Transform SA Edition 30 by Papasha Media

The Journal for a Transforming Nation.

DR. JUDY DLAMINI

AUTHOR & ENTREPRENEUR, PHILANTHROPIST ON SA INSIDE: ENTREPRENEUR: SHOSHOLOZA BRAND OWNER SEALS A DEAL WITH JET STORES WOMAN SUCCESS: GCINA MADONSELA, LEADING THE SMALL BUSINESS REVOLUTION DIGESTS: MALL OWNERSHIP MUST BE INCLUDE TOWNSHIP DWELLERS PROFFESSIONALS: HOW BUSINESSES CAN TACKLE SYTEMS AND PROCESSES VOLUME 29 2021

ZAR 29.90

contents

INSIDE

“I always knew I wanted to be financially independent. I knew that for me to be financially independent, I needed different income streams.”

16 Publishing Editor: Sakhumzi “Saki” Mabhele

Foreword: Tasneem Fredericks

Leadership Guest Note: Dudu Msomi

Contributors

Credits

Digests

Entrepreneur, author & philanthropist shares life lessons

Women success

Entrepreneurs

www.transformsa.co.za

contents

INSIDE Professionals

Disability

Awareness

Finance

Legal

Entrepreneurs

Directory

www.transformsa.co.za

“When you start a job, your main goal should be on finishing it according to client’s expectation. Your job as a business, is to make your client smile.”

“When to fin

n you start a job, your intention should be nish it. So that you don’t get yourself into trouble.”

At Plus 94 Research we set out to create actionable research solutions for our clients using our comprehensive and unique way of doing things. Put us to the test. Experience levels of service, research quality, and turnaround times far above normative expectations. GET A HEADSTART and contact us: +27 11 327 2020 or email nubiz@plus94.co.za or visit our website www.plus94.co.za

The Science of Decision Making.

PREFACE

publishing editor T

he sense one gets when looking broadly at the current state of local government is tremendously discomforting. History has taught us well that the would-be-administrators place a lot of effort interacting closely with their constituencies and communities just before elections and much less thereafter when in fact they should be doing the opposite. The state of our municipalities, their financial standing and the levels of service delivery in local government says it all. One is inclined to believe it is never about the people, but about individuals and their agenda to fulfill self-serving interests.

Phrases like “it’s better the devil you know than the one you do not”, “there is no alternative” and “this party is racist and serves the interest of the minority” or even phrases like “we are doomed should these ones take over” have become an order of the day. These, to a degree indicate the scope we have and the parameters within which we must make our choice. This is where we are now, settling for anything but the worst. Don’t get me wrong, this is not to discourage anyone from voting in future. Before his untimely death late last year, former Auditor General Kimi Makwethu painted a bleak picture in his July 2020 report when he announced

www.transformsa.co.za

a shocking amount of R32 billion in irregular expenditure. Only 21 municipalities received clean audits in the whole country. He also reported that over R1 billion was spent on consultants by municipalities while they still had salary bills for finance personnel. About R741 million was spent on consultants who were supposed to help with

As it seems corruption is well entrenched in South Africa at all levels of government, not exempting the private sector.

financial reports. Could this mean the guys that were supposed to do the work, not only did they not do the work they gave it to consultants who could not deliver unqualified audits. It’s a double whammy. Are we not in trouble? Two provinces Northwest and Free State could not produce a single unqualified audit. Ethekwini Metro topped

the list with a staggering R2.34 billion of irregular expenditure. The city of Cape Town spent R240 million on legal services. R481 Million was spent on companies that are owned or managed by individuals who are in the employ of other public institutions while R81 Million was spent on contracts with family members. As it seems corruption is well entrenched in South Africa at all levels of government, not exempting the private sector. We saw this with the PPE contracts and the proceedings at the Zondo Commission do not paint a good picture. Many have long warned of a time when the poor will revolt as a result joblessness and poverty. This could not have been far from the truth and when we saw the spread of the unrest we saw in July. I believe the time has come to take fresh look at our electoral system. Political parties need to introspect and devise new mechanisms of deployment to stop the erosion. Municipalities have become the breeding ground for high levels of corruption and destruction. I had hoped I would stick to my lane but since my vote is needed, I submit my two cents worth. Enjoy the read Sakhumzi “Saki” Mabhele

PREFACE

In 2019 South Africa made headlines for the wrong reasons as the most unequal society in the world.

