North West Business 2017 edition

OVERVIEW
supporting small and emerging
enterprises in the North West
province.
The Kgatelopele Wellness
Centre in Mahikeng has not only
became a viable business, employing
100 people, but provides
a critical service ranging from
therapy to the treatment of acute
ailments. An initial loan of R34-
million from the IDC helped and
advised a local clinical psychologist
in successfully teaming up
with the hospital management
group CareCure. Jobs that have
been created range from porters
and nursing staff to occupational
therapists.
PrimaBake makes eight kinds
of biscuits in Potchefstroom. The
IDC’s initial investment in construction
costs, machinery and
delivery vehicles for this bakery
was strategic in the sense that
the biscuit market is somewhat
dominated by a few big companies.
The IDC has also played an
advisory role for the company.
The Booth Suite Hotel is a family
project that drew the support
of the IDC for a self-catering facility
aimed at the business traveller
in Mahikeng. The Bootha siblings,
Shaah, Farzeen and Saffiyah, two
of whom are chartered accountants,
qualified for the Gro-E Youth
scheme which supports young
entrepreneurs.
The Bio-manufacturing
Industry Development Centre
(BIDC) is a unit of the Council for
Scientific and Industrial Research
(CSIR) which is helping innovators
and entrepreneurs get their
products to market. Elvema
Nutritions instant porridges
and power shakes are made by
entrepreneur Makekele Somo-Tladi at her plant near the Hartbeespoort
Dam. With the help of the BIDC, 31 employees have shipped 500 tons
of porridge to other countries in Southern Africa and a further 250
tons in South Africa. She also makes oils and teas, 300 tons of which
has already been produced.
The Small Enterprise Development Agency (Seda) is a subsidiary
of the National Department of Trade and Industry (dti) and is one
of the most active agencies in supporting entrepreneurs. The Seda
Technology Programme (Stp) helps potential businesses become
trading entities.
Seda has initiated a programme designed to make co-operatives
and jointly owned enterprises stronger. The four key sectors are: agriprocessing,
community tourism and protected areas, mining and mineral
beneficiation, and trading. The agency supports businesses across
a range of sectors, from transport to jewellery design and manufacture.
The North West Development Corporation (NWDC) is the economic
development agency of the province. Among the NWDC’s services is
helping SMMEs gain access to funding and providing the infrastructure
(offices or factory space) to help them succeed. The NWDC also helps
start-up businesses identify markets and opportunities.
A private initiative that is creating employment is Anglo American’s
Zimele: it has launched more than 900 businesses across the country
with a combined annual turnover approaching R2-billion. There are
small business hubs at Rustenburg, Mogwase and Thabazimbi.
Royal Bafokeng Platinum is supporting a project to boost the
business skills of entrepreneurs. The Micro Enterprise Development
Organisation (Medo) is sending a mobile office to 29 villages within
the Royal Bafokeng Nation.
Shanduka Black Umbrellas has an incubator in Mooi Nooi, near
Marikana. One of the success stories from that area is Montamaisa
Bosigo Transport, which has expanded his business beyond being a
taxi and now does staff transport and courier services. The business
owner credits the training given him by Shanduka for his progress.
ONLINE RESOURCES
Development Bank of Southern Africa: www.dbsa.org
Industrial Development Corporation: www.idc.co.za
National African Federated Chamber of Commerce and Industry:
www.nafcoc.org.za
National Department of Small Business Development:
www.dsbd.gov.za
National Department of Trade and Industry: www.dti.gov.za
National Empowerment Fund: www.nefcorp.co.za
North West Development Corporation: www.nwdc.co.za
Small Enterprise Development Agency: www.seda.org.za
Small Enterprise Finance Agency: www.sefa.org.za
45 NORTH WEST BUSINESS 2017