Esayidi empowers SMMEs
Some 23 entrepreneur SMME owners participated and pitched their ideas to adjudicators who scored them accordingly.
Esayidi Rapid Incubator and Centre for Entrepreneurship, along with the Singatha ICT Incubator held an awards ceremony last week at St. Michaels Sands, in celebration of local entrepreneurs and Small Micro Medium Enterprises (SMMEs).
As part of their Covid-19 relief intervention plan, all the afore mentioned companies joined forces and had their very own Shark Tank competition, that took place on March 11.
Some 23 entrepreneur SMME owners participated and pitched their ideas to adjudicators who scored them accordingly.
The winner and the first prize recipient of R30 000 was Essa Xolo of Oshabeni, who owns Bhodlankomo Technologies, an information communications technology (ICT) company that specialises in coding, apps as well as graphic and web design and is currently working on a key skills and learning management system, an online learning school.
“The competition was challenging, but it was motivating and will allow my business to grow,” Xolo said.
In second place was Claudia Davies of Sea Park who walked away with R20 000 for her business, inDulgenz Artisanal Ice-Cream near the Sea Park traffic lights.
“It’s actually a gelato, so all natural ingredents: sugar, milk and cream in the basis of the ice-cream. I make my own flavourings and compounds that go into the ice-cream,” she said.
A delighted Claudia expressed how much of an honour and how grateful she was to have been placed second.
“I’m very excited and very grateful because every little bit of money helps in this pandemic. I’m looking to expand, so this will help me get equipment,” she said.
The final grand prize went to Halalisiwe Mncwango of Murchison, who was awarded the third place, and R15 000 in prize money.
Owner of Halalisa Zulu Café, a restaurant based in Murchison, the 34 year old expressed her joy and excitement over her award.
“I am extremely happy, and I did not really expect it because there were many of us who entered. Everyone who entered had a strong chance of winning so I am just excited that I made the top three.”
However, everyone who competed was a winner, as those who didn’t make top three received a R10 000 cash prize from position three to ten, with the rest of the remaining 13 receiving R5000 each.
“We summed up R200 000 to see how we could assist them. What we do is assist in the development and growth of SMMEs. We offer them our
office space free of charge, trainings, workshops, mentorships, coaching,” said Jobina Chappen, finance officer at Esayidi TVET College in Oslo Beach.
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