No flash in the pan The 4Way Carwash

NO FLASH IN THE PAN

The humble car wash is as common in the townships as silence is in the suburbs, which means competition is fierce. Expert service is also in high demand – and that’s what The 4Way Carwash in Alex has been delivering for more than half a decade.

Sello Moloi is the owner of The 4Way Carwash in Alexandra, a popular spot that sits just next to Alex Mall. The establishment has been in existence for six years now – way longer than the sort of business school kids take up during their holidays to make a quick buck. “Running a car wash is not easy because you have to sacrifice a lot, including time with family and friends.

Running a car wash is not easy because you have to sacrifice a lot, including time with family and friends. It takes discipline and patience to run it.”

It takes discipline and patience to run it,” 37-year-old Moloi tells Spot-On. “I started out renting other people’s places, where some chased me away. But I’ve built my own from scratch, registered it, and also afforded myself a room to rent to lay my head.”

He says the inspiration to start the car wash was his joblessness. “I was down and out; I couldn’t find a job and I was homeless. I was tired of living off other people. I thought I should try it, before opting for crime,” says the business owner. Moloi was born and bred in Soweto but moved to Alex after his parents passed away 15 years ago.

OVERCOMING TRIALS

Founded in 2016, The 4Way Carwash of course fell victim to the trials of the past two years – the major one being Covid-19 and also the July unrest, which gripped parts of Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal. “Since people were stuck at home during Covid, I asked some of my customers to bring their cars to where I stay – but only a few could. So, I started selling alcohol and cigarettes since they were what people needed at the time,” the savvy hustler says. Moloi is part of the AlexBiz community of Alexandra entrepreneurs.

The fact that Moloi took a risk by selling booze and smokes during that time, because of the government’s lockdown restrictions, is a sign of the man’s character and determination to do what he must do for his kids. He currently has one employee after one of his workers left the car wash after securing a job elsewhere.

Last year’s July unrest didn’t make things any easier, as Alex was one of the few townships in Gauteng that were seriously affected. “Some of my stuff was stolen while other things were destroyed, causing me to lay off work for a month or two.”

EXPERIENCED HANDS

It’s currently winter and no one wants to even dip their fingers in water, but Moloi has experienced all four seasons and acknowledges that each has its pros and cons. “I’ve endured all [seasons] throughout the years of working without a shelter. In summer, it rains all the time, and you can’t even work. While in winter, it’s cold and so is the water – and there are fewer customers and less work, since the days are shorter and nights longer,” the automotive ablutions expert explains.

For a normal sedan, Moloi charges R70 per car and R120 for a super wash. “The extras we have are engine cleaning, valet, carpet wash and body polish. Lately, we’ve started introducing a sneaker and house mats wash.”