Technical Consultant & Software Developer · South Africa
We build your software.
Ship it live.
Keep it running.
Short-term retainer to build your product. Then we host and maintain it for you. You get working software without managing servers, developers, or infrastructure.
Retainer build
1–6 months
Ship & go live
Working product
We host it
Low monthly fee
If it runs a business, it can be built and hosted.
01 — The problem
Sound familiar?
Mid-to-large businesses often have a specific operational problem that no off-the-shelf product solves cleanly. The answer is custom software — but most developers make it painful and expensive.
Your off-the-shelf software does 70% of what you need — and you pay 100% of the price
IT vendors quote 12 months and R500k for something that should take 8 weeks
Developers who built your last system made themselves impossible to remove
You're running a R20M operation on Excel because nothing else quite fits
Generic platforms force your team to work around the software instead of with it
You've been burned before — late delivery, scope creep, a system nobody uses
You need biometrics, fleet tracking, or a custom portal — but can't find someone who's done it before
Hardware and software need to talk to each other and nobody wants to touch that integration
Your off-the-shelf software does 70% of what you need — and you pay 100% of the price
IT vendors quote 12 months and R500k for something that should take 8 weeks
Developers who built your last system made themselves impossible to remove
You're running a R20M operation on Excel because nothing else quite fits
02 — Capabilities
Broad domain depth.
One point of contact.
I've built production systems across industries in South Africa and across borders. Each engagement starts with understanding how your business actually works — before writing a line of code.
Operations & Manufacturing
OpsJob tracking, stock control, batch traceability, dispatch management, barcode integration, shift reports.
Fleet & Logistics
FleetVehicle management, maintenance scheduling, route tracking, driver records, compliance logs.
Healthcare & Medical
HealthPractice management, patient portals, appointment systems, billing workflows, cross-border deployments.
Biometrics & Security
BiometricFingerprint authentication, access control systems, identity verification, attendance tracking, hardware integration.
Financial Technology
FintechPayment systems, debt management platforms, financial dashboards, budgeting tools, reconciliation automation.
Mining & Heavy Industry
MiningProduction monitoring, shift management, compliance tracking, equipment records, incident reporting.
Mobile & Web Platforms
Mobile/WebFlutter mobile apps, Next.js web platforms, client portals, admin dashboards, multi-tenant SaaS.
Automation & Integration
IntegrationRule engines, Sage/Pastel integration, API connectors, data importers, workflow automation, IoT device integration.
Don't see your domain? If it runs a business, it's been done or can be done.
Have a specific problem in mind? Let's talk about it.
WhatsApp me03 — How it works
Build it. Ship it. Keep it alive.
A structured engagement that delivers real software and transitions to affordable long-term hosting. No retainer that never ends. No infrastructure you need to manage.
Discovery
Define what we build
Free 30-min call. I understand your business and your problem. Then I give you a fixed scope, fixed monthly retainer, and a realistic timeline.
Free call · Fixed retainer
Build retainer
Weekly progress. Real software.
Monthly retainer for 1–6 months. You see the product being built every week. Backlog prioritised together. Ship incrementally — not at the end.
1–6 months · Weekly delivery
Go live
Launched and ready
Your software is live. Users can access it. The build retainer ends — replaced by a low-cost hosting and maintenance plan.
Live product · Retainer ends
Host & maintain
We keep it running
Low monthly hosting fee. We handle server updates, backups, monitoring, and small fixes. You focus on your business — not your infrastructure.
Low monthly · No surprises
◆
You own the software
Source code and data are yours. The hosting plan is optional — you can always self-host or move.
◆
Predictable costs
Build retainer ends when the product ships. Hosting is a low, fixed monthly fee — not an open-ended contract.
◆
We eat our own cooking
We host what we build. Our incentive is software that runs reliably — not software that needs constant billable fixes.
Free 30-minute call. Tell me the problem — I'll tell you honestly what it takes and what it costs.
WhatsApp me04 — Pricing
Two phases.
Two price points.
A build retainer to create your software, then a hosting plan to keep it alive. Transparent, predictable, and aligned with your outcome.
Phase 1
Build Retainer
Monthly retainer from
- ✓Scoped deliverables agreed upfront
- ✓Weekly progress — not a black box
- ✓Backlog managed together, prioritised by value
- ✓Ship incrementally — working software from week 2
- ✓Build retainer ends when the product ships
Retainer rate depends on project complexity and team size required. Scoped after discovery call.
Phase 2
Hosting & Maintenance
Monthly hosting from
- ✓Managed server — we handle updates, backups, SSL
- ✓Uptime monitoring with alerts
- ✓Small fixes and dependency updates included
- ✓Scales as your user base grows
- ✓Cancel anytime — you keep all your code and data
Hosting price depends on infrastructure requirements. Quoted after scoping.
Start with a free 30-min call.
Tell me your problem. I'll give you an honest assessment of scope, timeline, and cost — before any commitment.
About
Coenraad Vlietstra
I'm a technical consultant and software developer based in South Africa. I work with businesses that have a specific problem they can't solve with generic software — and need someone who can understand the business domain as well as the technology.
I've built production systems across manufacturing, fleet, healthcare, biometrics, fintech, mining, and more. Full-stack web and mobile, hardware integrations, cross-border deployments. South African operations and real-world industrial constraints are not an edge case for me — they're the context I work in.
My goal is to leave you with a system that runs without me. That's what a good technical engagement looks like.
Based in
South Africa
Domains
8+ industries
Delivery
Remote-first, on-site by arrangement
Stack
Next.js · Flutter · Node.js · Python · Prisma · PostgreSQL · SQLite
Integrations
Biometric hardware · Barcode systems · Sage/Pastel · BetterStack · Resend · IoT
Engagement
Build retainer · Go live · You own the software
05 — Good fit?
Honest about scope.
Good fit
- ✓Medium-to-large businesses with a specific operational problem
- ✓Operations that have outgrown spreadsheets but don't need a R500k enterprise system
- ✓Companies that want to own their software — not rent it indefinitely
- ✓Businesses that need a technical partner who understands the domain, not just the code
- ✓Projects where custom hardware or legacy system integration is part of the requirement
- ✓SA businesses operating across borders or in industries with specific compliance needs
Not a fit
- —Need someone to manage their IT department or helpdesk long-term
- —Looking for the cheapest possible option — quality custom software has a real cost
- —Want a developer on an indefinite retainer with no defined deliverables
- —Need someone physically on-site full-time
- —Need a "build it in a weekend" solution for a problem that requires real engineering
Not sure if you're a fit? The free discovery call is exactly for that.
06 — FAQ
Quick answers.
So we both know we're a good fit before we talk.
07 — Contact
Let's see if it's a fit.
Based in South Africa — available remote or on-site by arrangement. Message me and I'll reply with 3 quick questions. If it's a fit, we'll book a short walkthrough.
Free discovery call · Fixed scope · Weekly delivery · No open-ended retainers