If we want a brighter future we need to focus on better education for the broader demographics in South Africa. We cannot have children falling down pit latrines and dying in schools. We cannot have children learning under trees. This is not even about 4IR. Even if the government forgets about the Zondo commission and put all that money into education because it will give hope that if the economy doesn’t grownow then at some point in the future it will grow, because the only thing that will help break the cycle of poverty for black people in South Africa is education. The Commission of Employment Equity report released by the Department of Labour shows that there is a regression in respect of transformation. It shows that white people are still the ones getting most opportunities and they are still the ones getting good jobs both in government and the private sector. White people are still the ones occupying senior and top management positions whilst black women remain at the same low level of income and education. This shows that we are going backwards. We fought long and hard just to start seeing the wheel turning back instead of moving forward. President Cyril Ramaphosa made an announcement last year on the 09th of August that 40 percent of all procurement from the government departments would be going to black-owned businesses, but there is no such a translation going on in real terms. I sit on the BMF women’s desk, I sit on Brics women’s alliance. I have not met the black women-owned business that has gotten that percent.

Tasneem Fredericks

ransformation, in a sense influences inequality and the government can’t eradicate poverty on their own. They are trying but it’s impossible.

It’s important for black people to understand the importance of unity and solidarity. Transformation is not an imperative to white people. They don’t have poor families to look after, in fact, white people generally inherit wealth and black people generally inherit poverty. Growing a strong black middle-class would be a vehicle to eradicate poverty because black professionals have bonds of obligation towards their poor families. We ensure, through work, that our siblings are put through decent schools and universities, and we also take care of our poor parents, and that’s how you start eradicating poverty.

www.transformsa.co.za

We, black women, need special intervention and that’s not to say that we are victims. We need intervention to ensure the success and promotion of black women in this country. Countries like Norway and Belgium have introduced laws that say if you want to register a company you need 50 percent of directors that are women on the board. We need to fast-track the advancement of women. If women are poor, they are going to give birth to poor kids, poor not only in the sense of just money but the poverty of thinking, poverty of independence, poverty of knowledge, poverty of confidence, and poverty in so many levels because women are the primary caregivers. One of the failures of BEE is that when we get into the BEE boardrooms and when we get into those spaces that legislation has allowed us into we forget our mandate. BEE is supposed to benefit black people broadly and currently it is not. Due to Covid-19, we need to be accelerating BEE rather than putting it on hold. We don’t have the economic cushion that our white counterparts have. We did not just get land for free. We don’t inherit wealth we inherit poverty and debts from our parents.

AFRICAN GENIUS AWARDS

2021

Tuesday 25 May 2021l 18:00 l University of Pretoria, Future Africa Campus, Hillcrest Pretoria

AGA Congratulates our 2021 Geniuses

On Africa Day the 25th of May 2021 The African Genius Awards were held at the Future Africa campus at the University of Pretoria. This was a culmination of a process of nominating and conferring genius status on deserving recipients. BANTU STEPHEN BIKO – SOUTH AFRICA (AGA GENIUS) Steve Biko was one of South Africa's most significant political activists and a leading founder of south Africa's black consciousness movement. He tried to help Africans by focusing on their identity and making them more conscious of themselves. ALBERT CHINUALUMOGU ACHEBE – NIGERIA (AGA GENIUS) Chinua Achebe was a Nigerian novelist and author of 'things fall apart,' a work that in part led to his being called the 'patriarch of the African novel.' he was a realist writer who tried to look at his culture and people from inside and depict the same in a realistic manner. ALIKO DANGOTE – NIGERIA (AGA GENIUS) Aliko Dangote is a visionary and a brilliant businessman, known by most as the richest man in Africa. The Dangote group has risen to become the largest conglomerate in west Africa. He is a man who strongly believes in the potential of Africans and who calls on them to believe in Africa.

