When Mr Tumelo Ratala took to the stage to receive his award as a winner in the EDHE Entrepreneurship Intervarsity, he explained why he, foremost, had to thank himself.
The University of South Africa (UNISA) student won in the Existing Business – General category for his business, Drink & Print, which offers purified water and printing services. He took home R25 000.
The runner-up and recipient of R10 000 was the University of Cape Town (UCT) student, Mr Thando Mzimela, co-founder of uniMark, which connects university students with essential services through an online platform that streamlines access to local businesses.
Ratala (right) explained in his acceptance speech: “I am going to start by thanking myself. This is my second business, and this is my second stint at university. I had to drop out the first time to start a business, which then didn’t do well. It is not easy to be in school and start a business. There were many lessons I had to learn. So, I thank myself for not giving up on my education and my entrepreneurial journey. I think entrepreneurs are (the real) celebrities!”
He reiterated: “While I was sitting here during this awards ceremony, my cellphone rang with one of my employees calling to say that one of the machines wasn’t working. I said, ‘guys, please, this is my moment.’ So, while I thank my team and UNISA for all the support I have received, I also want to thank myself. I am proud (of myself) and deeply encouraged. Winning this award is confirmation that hard work and consistency truly pay off.”
The Entrepreneurship Development in Higher Education (EDHE), a programme of the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) administered and implemented by Universities South Africa (USAf), is the custodian of the annual EDHE Entrepreneurship Intervarsity. EDHE is predominantly funded through the University Capacity Development Programme (UCDP) of the DHET.
The Intervarsity is a platform designed to identify, recognise and celebrate top student entrepreneurs at South Africa’s 26 public universities. The event has, over the years, enjoyed the support of numerous private sector entities, including the SAB Foundation, which, in 2025, supports the initiative for the sixth year in a row.
Ratala, an undergraduate law student at UNISA, studying part-time from home, is the founder and owner of Drink & Print, a purified water and print shop based in Bochum Township, 90km north-west of Polokwane. The business provides clean drinking water, printing, copying, scanning and ice products to learners, students and small businesses in the township and surrounding rural areas.
“The idea came from experiencing frequent municipal water cuts and salty tap water in my community. In 2024, I joined the Kusini Water Champions programme, where I received training and start-up equipment. I later expanded by adding printing and ice services to provide reliable access to clean drinking water while supporting students and small businesses with essential printing services. I am determined to help uplift the local economy while creating sustainable jobs. I will use the prize money to upgrade my purification system so that we can produce more water in less time. I am also working to raise more funds to buy a panel van for deliveries and bulk orders.
“I will continue improving operations at Drink & Print while working hard on my studies at UNISA. My focus now is to scale the business and strengthen its impact on the community. In five years, I hope to have opened two additional branches in rural villages within the Blouberg Municipality, where access to clean water remains a challenge. These branches will also create up to six more jobs for young people.”
Education and entrepreneurship do not replace each other, he says. They work together.
“My message is that ideas become powerful when you work on them. University environments offer opportunities, mentors and resources that can help grow your business while you are still studying. I implore UNISA to continue shining the spotlight on student entrepreneurs who are building solutions for real challenges in their communities.
Competitions like this are important because they provide more than funding; they also offer exposure, networks and mentorship. They help student entrepreneurs build meaningful solutions and scale faster.”
Even in his spare time, Ratala is laser-focused and driven: “I read business material and watch entrepreneurship shows and podcasts, especially The Mashstartup Podcast.”
Connecting students to goods and services
Mr Thando Mzimela (left), an information systems student at UCT, co-founded tech startup UniMark to help students connect with local goods and services. Services could be anything from a haircut, finding a doctor or dentist, booking event tickets, or finding a tutor.
This business idea was sparked when Mzimela, as a young student, was struggling to navigate a new city. He spotted a service gap and the urgent need for a platform that gives students seamless access to trusted providers.
“In UniMark, we’re not trying to achieve a one-size-fits-all. We’re targeting high-frequency services that are part of what makes the university experience what it is,” he explains.
“Our long-term vision is to position UniMark as part of the university’s digital infrastructure, not just a marketplace, but a platform that makes everyday campus life smoother, faster and more connected.”
Mzimela says the business possibilities are endless. For instance, there are more than 1.2 million students enrolled at the 26 public universities and more at 35 private universities. His wish is to extend UniMark services to as many of these institutions as possible. UniMark’s revenue model is high-volume, low-cost and is built to scale. Students would pay a nominal subscription fee to access the service, and a listing fee would apply to vendors and institutions.
“We’ve received feedback that business sales have skyrocketed since they started using UniMark. This is what we are all about – giving young entrepreneurs and local businesses the tools they need to succeed.”
He has some advice for other students aspiring to become entrepreneurs: “Don’t let your thoughts remain as ideas. Turn them into reality. The only thing holding young people back is fear of failure and of the unknown. But failing is part of the process and can teach people many lessons. You have to persevere and believe in what you’re doing.”
Janine Greenleaf Walker is a contract writer for Universities South Africa.