24-Hour Hackathon East London, SA Team of 5

Sondela
Biz

The B2B platform connecting Mdantsane's township businesses — trusted discovery, a live needs-and-offers board, and a verified trade reputation system. Built in 24 hours.

See the Platform → Live Directory
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The Problem

Mdantsane's economy is invisible online

🔴 What's broken

  • Businesses have no digital presence — customers can't find them
  • B2B sourcing relies on word-of-mouth WhatsApp chains
  • No way to verify trustworthiness before engaging
  • Foreign businesses take contracts that local providers could fill
  • Promising businesses stay small for lack of supply connections

🟢 What we built

  • Public directory — searchable, filterable, WhatsApp-first
  • B2B board — I Need / I Offer posts with instant contact
  • Trusted Trader — earned reputation badges (bronze → silver → gold)
  • Trade records — verified completion creates undeniable track record
  • Zero friction — no app install, works on any phone
The Opportunity
170K+

People in Mdantsane township, East London

R2B+

Annual township economy GDP estimate, Eastern Cape

0

Existing B2B platforms targeting Mdantsane specifically

How It Works

Two parts. One platform.

Part A — Public Directory

Anyone can find, no login required

1Search "hair salon Unit 4"
2See verified listings with ratings
3Tap WhatsApp to connect instantly
Part B — B2B Network

Login required — trade and build reputation

1Post "I Need 50kg onions — R800"
2Suppliers respond via the board
3Confirm the trade → earn your badge
Trusted Trader progression
🆕
New Trader
→
🥉
Bronze
5+ trades, 3.5★
→
🥈
Silver
20+ trades, 4.0★
→
🥇
Gold
50+ trades, 4.5★
Business Model

Free to join. Pay to grow.

Free
R0
forever
✓ Public listing
✓ WhatsApp contact
✓ B2B board access
✓ Trade records
Boost
R10–30
per post
✓ Everything in Free
✓ Top of search results
✓ Highlighted listing
Premium
R49–99
per month
✓ Everything in Boost
✓ Analytics dashboard
✓ Priority badge
✓ Unlimited posts
Featured
R150–250
per month
✓ Everything in Premium
✓ Homepage feature
✓ Category banner
✓ Verified badge
Technology

Simple. Robust. Scalable.

🌐

Frontend

HTML · CSS · JavaScript
Motion One animations
Glassmorphism design system

⚙️

Backend

Node.js · Express.js
JWT auth · bcrypt passwords
REST API

🗄️

Database

MySQL · 7 tables
FULLTEXT search
Automated tier triggers

Social Impact

Aligned with UN SDGs

SDG 8 — Decent Work & Economic Growth
SDG 9 — Industry, Innovation & Infrastructure
SDG 10 — Reduced Inequalities
SDG 11 — Sustainable Cities & Communities
SDG 17 — Partnerships for the Goals

Mdantsane is the third-largest township in South Africa. A platform that surfaces its economic activity online doesn't just benefit businesses — it changes how the outside world perceives and engages with township economies.

The Builders

Team of 5 — first hackathon

L
Lindokuhle Ntuli
Team Lead · DB & Types
X
Xolani
UI · Navbar · Styling
S
Siyamthanda Ndabeni
Public Pages
A
Amahle Axola
B2B Network · Board
L
Lekgothe Ngoepe
Pitch · Deploy
See it live

SondelaBiz is live and working.

Register a business, post a need, find a supplier, confirm a trade. The full flow — built in 24 hours by a team of five first-timers.

Explore the Platform Register a Business View the Board