Nominations for 2022 open on the 1st of August 2021, visit our website to submit your nomination. www.priorityperformance.co.za

PREFACE

The various insights that the team brings to client challenges and problems ensures that the approaches and the solutions are always fresh, relevant, and effective. It is a South African stereotype that white people

By Dudu Msomi, Chief Executive, Busara Leadership Partners

have always known that I would use my passion for thinking, strategising and making situations better as my contribution in the world. Since I was a child, I have deliberately built up my knowledge, diagnosing and thinking skills to bring a refreshing lens to the way I see the world. I just did not know what form my sharing of my expertise would take until I entered the corporate environment. I fell in love with business, organisations, strategy, and leadership. From about 1996, I have been passionately accumulating skills to assist me to develop the strategic advisory and consulting expertise that inspired the establishment of Busara Leadership Partners. One of the biggest challenges for South Africa, and globally, is that the demand for certain skills, qualifications and experience exceeds supply. There is a dearth of leadership, strategy, communication, and governance skills. Busara Leadership Partners is a research and execution orientated strategic advisory company with competence and expertise to facilitate the development and effectiveness of leaders to achieve their desired goals. We strive to offer a real option for leaders, namely board members, management, and entrepreneurs, of necessary scarce skills that is better than the status quo. The magic of Busara Leadership Partners lies in the trans-disciplinary and multi-sectoral experienced delivery team which brings into projects innovative way of thinking and seeing the same issues from different vantage points and knowledge systems.

www.transformsa.co.za

are the teachers, are experienced and competent and that black people are politically connected, need to be trained and to be ‘empowered.’ African people are often, approached for BEE partnerships for their business, personal or political ties, or else for their ability to add symbolic lustre to a company, whilst their value to contribute at a strategic or operational level is de-emphasised. The fact that Africans have not really been known and valued for their strategic knowledge and input in organisations, but for their networks and political influence, further inspired me to influence and shape the quality of leadership in our country and beyond because Busara Leadership Partners believes that effective leaders and managers have credibility because of their technical competence and their personal integrity. Under-representation of women in top management positions continues to be a focus globally. Though a few women have succeeded in breaking the glass (the white women) and concrete (the black women) ceilings, women are still fewer in higher ranks than in lower levels of organisations. According to Businesswomen’s Association of South Africa (BWASA) 2017 census, in a country where women comprise 51% of the population, only 20.7% of directors and 29.4% of executive managers are women. At the very top leadership level, the number is significantly lower with women holding only 11.8% of chairpersons’ positions. Though laws are in place for the advancement of women. Women encounter difficulties in combining family and work responsibilities in a society still structured on patriarchal norms and practices. Women have feelings of obligation and commitment to others, at most times to their own detriment. Sheryl Sandberg, the author of Lean In,

said: “Give us a world where half our homes are run by men, and half our institutions are run by women. I’m pretty sure that would be a better world.”Women must realise that no one is going to give them that world. They need to create it. The women carry a disproportionate burden of physical work and emotional labour in the workplace and in the home. It may require South Africa to adopt the Nordic Region practices where there is shared participation in childcare, a more equitable distribution of work at home and a better work-life balance for both women and men. Progressive workplaces are taking steps to equip women with the necessary tools and skills to gain confidence and skills to be ready to take up promotions should they choose to do so when opportunities become available. As forwardthinking players in the leadership development space, our company Busara Leadership Partners, believes in not just developing specific programmes for women for leadership only, but to develop both men and women, side by side, to provide them with skills to face their workplaces and dynamic global challenges by having the difficult, but enriching conversation working as collaborators and facilitating their own personal leadership through complexities and real-world experiences. In the diversity and inclusion strategy field, Busara Leadership Partners designs workshops to facilitate the transformation of work environments to seek and embrace diversity and to foster inclusive cultures and workplace environments from lower levels to the boardroom. We also give talks about navigating workplace bias and corporate politics. Diversity and inclusion initiatives must be led and championed by the leadership of every organisation to find fertile ground and to be sustained. Thus, getting the buy-in and support of leaders, both men and women, enhances women participation and inclusivity in leadership positions.

