Four local Blouberg youth-owned small, medium-sized and microenterprises (SMMEs) have received grants of up to R50 000 from the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) through the intervention of and support from De Beers’ Venetia mine.

Thabosilakhu Empire, Betty Catering & Deco, Roadhouse Mollax Enterprise and agricultural business Wozilex are set to benefit through capacity building and skills development and training aimed at empowering youth-owned local SMMEs to become sustainable and enable them to contribute towards socioeconomic development and job creation.

In 2017, a total of 26 local businesses graduated from the De Beers Zimele incubation programme and all benefited from mentoring and other business-related training courses in 2018.

A further 94 local SMMEs have also benefited from training programmes through the De Beers Zimele Hub, the NYDA and the Small Enterprise Development Agency.

“We are very excited to have played a role in not only assisting the SMMEs with training and development but also [giving] them access to much-needed equipment . . . for the growth of their businesses,” comments Venetia mine enterprise and supplier development senior commercial manager Gregory Petersen.

The NYDA plays a significant role in ensuring that stakeholders such as government, the private sector and civil society prioritise youth development and contribute towards identifying and implementing lasting solutions.

Further, the NYDA designs and implements microlevel (individual), mesolevel (community) and macrolevel (national) programmes aimed at improving the lives and opportunities available to young people.

“As the partnership between the NYDA and De Beers in Blouberg municipality deepens and matures, we are hopeful that more young entrepreneurs will benefit through skills development and sustainable jobs,” says NYDA Polokwane branch manager Percy Madziwo.

The NYDA is currently working with De Beers to finalise memorandums of understandings to cement the enterprise development partnership and collaboration in the Blouberg and Musina municipalities, he says.

“Following the support I received from nine months of training at the De Beers Zimele incubation programme, I am now able to design a feasible business plan to run my business successfully.

“I was also able to connect with the NYDA, which offered me a grant to buy catering equipment. I hope to use this opportunity to grow my [business],” comments Roadhouse Mollaz Enterprise owner Moloko Manaka.

The other business owners have expressed similar sentiments of gratitude for the support they received.