South African Cheslyn Swart (24) has invented a washing machine for sports shoes, after he lost his job as floor manager at a cell phone warehouse six years ago. With no formal qualifications, he taught himself by taking apart his washing machine at home. Now his invention will be on the market in South Africa this month and on sale overseas from June. He has licenses to sell the product in the UK, China, India, the Middle East, North and South America, Namibia and Angola. The Nu-Sportshoe microwave-like machine can wash and dry your smelly sneakers in 10 minutes. It cleans the shoes with steam and a special solvent, also patented by Cheslyn. The machine needs no water. It sprays solvent at a very high speed and very high heat onto the shoes, removing all the dirt. It will cost around R1 500 ($250 dollars). Cheslyn is also in negotiations to sell the washing machine to gymnasiums. The capital investment in the project by two private investors was about R1-million, while the Danish government sponsored another R2-million in research about its potential markets in Europe, America and Asia. Business consultant Enver Buys, whose company Chaza Strategic Management helps entrepreneurs find funds and develop their ideas, helped Cheslyn to patent the product.