Psss.. subscribe to get massive discounts on our truck rentals!

contributors

CONTRIBUTORS

 DEMI PRETORIUS Demi Pretorius is a Senior Associate in the commercial, property & litigation department based in Pretoria. She specialises in commercial dispute resolution, focusing on contractual disputes. Demi has successfully represented small and large corporate clients in High Court litigation and arbitrations. As a litigation specialist, she predominantly deals with document intensive cases across multiple fields, including contract, company, and insolvency law. She is also routinely requested to conduct corporate and procurement related investigations in collaboration with Adams Forensics, the forensic leg of Adams and Adams. She holds two degrees: a BCom Law and an LLB degree from the University of Stellenbosch.

 GCINA MADONSELA Gcina Madonsela is the founder of Small Business Runway, a development agency that advances the participation of small to medium-sized businesses in economic development. Over the years, Gcina has helped many business owners with accounting, marketing, and PR. She amassed experience working in corporate, hosting business expos, and conferencing experiences. She is also an Advisory Board Member to the African Council for Trade, Tourism, and Investment (AFCOTTI)

 MATOME SEKETA Matome Seketa worked as a content writer for an entertainment magazine, Blue Monkey Magazine, for over three years whilst also involved in other writing gigs, including writing forewords for books and writing columns. He is a Ba in Communication graduate from the University of Limpopo, where he was also a vice-chairperson for the university’s writers’ guild. His recent day job was at a law firm where he performed secretarial duties for over two years. He is currently an ad-hoc freelance content contributor for Transform SA magazine.

 DR FALALA Dr Sifiso Falala heads the largest independent, South African-owned and black-owned research company in the country, Plus 94 Research. He is a member of numerous business and industry associations. He is the current President of PAMRO, a former Chairman of SAMRA and is currently a member of ESOMAR. He is a seasoned writer for various media houses and has many thought-provoking articles to his name. He has personally trained and mentored several celebrated researchers and continues to make meaningful contributions to his community and the market industry at large.

www.transformsa.co.za

The Quarterly Journal for a Transforming Nation

publisher’s details Publisher Publishing Editor

Media Liaison: Production Media Assistant: Design & Layout Printer Content Development Advertising Sales Editorial Enquiries Advertising Enquiries Head of Operations Online Advertising General Enquiries

PAPASHA MEDIA (PTY) LTD Sakhumzi "Saki" Mabhele 1 York Street, Kensington B, Randburg 2194 Tel: 010 023 1845 Fax: 0866 11 44 78 saki@transformsa.co.za Andiswa Gqamane Arefa Seleho Sané Louw SAKIPRINT Litho Dumisani Hlatswayo Arthur Peterson and Xolisa Gumpe editor@transformsa.co.za advertising@transformsa.co.za Shumikazi Bhuka shumikazib@papashamedia.co.za onlineads@transformsa.co.za info@transformsa.co.za Tel: 010 023 1845 Fax: 0866 11 44 78 www.transformsa.co.za Facebook page: Transform SA Twitter page: @Transform_SA

TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF USE / DISCLAIMER Transform SA is a product of Papasha Media (PTY) LTD . 1 York Street, Kensington B, Randburg, 2194. Transform SA (ISSN No. 2079-7273) considers its sources reliable and verifies as much data as possible. However, reporting inaccuracies can occur, consequently readers using this information do so at their own risk. Transform SA is sold with the understanding that the publisher is not rendering a legal or advisory service. Although companies and contributors mentioned herein are believed to be reputable, neither SAKIPRINT (Co. CK2002/063910/23), nor any of its employees, sales executives or contributors accept any responsibility whatsoever for such persons’ and companies’ activities. SAKIPRINT CC. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form without prior written permission of the publisher. Permission is only deemed valid if approval is in writing. Transform SA buys all rights to contribution, text, images unless previously agreed to in writing. Stock images supplied by Shutterstock.com

