Leaky Loo? Have I Got a Solution for You!

Broken toilets, transport of waste and ways to save electricity – these three diverse things all got the attention of inventors who have been awarded prizes in the Green City Startup competition in Johannesburg.

Watch the video of Gabriel Ally and e-Trike:

The nine-month competition started with 86 entrants, who were whittled down to eight.

The first-place prize of R1-million was awarded to Paseka Lesolang and his development of the Leak-Less Valve, which aims to reduce water loss by up to 70 percent in toilets by fixing leaks and could cut a water bill by 10 percent. Apparently it all started with a leak in his grandmother’s toilet at her home in Ga-Rankuwa, outside Pretoria!

Second prize went to PowerOptimal‘s Sean Moolman, whose system apparently helps reduce peak electricity demand by 30 to 50 percent with little impact on activities.

Sharing third place were Gabriel Ally’s e-Trik, a pedal-powered and electrically assisted cargo tricycle that can transport 120 kg of waste over a range of 40 km, and Yolandi Schoeman’s sanitation project AqueouSphere Floating Treatment Wetland Islands, used to filter nitrates, phosphates, organic compounds, heavy metals, and other runoff contaminants in water.

The e-Trike is part of manufacturer GezaJozi’s social enterprise to equip waste pickers with transport to collect garbage.

Each of the eight finalists received R250,000 to create and build a prototype of their idea and were further offered in-depth technical support in order to improve, fine-tune, present, and pitch their ideas.

The final prototypes were presented to a panel of judges, which included an independent team of entrepreneurs and technical experts earlier this month.

Watch the video of Paseka Lesolang and the Leak-Less Valve:

MORE INFO

The Green City Startup:
www.thegreencitystartup.co.za