For Lwanda Gumede, the idea for CID Home Repairs started with a broken gate. In 2021, while he was in Grade 11 and living in Durban, someone attempted to break into his family’s property while they were away on holiday. The gate and mailbox were built into the surrounding wall, and both were damaged in the process. Getting the repairs done proved harder than expected.
“What stayed with me was how difficult it was to get those repairs done. Finding someone who could handle that particular job involved searching online, making calls and following referrals, without much certainty about who could actually help,” says Lwanda.
Some of the businesses they contacted were no longer operating or could not take on the work.
“I remember thinking that, in a country with so many skilled people, it should not be this difficult to find someone to give work to. There seemed to be a disconnect between people who needed repairs and tradespeople who had the skills to carry them out.”
That experience became the starting point for CID, a platform aimed at making it easier for customers to find contractors while helping skilled tradespeople access work. Instead of struggling to find a trustworthy contractor, arrange bookings, negotiate pricing and deal with the hassles of home repairs, a booking means that homeowners can consider repairs done. This is also where the abbreviation CID stems from: Consider It Done.
Turning a Frustration Into a Business
Gumede took the idea to his mother and asked: “How useful would it be if you could book a contractor as easily as you order an Uber?”
He also discussed it with a friend’s mother who had business experience. But turning an idea into a business required him to start small.
He started by taking on cleaning jobs for estate agents preparing properties for show days. Those early jobs gave him practical experience with customers and service delivery. Eventually, he returned to the original idea.
“As I gained experience and development technology became more accessible, I returned to the original vision: building the platform I had imagined in my mother’s room.”
Solving More Than the Search for a Contractor
Gumede says the contractor market was fragmented, with customers moving between Google searches, referrals and phone calls.
“There was very little certainty about the quality of the work, the final price or when someone would arrive.”
Three issues stood out to him: reliability, transparent pricing, and time. His own repair experience reinforced this.
“We eventually found someone through a referral, but the finished work was disappointing. That showed me that finding an available contractor and finding someone you can trust to do the job properly are two different challenges.”
The family was initially quoted around R600, but the final amount reached R950 after additional costs were raised. They also waited about a week for the repair. Those experiences shaped CID’s focus on quick, reliable and transparent maintenance. As the idea developed, Gumede realised CID needed to address the entire process.
“We realised we needed to improve the whole experience: describing the problem, coordinating the job, communicating clearly and following through on the work.” This would mean that the contractor would understand the job thoroughly and price it accurately, and the customer would not be disappointed by the cost or quality of work.
Building Trust Into the Platform
CID is often described as “Uber for contractors”, but Gumede says the comparison is about simplicity. With a transport app, you know where you are and where you need to go. With CID, the starting point is a maintenance problem, and the destination is having that problem resolved.
Customers can describe what they need, request a service and arrange a suitable time. But convenience doesn’t equal trust. “Inviting someone into your home requires confidence in both their identity and their ability to do the work,” he says.
So how do you build trust between strangers?
CID’s contractor onboarding includes proof of identity, relevant qualifications and trade registrations where applicable, photographs of previous work and banking information for payout verification. Contractors also consent to criminal background screening. These forms of proof serve as stronger evidence of credibility than only user reviews. It highlights accreditation and skill, not just completed work.
“The purpose is to build a clearer picture of who the contractor is and what they are qualified and equipped to do.”
For Gumede, trust must continue after onboarding. Customers need clear pricing, realistic expectations, communication and evidence of completed work. Contractors need an accurate description of the request and a clear understanding of what has been agreed, because trust comes from both sides.
Creating Opportunities for Skilled Tradespeople
CID has created work opportunities for more than 50 contractors, giving Gumede a closer look at the challenges skilled tradespeople face.
“One of the biggest lessons has been that being excellent at a trade does not automatically make it easy to run a business.”
Contractors also need to market themselves, maintain an online presence, respond to enquiries and build a reputation. Gumede has heard frustrations about lead generation, particularly when contractors pay for enquiries that do not lead to work. For a small business, the cost includes the time spent calling, travelling and preparing quotations for work that may never materialise.
This has shaped CID’s approach.
“The quality of an opportunity matters as much as the number of enquiries.”
The business uses an hourly rate model alongside an in-app quotation system, allowing prices to reflect the type and scope of the work.
“Working directly with tradespeople has challenged some of our early assumptions. A model can look straightforward on paper, but it improves when you listen to the people who will use it.”
Taking the Platform Into Student Accommodation
CID later expanded into student accommodation maintenance after Gumede experienced the problem himself while studying at the University of Pretoria. He dealt with issues including a damaged cupboard door and problems with his room door hinges.
“Reporting an issue often meant contacting management, waiting for approval and then coordinating with a service provider through calls and messages.”
CID developed a system where students can use a QR code or link to identify their unit, upload a photograph, describe the issue and indicate their availability.
The value to accommodation providers is having requests in one place, with a clearer view of what is outstanding, assigned or completed. For students, the system confirms that the issue has been recorded, while contractors receive clearer information about the work.
Building Towards a Bigger Vision
Growing CID has meant building both sides of the marketplace. Before asking customers to trust the service, CID needed contractors who could fulfil their requests. At the same time, contractors needed a reason to join and confidence that the platform could bring them opportunities.
Gumede initially used direct outreach and cold calls before expanding through Facebook, TikTok and Instagram. Networking and participation in FNB’s youth startup accelerator also created new connections.
As CID prepares to launch its app, Gumede wants it to become a name South Africans associate with property services.
“When something needs fixing, installing or setting up, I want their first thought to be, ‘I can find someone through CID.’”
His vision ranges from everyday jobs such as mounting a television or assembling furniture to urgent problems such as a blocked toilet, burst pipe or damaged roof. But the bigger purpose is creating access to work. During and after COVID-19, Gumede saw people lose employment despite having years of experience.
“Someone could spend 15 years developing a trade and then lose their income when an employer could no longer keep them on. Their skills remained, but their access to customers was suddenly limited.”
Gumede wants CID to help make their skills more visible and accessible to people who need them. Ultimately, he wants to help thousands of tradespeople build more consistent incomes and encourage young people to see skilled trades as a respected career path.
For Gumede, success will ultimately be measured by more than the growth of an app.
“I would like CID’s success to be measured in the homes and properties we help maintain, the customers who trust us, and the tradespeople who can build more secure livelihoods through the work they receive.”
