These were the star entrepreneurs in 2024

Different organisations recognised entrepreneurs for their dedication, resilience, and innovation in 2024 with various awards and prizes.

The role small and medium enterprises (SMEs) play when it comes to employing the youth, and the GDP has been highlighted significantly throughout the years.

Some people have left their day-to-day jobs to start their businesses, while some have taken the entrepreneurship path because they couldn’t find any employment.

From police officer to entrepreneur

The 10th annual Black Umbrellas National Enterprise Development Awards (Neda) saw former police officer, Johnson Bongani Vetbooi being awarded Entrepreneur of the Year on 20 November 2024.

The awards seek to shine a spotlight on the entrepreneurs who are part of the Black Umbrellas’ development programmes.

Veetbooi told The Citizen he served in the military for eight years and in the South African Police Service (Saps) for 15 years.

When he left Saps in 2018, he wanted to do something to ensure that there was safety in the communities and businesses.

His business, Bolwa Security Services provides security solutions.

Learning how to be an entrepreneur

Since 2019, his monthly revenue soared from R20 000 to R650 000 and he increased his employees from three to 106.

“I enrolled in the Black Umbrellas in 2019, and since then I have learned how human resources work, marketing, how to manage cash flow, and so forth.”  

He also won the Asindize Programme.

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Woman in Business Champion

Quinty Rabophala, founder of Kenokatha Farms, walked away with the top entrepreneur awards in the Siyakhula Programme and Woman in Business Champion categories.

She ventured into farming in 2018 and officially established her business in 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic.

During peak seasons, she hires up to 15 seasonal workers in Midrand and five in Botlokwa, Limpopo.

In 2021, she suffered losses due to a lack of access to the market and compliance issues, as many markets required certifications before she could supply them.

From cutting hair on the stoep to franchising

Sheldon Tatchell, founder of Legends Barber walked away with the Overall Entrepreneur of the Year at the Business Partners Limited’s Entrepreneur of the Year Awards on 7 November 2024.

The awards were established in 1988 to celebrate and to give motivation to entrepreneurs.

Tatchell told The Citizen he started cutting hair at the age of 14, as a passion project.

He started to cut hair through mobile services after things did not work out for him and his business partner.

Cutting hair through mobile services resulted in him leaving his corporate job and relaunching Legends Barber ten years ago.

Today Legends Barber employs hundreds of people franchising over 70 stores in Africa.

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Increasing employees

The Business Partners Limited’s Entrepreneur of the Year Awards saw other winners such as Trudy Maleka, managing director of Ambesha Africa walking away with the Emerging Entrepreneur of the Year award.

The business manufactures furniture and has seen a seven-fold increase in its employee count.  

Job Creator of the Year winner was Nqobile Valentia Veronica Mkhabela, founder of Siyanqobangamandla Engineering Services. The company has a workforce of 530 people, providing services such as mechanical and engineering solutions.

Should entrepreneurship be taught in schools?

Centennial Schools’ CEO and founder, Shaun Fuchs is of the view that entrepreneurship should be taught in schools to ensure future business owners thrive.

“Because young South Africans can no longer rely on the formal sector for employment, it has become imperative to equip them with the acumen they need to start and run businesses that thrive.”

The school curriculum will equip pupils with essential knowledge in marketing, financial management, innovation and networking, as well as modern-day essentials like coding, content creation and cryptocurrencies.

Is entrepreneurship a realistic path to tackling unemployment?

However, some have raised the question if entrepreneurship is a realistic path to tackling the country’s high rate of unemployment.

Dr Corrin Varady, education analyst and CEO of Idea said the overemphasis on “entrepreneurship for all” overlooks the notion that it may not be a suitable career choice for everyone.

He noted that it is important to be serious about basic entrepreneurship skills such as problem-solving abilities, and a deep understanding of business fundamentals.

“Despite efforts to integrate entrepreneurship into the basic education curriculum, aligned with the National Development Plan’s goals, there has been a decline in the number of students taking subjects such as Business Studies, Maths and Economics.”

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