LOCAL GOVERNMENT
LOCAL GOVERNMENT Promoting women in business and giving youth opportunity The Midvaal Local Municipality is committing resources to uplifting women and young people. Junior Council The Junior Council Programme is one of the ways in which the municipality contributes towards educating and developing the youth in Midvaal. It helps to fosters and create a sense of civic awareness and pride among youth. This programme has helped to promote tolerance by introducing leaners to various cultures, languages and practices. Midvaal Junior Council meets monthly to cater for academic activities from participating schools. After every meeting, the Junior Council debate different topics with an emphasis on citizen responsibility. Youth Council activities include but are not limited to: computer training programmes; learners’ licence preprogramme; “Donate 67 minutes” to cleaning up the results of illegal dumping; report-writing skills; life skills; active participation in community development programmes; conservation. 14 | www.opportunityonline.co.za
Sebenza Mbokodo Women’s Project The Sebenza Mbokodo Women’s Project was established in 2019 by the Midvaal Local Municipality Executive Mayor, Alderman Bongani Baloyi. Its primary focus is to provide access to funding, specifically to qualifying women-owned businesses that operate in the informal trading sector of the municipality. Through this project, womenowned businesses will not only be provided with funding but access to development where needed. Midvaal Local Municipality and Standard Bank Enterprise Development will fund the Sebenza Mbokodo Women’s Project. Both parties will contribute towards a fund which will be established by Standard Bank for the sole purpose of supporting this project. This collaboration is a result of both parties sharing the same sentiments and focus where business development is concerned. The partnership is built on the premise that the municipality intends to empower, capacitate and support women-led informal businesses. Funds from the Sebenza Mbokodo Women's Project Fund will be provided to qualifying women-owned businesses so that they can: • Grow their business • Be able to compete with formal business • Obtain materials and equipment for their business • Prepare business plans for future expansion • Provide goods and services to the current markets and to new markets • Obtain relevant training and experience to grow their business. Potential beneficiaries of the fund are all informal traders (unregistered women-owned businesses) operating from the township or town within the informal trading sectors operated by women with spaza shops, fruit and vegetables, food preparation and selling, hair salons, sewing and dress-making. Standard Bank is proud to be part of this project and will continue providing a zero-percent interest-free loan of R10 000 to qualifying SMMEs for 24 months. Through this partnership, the bank wants to see women entrepreneurship thrive through local economic empowerment. As a municipality that cares, the Midvaal Local Municipality is committed to creating a conducive environment for growth and development for all its inhabitants, businesses, residents, investors and other relevant stakeholders. Kgatelopele Youth Development Programme Midvaal is committed to promoting and supporting the development of the youth within its municipal jurisdiction through programmes that are aimed at: • Skills development and training • Entrepreneurship • Business development • Support for co-operatives and small, micro and medium enterprises • Support graduates who can’t find employment. The Executive Mayor has identified youth development as one of the critical areas that needs intervention to alleviate the high unemployment rate, poverty and socio-economic ills. The programme trains youth in skills development, business administration and management, entrepreneurship, and sectorspecific technical skills. About R1-million was used for training and development, and R30-million worth of opportunities was set aside for this programme. Youths who graduate from the programme are considered and linked to job opportunities for further training programmes. The Kgatelopele Youth Development Programme was conceptualised and implemented with an objective to empower and capacitate the youth so that they can compete fairly within the municipality’s procurement processes and other business interests. Kgatelopele companies are continuing to express interest in municipal procurement opportunities and some have been awarded tenders. Some of the Kgatelopele companies participated in the “War on Leaks” programme which was implemented across the municipality. The municipality will continue to explore opportunities for Kgatelopele companies. Tenacity brings success In the early days of the Kgatelopele Youth Development Programme, success rates were low but the drive of one enterprising entrepreneur to build a good business shows what can be done. When Alfred Taikie Ngaloshe (also known as Wes) decided to sign up for the programme, he didn’t just sit on his hands. Executive Mayor Bongani Baloyi remembers being “hounded” by the garden services entrepreneur, but also being hugely impressed by his “tenacity”. “He wanted a response on consecutive days. How do I do this, why is this like this, why is this like that,” recalls Baloyi. “He wouldn’t just wait for things to happen. He was really empowered and this is why this fellow is successful; the differentiator is the attitude.” In the 18 months since Wes joined the programme Woodpeckers Garden has expanded operations, bought new equipment and taken on staff. The company has also expanded into the construction sector. As Mayor Baloyi puts it, “When you see the passion and the drive then you realise why he is successful compared to the others in the group.” www.opportunityonline.co.za | 15
