A former footballer who played for Bloemfontein Celtic women’s team, she said her playing days unknowingly helped her understand her market.
“I have a relationship with tavern owners, we all played soccer together and I saw how they were always out of ice.”
Today, Neza Ice supplies a growing network of clients.
Her vision is much bigger than just Welkom.
“While I am currently just delivering in and around Welkom, the aim is for my ice to be found in all towns in the province. I believe it is possible. I used to play soccer, so I travelled a lot and the problem – always – was finding ice.”
Lechela also dreams of creating jobs through Neza Ice. For now, she runs the business with occasional help from her mother and brother.
To fellow aspiring entrepreneurs, her message is clear: don’t wait too long. “Later becomes five years, then it becomes 10 years and you just end up not doing what you wanted to do,” she cautions.
Supported by institutions such as the NYDA, the Small Enterprise Development and Finance Agency (SEDFA), and the Free State Department of Economic Development and Tourism, Lechela’s journey illustrates what’s possible when determination meets opportunity.
Neza Ice can be contacted via phone at 078 321 8527 or email neolechela25@gmail.com
The NYDA can be reached |at www.nyda.gov.za
Visit www.sedfa.org.za for more information about SEDFA
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