OVERVIEW Development
OVERVIEW Development finance and SMME support Companies are supporting training and start-ups. SECTOR INSIGHT The African Development Bank is funding entrepreneurship. Equipment purchased by Stenda Trading. Credit: Exxaro The Gert Sibande Centre for Entrepreneurship in Evander hosts a Rapid Incubator in partnership with the Small Enterprise Development Agency (Seda). The aim is to promote and develop young entrepreneurs in the province. The Incubator offers a variety of services, including mentorship and coaching, training, advice on business compliance, network and linkages as well as facilitating access to marketing and funding opportunities. Infrastructure support is available in terms of office space and boardroom, telephone and Internet connections and printing services. The Centre was established in 2015 through a partnership between the Gert Sibande TVET College and National Department of Small Business Development (DSBD) and the University of Johannesburg. The college has five other campuses across the Gert Sibande District Municipality. A new national programme to boost employment has received a funding boost from the African Development Bank (AfDB). The dtic has received a R23.6-million grant to pursue four programmes, one of which is focussed on encouraging enterprise development in technical and vocational education and training (TVET) colleges. The hope is that graduates will leave colleges with qualifications and fully-functioning businesses that can start employing staff. The college’s workshops will be open to local entrepreneurs to develop and produce products that can be sold. Entrepreneurship Development is one of the subjects on offer at 90 Youth Development Centres which are being established throughout Mpumalanga. Other courses include accredited training in computer skills and life skills, with workshops on job preparedness and career guidance. The centres are part of Mpumalanga’s response to the Presidential Youth Employment Intervention Programme. The Mpumalanga Economic Growth Agency (MEGA) is the implementing agent of the provincial government’s SMME support policy. An agreement has been signed by Standard Bank and MEGA to launch an SME Fund with a capitalisation of R500-million. MEGA has also overseen the rehabilitation of industrial premises in former homelands and formed partnerships with financial institutions for funding. Examples of township businesses supported by the Department of Economic Development and Tourism (DEDET) are an agreement with Sumitomo Rubber SA to promote local tyre enterprises and financial support for the commissioning of a sanitary towel plant by the Ntirhisano Sanitary Worker Cooperative in Bushbuckridge (and support for business development and access to market). MPUMALANGA BUSINESS 2021/22 48
FOCUS MTN drives diversity and transformation Previously disadvantaged individuals are taking charge of their own stores. Simphiwe Mdlalose MTN’s transformation and optimisation of its retail store footprint is creating jobs, growth and driving gender diversity. In a major development, more and more previously disadvantaged individuals are now the proud owner-operators of stores nationwide. MTN continues the journey of repositioning and creating more opportunities to transform its retail channel. “Parallel to this, we have selected new dealers who represent the aspirations of this transformation and have proven themselves to be astute owner-operators who understand our brand and are committed to the business values we hold,” says Kagiso Moncho, General Manager, MTN Limpopo and Mpumalanga. In Limpopo, Simphiwe Mdlalose joins a group who recently made the move to being fully-fledged MTN store owners. The appointment follows a successful application through MTN’s transformative Branded Retail Channel programme, which was initiated in 2019. Mdlalose will take over two stores based in Polokwane. Owner, self-starter, leader and marketer of note, Simphiwe is a familiar face and an admired and respected entrepreneur, author, inspirational speaker and strategist who has been in the media, marketing and communications space for over 23 years. Over the years he has kept an eye on mobile and digital telephony and identified gaps in key areas. These include government sales, business to business and strategic partnerships within the industry. These gaps were tackled by his company, Conecta Mobile. MTN’s phased transformation strategy is intended to transform the channel by driving BBBEE in the telecommunications industry. This is to be done by lowering the barrier to entry and placing more stores in the hands of black owners and women, thus repositioning MTN’s portfolio and delivering on the goals of national government. “Economic opportunity and digital transformation are key to our belief that everyone deserves the benefits of the modern, connected life and our retail store transformation programme achieves this by not only driving inclusion, but also enhancing and regionalising our national store footprint,” explains Kagiso. “MTN looks forward to working with Simphiwe Mdlalose in support of his ventures and is encouraged to continue building on this ownership model that speaks to the demographics of our country and bettering lives while providing an exciting employee value proposition,” concludes Kagiso. 49 MPUMALANGA BUSINESS 2021/22
