Limpopo Business 2018-19 edition

INTERVIEW Koenie

INTERVIEW Koenie Slabbert BIOGRAPHY Koenie Slabbert began his career as an apprentice in tool, jig and die-making. Promotion to Supervisor inspired him to sign up for training at his own expense. Courses at the Production Management Institute of South Africa led to a Higher Diploma in Production Management and a BSc Honours through the PMI/University of Hertfordshire. A Master’s Degree in Operations Management followed. Before joining Seda, Koenie was an industrial engineer at Limac. He has been Provincial Manager from June 2007. Technology Incubation Centres are spurring growth Koenie Slabbert details how the Small Enterprise Development Agency in Limpopo is helping small businesses. What is the key business proposition of Seda Limpopo? The Small Enterprise Development Agency (Seda) is an agency of the Department of Small Business Development (DSBD) which provides non-financial support to small enterprises and co-operatives. Seda has by far the biggest network of offices in the country. Limpopo has five branches, one in each municipal districts and three co-location points. Seda has presence in some townships and rural areas and has programmes targeting youth and women from all sectors. Seda Limpopo supports three Technology Incubation Centres affording start-ups a well-equipped and protected environment in which to develop and grow for a period of three years. Incubation has been proven to reduce the failure rate in the first few years of small enterprises’ cycle. Seda interventions involve exploring possible new revenue streams, improving competitiveness and productivity in the business. Are there particular economic sectors in which you specialise? Seda assists all types of business and cuts across a number of sectors that are key to job creation. These include: agriculture and agroprocessing, manufacturing, engineering, renewable energy and services (ICT and tourism). Seda has also prioritised small enterprises and co-operatives owned by youth, women, people with disabilities and people in townships and rural areas. What are the challenges and opportunities for small businesses in Limpopo? One of the challenges is access to markets; another is access to funding. There are great opportunities in exporting of primary produce and value-adding through agro-processing initiatives. Manufacturing and technology and ICT initiatives are other areas of potential. Do the branches deal with different kinds of business support depending on where they are located? It is very important for Seda to ensure that its branches provide a series of packaged products and services to assist businesses in various phases LIMPOPO BUSINESS 2018/19 84

INTERVIEW Please share any Limpopo success stories. • The Ultimate Diagnosis Repair Centre is a mechanical workshop in the Mopani District Municipality. • Nachem Chemical (shown left) produces cleaning chemicals in the Vhembe District Municipality. • Benny & Ernest Leshega Training and Projects is located in Sekhukhune District Municipality. of operation. The dynamics of the economic imperatives will differ from region to region, but Seda has four phases of business development as offered to its clients: Seda Business Talk provides practical answers and guidance to potential entrepreneurs wanting to start their own business and get it right the first time. Assistance includes: business advice and information; small enterprise training and seminars; business registration. Seda Business Start provides businesses with instruments and techniques to plan their operations for a better chance of success. Focus is placed on: business planning counselling and support; business incubation; facilitation of access to finance; basic business skills and training; introduction to co-operatives course. Seda Business Build focusses on clients who want to sustain and strengthen their businesses. Assistance provided: technical support; networking and business linkages; capacity-building systems and mentorship; tender advice/procurement; export orientation; technology transfer; starting and managing a co-operative. Seda Business Grow focusses on clients who wants to grow their business and expand nationally and internationally. Assistance provided: export development; business systems development; co-operative support; growth strategies; technology transfer. What are Seda’s key programmes? • The Franchise Support Programme promotes franchising businesses to new and current entrepreneurs • The Export Development Programme develops export-ready small enterprises that are globally competitive and able to grow markets • The Seda Technology Programme seeks to stimulate economic growth and development through technology transfer, increasing the access to and use of technologies and offering technical support • The Co-operatives and Community Public Private Partnership Programme promotes the establishment and growth of viable co-operatives and collectively-owned enterprises • The EMPRETEC Programme is an integrated capacity building programme of UNCTAD targeting SMEs and entrepreneurial skills. What are the key factors when starting a small business or co-operative in Limpopo? If you decide to go into business, then you need a hard work mentality. They should run their business or co-operative like a business and not an NPO. For co-operatives, a smaller group is better that a large group as the bigger group is vulnerable to disagreements. 85 LIMPOPO BUSINESS 2018/19