Entrepreneurs receive training
A CERTIFICATION ceremony was held in Kimberley this week for a group of 15 aspiring women entrepreneurs who received small business development training over the past six months.
The training was provided by eWatchdog, the non-profit arm of Tradelane, in partnership with the Transport Education and Training Authority (TETA).
According to TETA education and training development practitioner, Malcolm Alexander, women currently account for only 9% of government procurement in South Africa, which equates to about R57 billion.
“There is still over R232 billion of unrealised gender-equitable public procurement spend out there for the taking, not to mention the plethora of opportunities for women in private procurement,” Alexander said.
He added that as corporate and government sought to make their supply chains more gender equitable, the sky was the limit for women entrepreneurs in South Africa.
“This is of particular relevance to women in transport,” he said.
Alexander was addressing the 15 women from the Northern Cape at their certification ceremony in Kimberley on Wednesday.
The training initiative aims to uplift, empower and foster the transformation agenda of women in the transport sector in the Northern Cape and saw investments by TETA in SOLI (Seed of Life Investment Pty Ltd) and SANWIT (South African Women in Transport).
“Listening to the women’s business activities and growth plans, I take heed of the difference they are making in the economy and the value they are adding to South Africa. TETA funding is to build South Africa, reduce unemployment, develop youth and women and assist with transformation,” said Alexander.
The training, mentoring and coaching was facilitated by eWatchdog and Tradelane’s managing director, Betsy Ings. Their vision is to make a sustainable impact on the economy by promoting growth of small enterprises, youth and women entrepreneurs.
“The request of SOLI’s executive member, Dineo Holele, for business skills, mentoring and coaching allowed us to partner with SOLI. To watch the women entrepreneur’s growth and understanding of business has been a privilege. The ladies showed commitment and offered up time away from their businesses to work on their business’ growth, to employ more people whilst increasing their profits and turnover. The project enjoyed the participation of women cutting across all sectors of transport, freight forwarding, road passenger, taxi, maritime and rail,” said Ings.
“Women who are economically empowered through structured business skills, coaching and mentoring are the secret ingredient to growing small businesses to revitalise economies, foster prosperity, create opportunity, help communities thrive and reduce poverty,” concluded Alexander.