Local bright sparks honoured
● A tribute to Ma Sisulu was the musical highlight of the Township Entrepreneurship Awards that I attended last Saturday evening.
Held at Carnival City — that entertainment complex out on Gauteng’s East Rand with its quirky circus-inspired décor — it drew a crowd of politicos and business types and a smattering of celebs.
Before the awards start, I get to chat to one of our most glam performing legends, Abigail
Kubeka, who sang the Albertina tribute, Thank You Mama.
The 77-year-old entertainer tells me that tottering around in her famed high heels is a bit of a challenge these days after injuring her left foot.
You wouldn’t have known, though, watching her glide on stage.
Inside the surprisingly tastefully decorated venue, I introduce myself to Gauteng premier David Makhura, who is seated next to Mzwandile Masina, the Ekurhuleni mayor who famously claimed he would not serve under Cyril Ramaphosa.
The two oblige my request to pose for a pic with Miss World SA Thulisa Keyi, Sun International boss Anthony Leeming and Gauteng MEC for economic development Lebogang Maile, whose brainchild the awards are.
The premier brushes aside my suggestion that Thulisa take off her sash for the snap, saying: “She needs to wear it so people can understand who she is.”
Later, when the premier gets on stage, he tells us the province’s support for township-based enterprises is growing. Four years ago, Gauteng spent R600m on about 800 businesses, and up until June this year the province had bought R20bn of goods and services from 4,000 township businesses.
Certainly, the outfits which scored big on the night are proof how viable local business can be.
I was particularly impressed by Nicolas Refiloe Rantekoa, whose start-up, Borotho Bakery, saw rising bread prices as an opportunity and bakes up to 1,000 loaves daily from a backroom oven in Soweto.
The Stoelbag Foundation, the inventors of a circumcision device, won the top Entrepreneurship of the Year Award while the lifetime achievement award went to Dr Anna Mokgokong.
Besides Abigail, we were entertained by performers including Kwesta, Thebe, Mzambiya and Mshoza. The latter’s obsession with skin-lightening potions meant she was almost as pale as her snow-white outfit.
As for grub? Prawn and mussel cocktail starters that came with pickled radish and beetroot that was too hard to cut, then a beef fillet and chicken supreme duo main, and a selection of mini cakes and petit fours for dessert.