Gauteng EPWP contractors awarded certificate of achievement after completing a ground breaking SME programme.
A SME development partnership between Business Partners Limited, Johannesburg City Parks Academy (Expanded Public Works Programme) and Yusuf Mahomedy (Milestone Venture)s has successfully equipped 56 entrepreneurs with the skills to grow their business.
Johannesburg City Parks (City Parks) in conjunction with the Expanded Works Programme (EPWP) has been carrying out technical training and business set up for entrepreneurs across Gauteng. Johannesburg City Parks identified that the entrepreneurs’ lack of business skills is preventing them from expanding their operations and creating a sustainable business.
Petro Bothma, Marketing Manager at Business Partners Limited says that they decided to come on board because “we acknowledge how important small and medium businesses are to a country’s economic growth, and therefor realise how vital it is to do what we can to develop entrepreneurship in South Africa. SMEs need business skills as well as technical skills to build sustainable businesses that can grow and prosper and be able to provide job opportunities. By helping these contractors on their way, is in a small way helping to grow entrepreneurship. “
Wealth, Profit and Cash Programme
The Wealth, Profit and Cash programme focused on building wealth, increasing profitability and accelerating cash flow. The programme revolves around three over-arching components: mind set, tools and actions. Throughout the programme, the entrepreneurs were challenged to rethink about themselves as owners, their business, and their money.
Each entrepreneur completed a Talent profile to get themselves into flow – their path of least resistance and in doing so, opening doors to higher performance in their business. On the tools side, the entrepreneurs were trained to use the SME Toolkit South Africa, an online resource for business, comprising information, tools, templates, and more at no cost to the user. Finally, the entrepreneurs completed an assignment, a Growth Plan for their business. It was designed to stretch them and get them to apply what they had acquired from the workshops, in their business.
Yusuf Mahomedy delivered most of the programme and says, “I was thrilled to work with entrepreneurs that are passionate making a success of their business and in doing so, creating employment for others”
Outstanding Entrepreneurs
The outstanding entrepreneurs were Precious Mashinini, Zandile Buthelezi and Ella Jaffar.
On 11 September, the three entrepreneurs were awarded certificates of achievement and a business mentorship programme through Business Partners Ltd. The prize giving function was attended by senior officials from Business Partners Ltd and Johannesburg City Parks.
According to Jeanette Slabbert from Johannesburg City Parks Academy, the programme “is of incalculable value and we believe it will render significant returns in growing the South African economy and the social-economical development of communities.”