Imagine a young electrical engineer swapping a cushy job with a well-established company to collect waste and clean refuse bins. It sounds crazy, but that is exactly what Langa Sangoni, the chief executive of Apple Green Holdings, has done.

Sangoni co-founded the diversified services firm with Tim Mohulatsi, the managing director. Yesterday the two officially launched the firm and announced the addition of two services to its portfolio.

Apple Green has four units divided into dustbin cleaning and recycling of non-hazardous waste, Camoil recycling, logistics and consulting. The firm was established 16 months ago with funding assistance from the Umsobomvu Youth Fund.

"We were inspired by three challenges … in our country: waste management; pollution as a result of illegal disposal; and unemployment," said Sangoni.

The firm's list of clients includes Nampak Recycling, FFS Refiners, Chemcity, GUD Filter, the eThekwini municipality and Anglo Platinum. Sangoni said the firm was negotiating with more corporates and municipalities to secure larger contracts.

"Once we have the larger contracts, we will outsource the bin cleaning and waste management function to small businesses," said Sangoni. "We need the big contracts because for the SMMEs [small, micro and medium enterprises] to be viable, it would have to clean a minimum of 1 000 bins.

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