Limpopo Business 2018-19 edition

INTERVIEW What does the

INTERVIEW What does the Biofuel Business Incubator do? A study commissioned by the Department of Science and Technology (DST) found that it would be possible to blend biodiesel, produced from soya beans and sunflower seeds, with coal or crude-based diesel. The Agricultural Research Council (ARC), though its Sustainable Rural Livelihood (SRL) division, approached the DST with a proposal to use available technologies to assist black small-scale farmers and make them the primary producers of the crops for biodiesel production. The Biofuel Business Incubator (BBI) previously known as Makura Mafura Incubator (MMI) started at Tompi Seleka Farmers Training College in Limpopo Province in January 2006. Incubates receive training to enhance their business and managerial skills in order to optimise the yields of crops, primarily sunflowers and soya beans, required for biodiesel production. The strategic objective is to use the biodiesel production value chain as the pathway for the integration of small-scale resource-poor farmers into the agribusiness mainstream. Farmers are assisted with regard to value-chain and market development, enterprise development and technical support. The incubation model of BBI sets a full three-year incubation period while receiving training on crop production (sunflower and soya beans), business skills and technical skills. Graduate farmers receive post-incubation support and are expected to produce high-quality crops. They receive subsidised inputs, a guaranteed market and all the benefits derived from the value chain. What is the Seda Technology Programme? The Seda Technology Programme (STP) is a division of Seda which focuses on sustainable enterprise development through technology business incubation, monitoring, evaluation, improvement of service and product quality and standards, and technology-transfer-funding services and support. STP seeks to make it easier for small enterprises to gain access to technology and technical support, while improving their sustainability and international competitiveness. STP is a programme of the Department of Small Business Development. The Incubation Unit is designed to strengthen technology commercialisation and harness the entrepreneurship of the technology community in South Africa. The Technology Transfer Unit promotes and facilitates the transfer of technology that is appropriate, effective and competitive to small enterprises. The unit offers the following services: grant funding for the acquisition of technology, such as equipment and machinery, to facilitate technology transfer; improving access to technology information by small enterprises; improving access to technologytransfer funding through structured referrals to the funding institutions; linking inventors/universities or science councils with small enterprises or entrepreneurs with matching needs. The key mandate of the Quality and Standards Unit is to ensure that small businesses have access to Quality Improvement Programmes that can give small enterprises a sound foundation to be competitive and sustainable. The unit offers: management systems development, implementation; product testing and product certification; product design and packaging; SMME management systems auditing. Please tell us about Seda’s partnerships. Seda works with various large businesses in promoting other SMMEs particularly for supplier development programmes. Businesses such as De Beers, SAFCOL and the Phalaborwa Foundation have partnered with Seda Limpopo in the Vhembe, Capricorn and Mopani districts for enterprise development programmes. We have well-established relationships with entities like Ivanplats, Angloplats mines in Mokopani and Hitachi and Shanduka Black Umbrellas in the Lephalalle in the Waterberg region. Does Seda have programmes designed to assist women and youth in business? Seda’s Women-Owned Enterprise Development and Coaching Programme promotes the development of women-owned enterprises through various capacitybuilding programmes focusing on women. LIMPOPO BUSINESS 2018/19 86

Seda offices Seda contacts Provincial Office Koenie Seda Slabbert Limpopo - Provincial Provincial Manager Mopani Branch Tel: Office +27 15 287 2940 (located in Tzaneen) Fax: +27 15 297 4022 Email: Koenie kslabbert@seda.org.za Slabbert: Provincial Ms Maseje Nchabeleng: Branch 2nd Manager Floor Suite 6, Maneo Building, 73 Biccard Street, Manager Polokwane 0700 Postnet Tel: +27 Suite 15 32287 Private 2940 Bag X 9307 Polokwane 0700 Tel: +27 15 306 6400 Fax: +27 15 297 4022 Fax: +27 15 307 2233 Seda Email: Vhembe kslabbert@seda.org.za Branch Email: Mr Marcus Physical Mukumela address: - 2nd Branch Floor Manager mnchabeleng@seda.org.za Tel: +27 15 960 8700 Nictus Building Physical address: 2nd Floor Fax: 086 634 8964 68 Hans van Rensburg Street ABSA Building Email: mmukumela@seda.org.za Old Polokwane Mutual Building, Old Group Scheme Offices, Mphephu 23 Danie Road, Joubert Thohoyandou Street 7950 0699 Tzaneen Seda Capricorn Branch 0850 Mr Peter Capricorn Maredi - Branch Manager Tel: (located +27 15 290 in 8720 Polokwane) Waterberg Branch Fax: Mr. +27 Peter 15 290 Maredi: 8736 Branch Manager (located in Mokopane) Email: pmaredi@seda.org.za Tel: +27 15 290 8720 Mr Steve Botha: Branch Manager 1st Floor Pharmarama Building, 68 Hans van Rensburg Street, Polokwane 0699 Fax: +27 15 290 8736 Tel: +27 15 492 9600 Seda Email: Waterberg pmaredi@seda.org.za Branch Fax: +27 15 491 7361 Mr Steve Physical Botha address: - Branch 1st Manager Floor Email: sbotha@seda.org.za Tel: Nictus +27 15 Building 492 9600 Physical address: Old Nedbank Fax: 68 +27 Hans 15 491 van 7361 Rensburg Street Building Email: Polokwane sbotha@seda.org.za 40 Retief Street Old 0699 Nedbank Building, 40 Retief Street, Mokopane Mokopane 0600 Seda Mopani Branch Vhembe Branch Martin Rafferty - Acting Branch Manager (located in Thohoyandou) Sekhukhune Branch Tel: +27 15 306 6400 Fax: Mr +27 Marcus 15 307 Mukumela: 2233 Branch (located in Groblersdal) Email: Manager mrafferty@seda.org.za Mr Sabelo Ntshangase 27 Peace Tel: +27 Street, 15 960 1st Floor, 8700Prosperitas Building, Tzaneen Tel: +27 0850 13 262 9430 Fax: +27 15 962 4285 Fax: +27 13 262 Seda Sekhukhune Branch Email: mmukumela@seda.org.za Email: sntshangase@seda.org.za Mr Sabelo Ntshangase - Branch Manager Physical address: Bindulavhathu Physical address: Tel: +27 13 262 9430 Email: Office sntshangase@seda.org.za Building Mutual Building Bareki 3rd Mall, Floor Shop No. 20B, Cnr Chris Wild and Van Shop Riebeek 4 and Street, Office Groblersdal 10, 12 0407 Thohoyandou Hereford Street 0950 Groblersdal 0470 We have built a strong team in the province made up of 16 Business Advisors, two Regional Facilitators and five Information Officers who have the responsibility of making measurable differences in the businesses that they assist. This team of Business Advisors works closely with a team of carefully selected service providers who possesses expert knowledge in different functional areas of business and industry sectors. For more information contact us at: 015 287 2940 or visit our website: www.seda.org.za TOGETHER ADVANCING SMALL ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT