In Partnership with Indalo Inclusive

Growing a Circular Economy
Across Africa’s Coal Belt

OPEHST Green Cycle Foundation NPC empowers SMMEs through hands-on training, enterprise mentorship and sustainable manufacturing across Emalahleni, Hendrina, Komati and Balfour.

Our Programmes Partner with Us
20 000
Bricks per day target
150 t
Sand reclaimed weekly
100 t
Waste repurposed monthly
8+
Jobs per site
Lungi (Lulu) Mphuthi briefing trainees at a Mpumalanga power-station site
Lungi Mphuthi briefing trainees at a Mpumalanga power-station site
OPEHST team presenting at the Dipaleseng Just Energy Transition Indalopreneur Expo
Dipaleseng Just Energy Transition Indalopreneur Expo
Lungi Mphuthi presenting brick samples at the Indalopreneur Project Expo
OPEHST presenting fly-ash brick samples at the Expo
Workers mixing concrete for a masonry repair project
Concrete mixing — community construction project
Workers mixing concrete on a community construction site
On-site masonry repair works
Workers in full PPE casting concrete slabs on site

Who We Are

Turning Waste into Wealth, People into Leaders

OPEHST Green Cycle Foundation NPC is a non-profit rooted in Mpumalanga’s coal-belt communities. We train and mentor emerging SMMEs in sustainable construction, circular economy manufacturing, and environmental restoration.

Led by Lungile (Lulu) Mphuthi—an AfriSam-certified fly-ash and slag brick manufacturer with over a decade of industry experience—we operate across Emalahleni, Hendrina, Komati and Dipaliseng/Balfour, bringing skills development directly to communities that need it most.

Our approach converts industrial by-products—fly ash, ferrochrome slag, river sand—into quality building materials, creating green jobs while cleaning up the environment.

Our Training Programmes

Leadership

Meet Lungi

Lungile “Lulu” MphuthiFounder & Director
Lungi (Lulu) Mphuthi in white hard hat at a construction site
On-site
Lungi Mphuthi in hi-vis vest at a brick manufacturing facility
AfriSam Certified 10+ Years Experience SMME Mentor

Lungile “Lulu” Mphuthi

Founder & Director — OPEHST Green Cycle Foundation NPC

Lungi is a certified fly-ash and slag brick manufacturer with more than a decade of hands-on experience across Mpumalanga’s construction and circular economy sectors. Trained and accredited by AfriSam, she has built a reputation for turning industrial waste into structural-grade building materials that meet SANAS quality standards.

She founded OPEHST Green Cycle Foundation NPC to share that expertise directly with emerging SMME owners in the coal-belt communities of Emalahleni, Hendrina, Komati and Dipaliseng/Balfour—communities she knows and serves.

Through the Kosmos Weeks Programme and the Dipaleseng Just Energy Transition Indalopreneur Project, Lungi has mobilised training cohorts, led site operations and demonstrated at national expos that circular economy manufacturing is not only viable—it is a growth sector.

“We don’t just teach people to make bricks. We teach them to build businesses, clean up their environment, and own their future.”

Lungile Mphuthi
Connect with Lungi

What We Do

Three Pillars of Circular Impact

Every programme creates value at multiple levels — for the individual entrepreneur, the community enterprise, and the natural environment.

01

SMME Training & Development

Practical, site-based skills development for emerging construction businesses: mix design, quality control, business systems, costing and access to markets.

02

Manufacturing & Technical Mentorship

Hands-on mentorship from certified professionals covering fly-ash brick production, equipment operation, SANAS quality standards and safety compliance.

03

Circular Economy & Environment

Converting Eskom fly ash, ferrochrome slag and river sand into affordable building materials — turning Mpumalanga’s waste streams into supply chains.

Training Programmes

Skills That Build Futures

Designed for people with little formal background who want to build sustainable livelihoods in construction and the circular economy.

🏛 Concrete & Brick Manufacturing

Comprehensive training in fly-ash brick and ferrochrome slag brick production. Covers mix design using industrial by-products, vibro-compression moulding, curing and structural grading to SANAS standard.

