Tzaneen businessman to benefit from Castle Lager award
A Tzaneen-based brick manufacturer has been chosen as one of 50 Kasi businesses to benefit from the Castle Lager #KeepItWithin campaign.
Thabo Mohlabafase, CEO of Kuwait Bricks, said the company, with 50 other businesses countrywide, will share an investment of R34.5m from Castle Lager.
“We hope that through the programme our management team will acquire the necessary skills to expand our operations to supply to other provinces and international markets,” said Mohlabafase.
The award will see Kuwait Bricks being profiled in Castle Lager’s 500ml cans, website and social pages as well as the brand’s national sports platforms.
“We hope that our business will grow by 10% by the end of 2023.”
Kuwait Bricks was established in 2011 by Mohlabafase’s father.
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“He operated it for five years and he handed it to me in 2017 because he was too busy with other things.” In 2018 Mohlabafase invested in two more machines from the profits he made.
“In 2019 I applied for the SAB Tholoana programme. It afforded me the opportunity and training to grow my business even more,” he told the Herald.
According to Wendy Bedforth, brand director of Castle Lager, the beer producer champions the development of Kasi businesses through their #KeepItWithin campaign. She said that they have recognised that townships and Kasi’s have completely transformed in the last decade.
“This is where good is happening, it is a place of excellence, where people are choosing to do business in their local neighbourhoods.
“44% of South Africans are saying that they are spending more in Kasi and 75% saying that they would buy local brands over international fashion brands.
“Castle wants to provide hope to South Africans by supporting these local businesses because we know that when we focus on building on the good, the good gets even better,” Bedforth said.
