MEC Mvoko inspired by success of black-owned business
The finance, economic development, environmental affairs and tourism department wants to work with the business sector in an integrated effort to expedite job creation in the Eastern Cape.
MEC Mlungisi Mvoko said this could only be achieved if the government, working with communities, created a conducive environment for businesses to thrive.
Mvoko was speaking at the African Pioneer Group’s 32nd anniversary celebrations held at the Boardwalk Hotel on Friday.
The event was attended by the company’s business partners, shareholders and small business owners.
“I am honoured to be invited to an occasion to celebrate black excellence,” Mvoko said.
“It is a huge milestone, especially as a black-owned business, to have been in operation since before democracy, and still be going stronger.”
“At the time when our economy is struggling to grow and create jobs at the pace that we desire, it is through the role business plays in the economy that we still have a functioning economy, at the very least.”
He said as a department they were encouraged by the road the African Pioneer Group had travelled since its establishment in 1990, as it had diversified with investments and operations in leisure, fishing, gaming, energy and beverages.
“We all agree government on its own cannot overcome the challenge of unemployment, but should take a lead role in providing a conducive environment for the economy to thrive and create jobs.
“There may be a debate on whether B-BBEE is assisting our economy or not, but it is undeniable that the policy position resulted in many successful stories, and African Pioneer Group is one of those beautiful stories.”
Founding member and Pioneer managing director Stephen Dondolo said he was grateful that the business had grown and attracted international business opportunities over the years.
“We are thankful to so many people who helped us along the way.
“We are especially thankful to family-based and international company Gucci which trusted us with huge amounts of money when no-one had faith that we would be able to pay them back,” Dondolo said.
“We are inspired by such companies because even we, as shareholders, are family people who started a joint business with other families and here we are today.
“I could go on telling stories of how we came to be, but we are also here because of our staff’s commitment.”
Young entrepreneur Siphesihle Luyaba said he was inspired by the company because it was the only black-owned business that he knew of to have lasted three decades.
“The owners of this company are doing exactly what we all should aspire to do, create a legacy and generational wealth for our families.
“Their resilience over the years has brought them to where they are and as a young black man I am truly inspired and will take on whatever challenges come my way as I try to get into the world of business,” he said.
Mvoko said, especially in the context of the Eastern Cape economy, the government should keep African Pioneer Group and other successful black industrialists even closer so they can model their industrialisation agenda around what they had managed to achieve.