Halls gives Basisa Cleaning a huge boost
Basisa has created part-time jobs for some of the community members.
MATAFFIN – In February 2013 Halls Properties launched the Basisa Cleaning Cooperative; a Mataffin-based local enterprise-development initiative. It has taken a lot of coaching from Halls and the Small Enterprise Development Agency (Seda), but 18 months later there is a great story to tell.
The Basisa team spent the first six months finding their feet with the assistance of Halls Properties, Seda, Servest and Rudamans, which provided funding, company registration, business planning and management skills, on-the-job training as well as equipment and protective clothing.
Given their survival of the “incubation” period and in line with the original objectives of setting up and coaching a sustainable enterprise-development initiative, Halls renewed Basisa’s contract and expanded its scope of work for the public road verges around the Mataffin precinct, the P166 and R37 public roads.
Basisa has created part-time jobs for some of the community members. About eight previously unemployed youths have been employed to help with the workload. Basisa has also secured other cleaning contracts around the Mbombela Stadium and Riverside Park Precinct.
The team understands the importance of fulfilling their contract obligations and will employ additional people whenever necessary. Halls has seen tremendous growth from the youth involved in the project.
As the business and scope of Basisa’s work has grown, Halls has been sympathetic to their requirements, the other being the need for the cooperative to have its own transport, so the company has donated a refurbished bakkie which will be of enormous benefit to them in the running of their business.
At the handover ceremony, James Aling, managing director of Halls Properties, remarked, “It is our belief that by doing this we will further empower them to start looking beyond working just for Halls Properties and create more job opportunities for their fellow community members.”
Khonzaphi Mdaka of Halls Properties, speaking at the handover ceremony, stated, “Halls is proud to be associated with the team. We started with 11 young people.
The team still consists of 11 members, eight of whom are members of the cooperative and three who are employed on fixed-term contracts. The team oozes confidence as they face their daily challenges.”
