By: Alfred Challis CEO of MANZI Water

Business, at its best, has never been about products alone. It has always been about people. The people who strive to deliver better solutions in the face of challenges, the people who take the risk of cultivating these solutions and bringing them to market, and most importantly, the people who rely on those solutions in their daily lives.

Since we began our journey, the MANZI Water story has been shaped by the imperative to serve our market, not ourselves. From the first outlet that opened its doors to the recent launch of South Africa’s first fully automated refill store in which we are a proud collaborator, the constant thread has been people, their dignity, their resilience, and their desire for better choices. Technology and innovation matter, but they only matter when they serve people.

Business is often spoken about in terms of numbers, market share, revenue growth, and expansion plans. These are important measures, but they are not the full measure of success. True success is whether the business leaves people better off than it found them. In Diepsloot, for example, residents can now buy a litre of safe, clean drinking water at an affordable price of just R1. This small shift means parents no longer have to choose between a full stomach and clean hydration. It means children can drink water without fear of illness. That is the impact, not just income.

The new MANZI Water outlet in Worcester in the Western Cape tells a similar story. For the Licensee, Charles Schreüder, the outlet is not simply a revenue stream but a calling. He speaks about operating his business as a way of serving people in the truest sense, of building trust and creating connection. This is what sets MANZI Water apart. Each outlet is operated by an independent Licensee who is deeply rooted in the community, carrying the soul of the Licensee, their values, and their relationships, which makes it far more than a point of sale and transforms it into a point of belonging.

That is not something you can write into a business plan, yet it is precisely the kind of intangible that sustains businesses for the long term. When customers feel seen, respected, and served with care, they come back not only for the product but for the experience of being valued.

My own journey to leading MANZI Water has taught me this lesson again and again. People do not follow titles, they follow sincerity. When you treat people with dignity, whether they are customers, colleagues, or community partners, they rise to meet you with loyalty, creativity, and energy.

Building a people-centric business requires humility. We cannot assume that we know better than the communities we serve. In fact, the greatest breakthroughs come when we listen. The SKUBU initiative was born from listening to communities who wanted affordability, flexibility, and dignity in how they purchase essentials. By combining refill technology with grocery staples, we helped create a model that is not just efficient but empowering.

It is tempting, in an era of rapid automation and digital transformation, to let technology take centre stage, but technology is not the hero of the story. People are the heroes. Technology must play a supporting role, amplifying access and enabling choice. That is why we will continue to test, learn, and adapt our models to what communities actually need, not simply what seems cutting-edge.

This approach has implications beyond MANZI Water. It is a call to every entrepreneur, every business, and every aspiring leader. Build with people at the centre. Ask not only what can we sell, but what problems can we help solve. Consider not just margins, but meaning. Strive to measure impact not only in litres sold or outlets opened, but in dignity restored, trust earned, and futures improved.

We are living in a time when trust in institutions is fragile, when inequality is visible in every queue for basic services, and when environmental pressures make sustainability non-negotiable. Against this backdrop, businesses have a choice. We can chase short-term profit, or we can build long-term value by being human-first.

At MANZI Water we choose the latter. Our strength lies not in faceless uniformity but in the individuality and soul of each independent Licensee who carries the brand into their community with passion and pride. That is what makes MANZI Water people-centric and that is what makes the difference.