POLOKWANE – Thabo Ntswane of Thabo Equipment and Tool Hire received the highest honour of the evening and a R10 000 cheque when he took home the Tholoana Award.
This recognition comes after he entered the programme offering tool hire, but soon expanded to open a second business selling prefabricated dwellings and now has 36 people on his payroll.
He started out the programme with two people and now employs five permanent staff with three temporary workers in the machinery rental division and in the Wendy house division – which came into existence while on the programme.
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He employs an additional five permanent members with 23 temporary workers in other provinces. When he received the award, Ntswane urged other entrepreneurs to apply to the programme when it opens in August. “Initially, I thought I knew it all, but the Tholoana team introduced the basics which I now use every day. They work for me and all aspects of my business are growing. The most valuable learning opportunity was how to strategise and plan,” he said.
Bridgit Evans, Director of the SAB Foundation, said: “Thabo’s initiative, commitment and bold attitude enabled him to excel in the programme. While this is entirely praiseworthy, more importantly, his meaningful contribution to the region’s economy as shown by the jobs created is to be encouraged and recognised. The Tholoana Award is a discretionary recognition given to the entrepreneur who broke all the boundaries in their business and personal life”.
CEO of Fetola, Catherine Wijnberg, who is the implementing partner for the Tholoana Programme, spoke about the clear entrepreneurial ability and exemplary participation Thabo displayed, sharing that his monthly income tripled and there was a 60% increase in jobs created since he started with the programme. His mentor, Anna Harris, described him as a go-getter, always searching for opportunities in places where others don’t look. “A good entrepreneur takes calculated risks. His entrepreneurial spirit inspired everybody on the team, from mentors to colleagues,” she said.
Mamokiba Makuwa, who is from Burgersfort, won the Spirit Award. This award was decided by all 37 graduates of the programme who voted for the person who had provided the most support and guidance to others on the programme. She’s the owner of TKY Trading Enterprise, a general engineering business that specialises in armature winding, construction maintenance and provides a range of products and services to the mining industry. She is the first female entrepreneur in the engineering services field in the area. “To run a healthy business, you have to have a healthy ‘you’. With self-acceptance and confidence I can now make sound decisions. I learned a lot that will take my business to the next level,” she said.
Mamokiba and Thabo started training in July 2016 in a programme which runs over 20 months. Catherine observed the potential for positive growth when corporate South Africa shows committed engagement.
“The possibility of building a better economic landscape ensures small businesses like TKY Trading and Thabo Equipment and Tool Hire can take their rightful seat at the table, thus participating fully in nation building. The forecast is that by 2030, as much as 90% of new jobs in our economy will be created by small, medium and micro enterprises. In reality, while fewer than 30% of all SMMEs survive beyond three years, it is profoundly heartening to see these thriving small business owners contributing so effectively to creating employment in under-resourced areas of the country,” she concluded.
