Building a home is one of the biggest investments most people will ever make and it should be an exciting journey. Yet for many, it has become one of the most stressful. Stories of unfinished projects, poor workmanship and contractors who disappear halfway through a build are common.

Thetshelesani Makhuvha, the founder of Midrand-based construction company Kazicon believes the strongest foundation of any project is not concrete or steel, it is trust. “We want to deliver quality, safe and long-lasting buildings,” he says. “That’s what I want Kazicon to be known for.”

It is a philosophy shaped by his professional training and a journey filled with setbacks, difficult decisions and an unwavering belief that doing things properly still matters.

Growing up, Thetshelesani watched generations of his family run businesses. His father, in particular, left a lasting impression on him through his work ethic, leadership and commitment to providing for others.

“I was inspired by the people that came before me,” he says. “I wanted to build something that my children and their children could one day inherit.”

After working for years for some of South Africa’s major contractors, he reached a point where he realised he could build something of his own.

That belief led to the launch of Kazicon in 2019 but no one could have predicted what came next. Within months of registering the business, COVID-19 brought the construction industry to a halt. Projects were delayed, sites closed and uncertainty became the new normal.

Rather than giving up, Thetshelesani made a series of difficult decisions. He downsized, moved back home to Venda to reduce costs and diversified the business by introducing a tyre division. While construction slowed dramatically, the transport industry continued moving essential goods across the country. “That tyre business is what kept us alive during COVID,” he says.

Ask Thetshelesani about the biggest lessons of entrepreneurship and he doesn’t hesitate. “I know how to build,” he says. “Running a business is a different ball game.”

Instead of hiding the mistakes he made along the way, he speaks about them openly.

One of his earliest projects taught him a costly lesson about pricing, cash flow and the financial realities of running a construction business. Rather than walking away when things became difficult, he chose accountability. He sat down with his client, explained the situation honestly and remained committed to completing the home.

It wasn’t the easiest conversation he has ever had, but it reinforced the values that now guide Kazicon.

Those experiences also taught him something many entrepreneurs discover only through experience: technical expertise alone is not enough. Building a successful business requires financial discipline, sound systems and the courage to ask for help.

Support from family, together with guidance from business development mentors, helped him identify weaknesses that could have threatened the future of the company. Looking back, he believes those difficult lessons made Kazicon stronger.

Today, Kazicon offers far more than construction services. The company provides residential and commercial construction, renovations, maintenance, civil works and property development. What sets it apart, however, is its end-to-end approach.

Many clients arrive with nothing more than an idea. Kazicon helps them identify suitable land, guides them through planning and design, manages approvals and oversees construction from start to finish. “We absorb the stress so our clients don’t have to,” says Thetshelesani.

For first-time homeowners especially, that support can make all the difference. Instead of navigating multiple consultants, contractors and approvals alone, clients work with one professional team focused on delivering a quality outcome.

For Thetshelesani, a well-built home should protect a family’s future, hold its value and stand the test of time. That is why he often encourages clients to look beyond the cheapest quotation. “Cheapest is not always best,” he says.

South Africa has some of the most respected construction standards on the continent, with locally trained professionals regularly sought after internationally. Yet poor workmanship and non-compliance continue to undermine confidence in parts of the industry.

Thetshelesani believes homeowners should see construction as an investment rather than an expense. That belief shapes everything from project planning to material selection and workmanship. It also explains why Kazicon is often called in to correct projects where corners have been cut; every successful project is another opportunity to demonstrate that quality and professionalism still matter.

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While Kazicon has transformed properties, Thetshelesani says it has also transformed him. Entrepreneurship has given him something he wasn’t expecting.

“My business has given me direction,” he says. “It’s helped build me as a person.”

He speaks openly about therapy, personal growth and learning to create balance between work and life. It is a refreshing level of honesty in an industry where many business owners feel pressure to appear as though they have everything under control.

His ambition remains as strong as ever, but it is now matched by greater self-awareness. “I don’t believe in giving up,” he says.

Thetshelesani dreams of one day seeing Kazicon compete alongside South Africa’s largest construction companies and hopes the company will inspire a new generation of entrepreneurs to build businesses that create lasting value rather than chasing quick wins.

Kazicon may be known for constructing homes, commercial buildings and developments, but perhaps its most important work in an industry where confidence can be fragile, is quietly proving that trust is earned and promises can be kept.

Kazicon is a participant business on the SAB Foundation’s Tholoana Enterprise Programme.