Reimagining Ekasi Living: The Rise of Rooms Ekasi and Hlombe Magwaca
Reimagining Ekasi Living: The Rise of Rooms Ekasi and Hlombe Magwaca. Hlombe Magwaca grew up witnessing the housing challenges that defined township life in South Africa. As he entered the property industry, he became acutely aware that traditional listing platforms ignored township rentals, what residents simply called “rooms ekasi.” When industry insiders dismissed this segment as too small or too informal, Hlombe saw opportunity. He founded Rooms Ekasi, an online platform dedicated to property listings in townships and informal settlements, transforming “too small” into his biggest asset.
Defining the Offering: A Platform by the People, for the People
Rooms Ekasi went beyond basic listings. Hlombe designed the user experience around local realities, phone-first listings, simple upload methods, vernacular prompts. His platform spoke the language of the people, literally. By marketing the service as a bridge, helping tenants and landlords find each other safely, he struck a chord with local users neglected by broader property sites.
Lesson: Real adoption requires cultural fit. Build platforms that reflect how people in underserved communities live and search.
Turning Points: Visibility and Community Trust
Hlombe’s first significant breakthrough came through community events and local radio shows. He turned conversations into brand stickiness. One LinkedIn post titled “Redefine Your Hustle” highlighted his vision and invited collaboration, earning coverage that resonated beyond borders.
Lesson: Be your own spokesperson. Sharing your story can create credibility and invite opportunity, even before profitability.
Strategic Marketing: Word of Mouth with Digital Amplification
Unlike national platforms that rely on big advertising budgets, Rooms Ekasi invested in grassroots growth. Property agents, community leaders, tech hubs and shacks-to-shops networks became brand ambassadors. Meanwhile, social media posts featured success stories of tenants and landlords, creating a genuine sense of community ownership.
Lesson: Community referrals are powerful. Build platforms that reward advocacy, not just clicks.
Resilience in the Face of Challenges
Expanding into informal settlements presented operational and technical challenges: poor connectivity, opaque ownership, and undocumented leases. Hlombe responded by developing offline-first functionality and offering basic legal templates to landlords. He partnered with local fintech providers so tenants could pay deposits and rent via voucher or mobile money, bypassing bank barriers.
Lesson: Real-world constraints demand real-world design. Solve for context, not classroom assumptions.
Scaling Up: From Townships to Tech Entrepreneurship
What began as a listing site has evolved into a full-scale property-tech brand. Hlombe now serves as CEO of Mandlonke Property Group and COO at Spire Capital Partners, expanding his footprint across Southern Africa. Rooms Ekasi has also inspired similar ventures in other informal economies across the continent, proof that local insights can have regional relevance.
Lesson: Purpose-led platforms scale when they solve universal problems, from underbanking to informal tenancy.
Milestones That Defined the Journey
| Milestone | Impact and Entrepreneur Insight |
|---|---|
| 2022 launch of Rooms Ekasi | Solved a real gap in property listings in townships using an affordable digital platform |
| 2023 LinkedIn pitch goes viral | Increased user acquisition and media attention with authentic storytelling |
| Community-first growth campaigns | Onboarded landlords and tenants through word-of-mouth and local influence |
| Product iteration for offline use | Improved reach by designing for unreliable connectivity and payment barriers |
| Expansion into property-tech group | Joined Mandlonke Property Group and Spire Capital Partners, cementing credibility across sectors |
Actionable Lessons for Entrepreneurs
- Target overlooked segments: Understand the frustration and opportunity within under-addressed markets.
- Build for local realities: Think vernacular, offline, mobile. Context matters more than bells and whistles.
- Own the narrative: Speak in person, on social media, in interviews and make local media feel your impact.
- Launch lean: Iterate fast based on grassroots user feedback and referrals, not fancy offices.
- Remove friction: If your users don’t have bank accounts, design around that, use vouchers or mobile money.
- Scale authentically: Grow your team and influence from your core, not from who you wish you were tomorrow.
Final Word
Rooms Ekasi stands as more than a property platform, it is a blueprint for inclusive business. Hlombe Magwaca’s journey teaches us that aligning technology with community stories transforms niche into impact. By centering lived experience, designing for adversity, and scaling purposefully, his brand champions informal South Africa and shows others how to do the same.