  • Fly-ash and ferrochrome slag mix ratios
  • Vibrator and mixer equipment operation
  • 7-day and 28-day compression testing
  • SANAS quality standard requirements

📈 SMME Business Fundamentals

End-to-end business development: from registering your enterprise and sourcing materials to pricing, invoicing, supplier relationships and market access.

  • Business registration and compliance
  • Cost and pricing models for brick SMMEs
  • Supplier negotiation and materials sourcing
  • Record keeping and basic financial literacy

⚖ Occupational Health & Safety

Site safety training aligned with South African construction regulations. Covers PPE requirements, hazardous materials handling, emergency procedures and contractor compliance.

  • Construction site safety induction
  • PPE selection and correct use
  • Handling fly ash and industrial by-products
  • First aid and emergency response basics

🌿 Circular Economy Practices

Introduction to circular economy principles applied to construction: waste minimisation, material recovery, recycling processes and environmental impact assessment.

  • Circular economy principles and frameworks
  • Industrial waste identification and recovery
  • River sand reclamation techniques
  • Environmental compliance for SMMEs

Enterprise Mentorship

Walk-Alongside Support

Our mentorship model pairs emerging SMME owners with experienced practitioners for sustained, practical guidance — not just a once-off workshop.

1

Assessment & Goal Setting

A thorough assessment of skills, resources and business goals. Together we set realistic milestones and identify the specific support needed.

2

Site-Based Technical Guidance

Mentors work directly on the production site — guiding equipment setup, mix design, quality checks and workflow optimisation.

3

Market Linkage & First Sales

We help mentees build customer relationships, price competitively and navigate supplier and off-take agreements.

4

Scale-Up & Sustainability Planning

Mentors help plan production scale-up, equipment investment, workforce expansion and long-term sustainability.

5

Peer Network & Continued Learning

Graduates join an alumni network sharing knowledge, referrals and collective bargaining power across the coal belt.

Our Impact

Measurable Change

Targets based on the OPEHST Bulk Construction Supplies SMME Support Proposal and active Kosmos Weeks Programme results.

20 000
Standard bricks per day (Month 12)
150 t
River sand reclaimed per week
100 t
Mining waste repurposed monthly
8+
Direct jobs & youth trained per site

Environmental Initiatives

  • ✓Fly-ash upcycling — diverting Eskom power-station waste into structural bricks
  • ✓Ferrochrome slag repurposing — hazardous industrial waste into aggregate and sub-base material
  • ✓River sand reclamation — reducing sedimentation and flood risk in Mpumalanga waterways
  • ✓Off-grid production — solar power and rainwater harvesting roadmap for the new White River facility

Our Partners

Stronger Together

We collaborate with funders, industry leaders and community organisations to scale sustainable impact across Mpumalanga.

🌏

Indalo Inclusive

Primary funding and programme oversight partner for the Kosmos Weeks Programme. Indalo’s grant support enables rapid site mobilisation and structured reporting.

🏢

AfriSam

Long-term technical partner (2014–2018) providing SANAS certification support and quality benchmarking for fly-ash and slag brick manufacturing.

⚡

Eskom (Kriel, Kendal, PJK)

Negotiations underway for bulk fly-ash supply from Mpumalanga coal power stations, converting a disposal liability into a sustainable raw-material supply chain.

🌲

Coal-Belt Communities

Emalahleni · Hendrina · Komati · Dipaleseng/Balfour. Local youth, artisans and emerging contractors are the backbone of every programme we run.

Get in Touch

Join the Circular Economy

Phone
072 157 5767
Email
lungi@opehst.co.za
Operating Areas
Emalahleni · Hendrina · Komati · Balfour
White River (new site) · Mpumalanga

Partner with OPEHST Green Cycle Foundation

We are actively seeking partners for funding, technical collaboration, material supply and training facilitation. Whether you are an enterprise development funder, a municipality, an Eskom station manager or a construction company, there is a role for you in the circular economy.

Send Us a Message