"The vehicles financed by CCS are 20% more profitable than the rest of our fleet."
Wanatu wanted to own its fleet, not rent it. When banks couldn't finance a startup, CCS backed the vehicles that helped build South Africa's first nationally registered e-hailing platform.
Most e-hailing businesses do not own their vehicles. They connect independent drivers to passengers and take a commission. The model is capital-light and largely indifferent to the quality of the car or the reliability of the driver.
Wanatu was built on a different premise: own the fleet, employ the drivers, control the experience. Cameras in every vehicle. Panic buttons in the app. A 24/7 control room. Consistent, branded, accountable service.
“ We saw the need for a safe e-hailing company. We felt that especially ladies on their own, and children and elderly people, were sometimes hesitant. We wanted to create a safe environment, with cameras installed in the vehicles so parents can have a look at what’s happening. ”
Anton Grotius • Founder • Wanatu
That proposition is built on ownership. And ownership requires capital.
Watch Anton and Gustav’s story in full
The challenge for a startup fleet
“ Initially, we started out renting the vehicles, but we soon realised that with rental companies, they need profits to sustain a business like that; that profit is actually something that can rather be in our pockets if we own our own vehicles. We had to start looking at purchasing our own vehicles. And again, that was one of the big challenges, because we were a startup company. ”
Anton Grotius • Founder • Wanatu
“ All the major banks were very sceptical. They just look at the financials, and because it’s a startup company, the financials aren’t looking as good as they can be. ”
Gustav Grotius • Systems & Logistics Manager • Wanatu
What CCS saw, and why it was personal
“ The difference with CCS was that they were interested in the operational and the historical context. They were excited about the trend of the financials with the operational context in mind. They could actually look at the whole model and see the potential. The banks don’t look for the potential, they only look at the past financials. ”
Gustav Grotius • Systems & Logistics Manager • Wanatu
Willie Mouton describes why the Wanatu mission resonated on a personal level:
“ I got into a ride-hailing vehicle one day, and I sat at the back and I could see all the lights that shouldn’t be lit up on the dashboard. That made me think, if my daughter needs to take an e-hailing taxi, how safe is she? Wanatu addressed that. I feel safe putting my daughter in a Wanatu. And from a business perspective, they have a brilliant model ”
Willie Mouton • CEO • CCS Investment Platform
The result, in hard numbers
“ The vehicles we acquired through CCS are about 20% more profitable than vehicles in our fleet from other forms of financing. For a company built around vehicles, that’s a major improvement. ”
Anton Grotius • Founder • Wanatu
Twenty percent more profitable per vehicle. For a business where every car is the core operating unit, this is the structural consequence of ownership over rental, made possible by asset-backed financing that conventional lenders could not provide.
In February 2026, Wanatu became the first e-hailing platform in South Africa to receive NPTR national registration, ahead of Uber and Bolt.
“ They are now part of the Wanatu dream. They’re not just giving capital. It’s with the funding they gave us that we can now transport families, elderly people, and anyone in the Pretoria and Centurion area. They’re part of the business. Not just people with big wallets. ”
Anton Grotius • Founder • Wanatu
The same asset-backed finance model that helped Wanatu build its fleet now underpins the CCS Income Notes.
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This post is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice.
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