Harvey Downes and his innovative ‘Draai Braai’ invention. Photo: Supplied
Cape Town - The ‘Draai Braai’ is the latest in a long line of iconic South African inventions. It’s a grill that can be turned and moved that allows for the braai master to control and manage the heat precisely.
The inventor behind the Draai Braai is Harvey Downes, an 80-year-old retired businessman and DIY enthusiast. He knew the struggles that even the best braai master faces when trying to control the flames to ensure the meat is grilled perfectly.
“Having retired after selling my business in 2016, I found myself thinking more and more about how to adjust the heat easily and proficiently on my braai or Weber.
“The idea of a BBQ grid screwing up and down to adjust its height came from the winding mechanism of an office chair,” Downes said.
Downes faced a lot of negativity towards his idea, with many engineers dismissing it but once he managed to find the prototype that worked, he started production and never looked back.
“Perseverance paid off and eventually I managed to complete my first model of the Draai Braai to show the engineers how it worked brilliantly. This is where they finally changed their minds and showed massive interest,” he said.
Downes partnered with Takealot as a distributor and has received many international inquiries. He hopes to increase local trade and create employment opportunities.
“My idea was to try to get this made in townships throughout the country because it is not a high-tech, precision product. I’ve been making it in my workshop so it would be fairly easy to make it locally and I’ve been approaching some township hubs to see if they have facilities and space and do some training for some of these guys,” he said.
matthew.petersen@inl.co.za
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