Volume 29 • 2021

DIGESTS

N O I T A M R O F S N A R MAKING T HEADLINES Mall Owners Must Include Township Dwellers

Conflicting perspectives on vaccination

by Lime Matome Seleka

ost South Africans living in urban areas reside in the townships. The population rate of the townships dwellers is continuing to rise at an exponential rate. This positively means an increased market to businesses operating in the townships and those in the surrounding areas.

Potential opportunities, on the other hand, are vested in the cities where the competition is even rifer. Life in the township, for many entails waking up daily to no hope for change. Poverty, unemployment, lack of opportunities and the consequential crime rate is climbing in close proportion with the rise in population growth. This needs more than the government to put off. Businesses operating in places affected by crime are also at the risk of being the targets for criminals. Businesses inherently have a responsibility towards the communities in which they operate, this should not be done merely to score B-BBEE point or, for public relations purposes or even because they are their source of profit, but out of a sense of a moral obligation. Township businesses needs to include township dwellers in the fight to curb our country’s social ills and to help curb unemployment and crime. Ways Township Businesses Can Include Local People. Businesses in the townships are not required to hand over resources to the township dwellers. People need to be participants contributing towards their community, people generally dislike handovers. Business needs to empower people by investing financial resources towards small businesses, offering mentorships and other resources like uniforms and tools to get the job done. Big businesses can also procure services from the townships businesses and people. Investments should also be channeled towards ideas, and also towards ideas and innovations generation programs. The township economy is alive with possibilities and where there are people there is gold, businesses needs to know and do the right thing. Those in the field of consumer psychology also assert that businesses that are perceived to be socially responsible tend to be perceived in a viable positive light.

www.transformsa.co.za

decision to, or not to, vaccinate remains a dilemma for most. The Covid-19 pandemic was an unanticipated disaster that we all have to unfortunately face. Fortunately, vaccines are now available

to South Africans. However, not everyone is willing to take them. Although some people choose not to vaccinate for their own beliefs, others are just influenced by conspiracy theories and fake news. Many elderly people are of the view that vaccines are effective against covid-19, but some still believe that both Covid-19 and the vaccines are sham. An elderly lady Margaret said that she only vaccinated because she heard she might not be able to shop for groceries or even be allowed to travel if she is not vaccinated. She is not the only one with this view, a number of people are only vaccinating because they do not want to be excluded from partaking in essential activities like working or even traveling. Although people like Margaret have only taken the vaccine to have access to doing the essential activities, other elderly people are of the view that the Covid-19 is indeed a reality and that it is even deadly. Ngoakoana, a village-based woman from Limpopo is in her late fifties and she is still healthy and active, she says that although she is not yet vaccinated she is willing to go take her jab. She asserts that Covid-19 is a reality that we have to all embrace and that she believes the vaccines will surely be effective against it. She believes that things will eventually return to normal if we all vaccinate and that she will finally be able to go back to church and be able to visit her siblings. Most men, on the other hand, are not pro-vaccines, one vaccinated man when asked why he decided to take the jab, said “We will all eventually die, why be afraid?” He said that he was doubtful before taking the jab but he did it because he knows that we all might have to vaccinate anyways and that if he did not then he might even possibly die from Covid-19.

DIGESTS

Intelligence in the political framework and instability N o amount of masquerade can mask the ‘unity’ façade that has been faked by the ruling party anymore. The interparty rivalry is now at an advanced stage, and the center just cannot hold. Despite its resolution that the internal political matters of the party must be dealt with internally, the ANC keeps washing its dirty linens in the public’s eyes and inside the court rooms.

