It’s an exciting business challenge

Impilo Group Entities is a financial service provider directed by five young determined African gentlemen. These young men are mentored under the Business Advisory Board, consisting of leading businessmen in the country such as Mr Themba Mtombeni of Duma Travel, Coen Nolte of Orion as well as Lizwi Tum-tum of Ikamvalethu Investments. 
Among the five gentlemen are two young influential local entrepreneurs, Simphiwe Kunene and Melusi Ndima. Passionate about seeing their home town counted among the best in the country they are also creating what they called ‘our own empire’ with their business.
They are determined to change Dundee into a town of possibilities. The two young men are graduates from the University of KwaZulu-Natal – Simphiwe has an International Degree in Office Management and Technology and his colleague Melusi Ndima has an International Degree in Marketing Management.
Their passion is not only to make money but also to get young people participating in long-term sustainable businesses, creating job opportunities for locals and thereby contributing to the growth of the economy of Umzinyathi. Mr Ndima said that it is possible for a small town like Dundee to become an economic hub. He said that can be done by focusing on long-term sustainable businesses and also attracting investors to town.
He said Newcastle is proof that this can happen anywhere in a country, so long as business people collaborate effectively and speak with one voice. “Newcastle will be a city in few years’ time – what is stopping us in Dundee, why can’t we do that here?” asks Melusi. “It is clear that Newcastle has allowed investments to develop in the area, so what Dundee needs to do is to build an environment that is conducive enough to allow investment,” he said. He emphasised that people need to get rid of the idea that their businesses can only thrive if they get tenders or if they are based in Johannesburg. Ndima said, “Business is not only in Johannesburg, as many believe; it is actually where we are, in our own towns.” He said, “Our backgrounds do not define what we become – you define what you want to become.” 
They are pleading with business people in this town to come forward and engage with them by starting their own business forum that will allow discussions that can take them forward in making this town better. 
Simphiwe said he preferred to work with black people who were adults before 1994, because they are ‘able to work together’. He says after 1994 everyone is pulling in different directions: “There is no collaboration within the black community, and that is one of the setbacks we are facing. If we going to have a forum it has to have strict guidelines for it to be successful,” he says. Mr Ndima said the norms of society need to be redefined: not only the richest people are found in the cities. “If we as black people can learn to tolerate and embrace each other’s abilities we will go far.”
Furthermore, he indicated that business people, as well as the government, have not created an environment in which people are independent; they are dependent on the government and their businesses cannot thrive independently of the government. 
He said under his company, Impilo Group Entities, they are working on projects that will assist learners to become focused business people while still at school. He did not mention what those projects are, but confidently indicated that young entrepreneurs will be produced as a result.