SAB | What’s happening in the SAB world

SAB Youth entrepreneurship programme turns 20

SAB KickStart, the SAB’s youth entrepreneurship programme, announced the competition’s Top 18 national finalists for 2015, during a grant allocation ceremony at SAB’s World of Beer in Newtown, Johannesburg, today.

Each of the finalists has begun an intensive business development support programme, which will culminate in an award ceremony to celebrate the top 5 entrepreneurs amongst them at the end of this year during Global Entrepreneurship Week 2015 (GEW), where they stand to win additional grant funding of between R100 000 and R500 000.

[H3] SAB is encouraged by the fact that young entrepreneurs are taking advantage of the opportunities that lie within South Africa’s core industries, namely Agriculture, Health, Energy and Sustainability, with a vast majority of the 2015 finalists’ businesses playing in these arenas.

A business development strategy has been crafted for each of the finalist businesses according to a needs-analysis undertaken at the beginning of 2015. This determines the grant funding received by each and the necessary business development support, including individual mentoring over the coming months.

2015 is a significant year for SAB and SAB KickStart.

SAB celebrates 120 years of brewing some of the country’s best loved beers, as well as 20 years of SAB KickStart, which has proved to be one of the more respected youth entrepreneurship development programmes in South Africa since its start in May 1995.

“Through much of SAB’s history, empowerment has played a leading role, SAB KickStart being the most visible of these efforts and we are proud of the programme’s achievements and the difference that it has made in the lives of thousands of young South Africans, many of whom are today successful business people.

“SAB KickStart is indicative of SAB’s commitment to developing and supporting high impact youth entrepreneurs whose businesses become sustainable and make a meaningful contribution to society and the economy through the creation of many jobs, ” says Mpho Sadiki, SAB Head Sustainability and Transformation.

In 2014, the previous SAB finalists created a total of 98 part and full time positions of employment.

The Top 18 finalists will need all the support they can get with the majority of them in the early stages of a start-up and operating without core systems and process.

The average age of the group is 30 years, proving that many young entrepreneurs are choosing to acquire critical and necessary experience within their business’ industry before venturing out on their own.

The 2015 SAB KickStart finalists are:

Solomon Tohlang, 28, of Bloemfontein in the Free State, owner of Stokvel Business Connect, a below-the-line marketing and promotions agency within the stokvel market.

Nomonde Ntinga, 27, from Durban, KZN, owner of Mjambe Consultants, an Occupational Health, Safety and Environmental and Quality Management Systems consultancy firm.

Precious Segametse Mapedi, 34, of Polokwane in Limpopo, owner of Ayate Fish and Chips, a take-way business in the food industry.

Vernon Pillay, 31, from Durban, KZN, owner of Isizwe safety Wear, a safety apparel business.

Ntshepeng Mofokeng, 32, of Pimville in Gauteng, owner of Tsa Motse Lifestyle Concepts (Pty) Ltd, specialising in manufacturing and maintenance if curtains, linen and accessories.

Leka Captain Makhafola, 34, of Makotse Village in Limpopo, owner of Leka Fresh Produce, a cash crop farming business offering home grown vegetables.

Clement Ngwako Pilusa, 26, from Tshwane, Gauteng, owner of Pilusa and Mabotja Farming and Projects, specialising in vegetable and broiler chicken production.

Rishane Rajkoomar, 30, from Durban, KZN, owner of Media Sea, a digital media company.

Nolubabalo Pulu, 28, from East London, Eastern Cape, owner of Ezabathembu Water Purification and Supply, manufacturers and markets chemical homecare and industrial cleaning products.

Moipone Ntseke, 31, of Germiston, Gauteng, owner of StarBorn Creative Designs, which designs and manufactures accessories made from PVC and recycled billboards.

Angelo Rucian Maart, 27, of Cape Town, Western Cape, owner of Angelo’s Recycling, a waste and hygiene management company.

Shadrack Litabe, 31, of Kroonstad in the Free State, owner of Litabe Technologies (Pty) Ltd, which specialises in developing device and software aimed at combatting electricity theft.

Bonisile Mjoli, 34, of Motherwell, Port Elizabeth in the Eastern Cape, owner of Allsharp Motor Fitments and Tyres, which offers a range of motor vehicle services.

Caroline Kgomo, 30, of Ficksburg in the Free State, owner of Meqheleng Waste Management (Pty) Ltd, a waste collection and recycling business.

Chantelle Smith, 26, of Johannesburg, Gauteng, owner of Health View Clinic, a primary health care providing affordable services to individuals without a medical aid.

Ranjan Sewgambar, 30, of Durban, KZN, owner of Private Practicing Audiologist, which offers comprehensive diagnostic audiology and hearing aid services.

Hollo Matlala, 21, from Polokwane, Limpopo, owner of 4^th Element Group, a technology solutions company specialising in solar energy systems within the water sector.