Events succeeding the incarceration of the former president, Jacob Zuma, for his contempt of court and his disdain of the court order didn’t catch many by surprise, but the state security agency’s failure to proactively forestall them surely did. Despite deputy State Security minister, Zizi Kodwa’s recent assertions that the former president’s incarceration should not be used as a ‘scapegoat’ for the failed insurrection, which is, honestly, both a vague and an ambiguous pronouncement (hopefully due to intelligence reasons), the incarceration surely was a catalyst for the riots possibly orchestrated by Zuma’s allies.

There are those who hold a view that Zuma was unfairly incarcerated, the suspended ANC secretary general Ace Magashule is one such individual. Magashule, as it is known, is part of the radical economic transformation wing of the ruling party’s faction. Magashule claims that President Cyril Ramaphosa is using the step aside rule to fight factional battles, this is one such linen being ironed out at the courts. Infamous for corruption and corruption allegation and its incapacity, the ANC through its leaders, has now adopted gimmickry as another of its characteristics, Kwa-Zulu Natal premier Sihle Zikalala’s suggestions that the riots would cease if the former president

Jacob Zuma was released is just but one trait of the aforesaid characteristics. The fact that the judiciary is also not spared in this mercy factional squabbles, claims that some judges are bias should unsettle all of us, that is generally where the riot stemmed from. In spite of all that has occurred, we still hope that an unrest like the one we have witnessed the previous month would not ever ensue again. without their knowledge.

Volume 29 • 2021

COVER STORY

AUTHOR & ENTREPRENEUR, PHILANTHROPIST ON SA O

prah Winfrey once said the most significant adventure a woman can take is to live the life of her dreams. Dr. Judy Dlamini is a living embodiment of this statement. Born in the late 50s, when a white minority ruled over an overwhelmingly black majority. Denied them access to the political system and restricted their economic opportunities. Growing up in a family of nine siblings meant Dr Dlamini had to learn to wheel and deal at a younger age. She was clear about what she wanted to become from the earliest age. At the tender age of four, Dr Dlamini knew which career path to pursue. Her father, who was also an entrepreneur, preferred consulting a private doctor to going public. From that day, she decided she was going to become a medical doctor.

Today Dr Dlamini wears many hats. She is an entrepreneur, an author of note, a mother, a doctor, philanthropist, chancellor of the University of the Witwatersrand, and the founding Chairman of Mbekani Group. She also served as chairperson of the board of Aspen Pharmacare Holdings from November 2007 until December 2015 while concurrently serving as non-executive director from July 2005 until December 2015.

Black women historically had a more challenging time advancing their careers. Black girls can only dream big through watching other black women succeed in the corporate world. Not only will that give them hope, but confidence that it’s possible to be a woman and still succeed.

www.transformsa.co.za

She credits her parents for inspiring her to believe in herself: “My mother was a primary school teacher, and my dad was a hustler. He was a painter who owned a painting company. In those days, it was rare for black people to be their bosses. And here was my dad, a black man who had decided to take that less traveled road. I think I have taken after him when it comes to entrepreneurship. I had always wanted to be my boss, even when I chose a career, I opted for a career where I could have some control,” she tells TransformSA.

COVER STORY

It’s unbelievable that this well-spoken leader who has stood on many podiums to deliver moving speeches was once a shy child. “I would have a panic attack when asked to come in front of the class to explain how I got the answer right. It soon changed when I went to high school. I remember because I became a Chairperson of an entertainment committee,” she reveals. “When they gave me a leadership role, I did okay. However, I was still the reluctant leader. I couldn’t let myself down though. I will read ten books when someone reads only one. I was boring in that I was not naughty at all,” she adds. Dr Dlamini’s entrepreneurial journey started when she was only eleven. She had to spend her weekends working in a family tuckshop, which imparted business skills she would use later in life. “I always knew I wanted to be financially independent. I knew that for me to be financially independent, I needed different income streams.” She started practicing as a medical doctor in 1986. Seven years later, she and her husband Dr Sizwe Nxasana (former CEO of Telkom Group and FirstRand Group) opened a bakery next to her practice. “My husband and I started the bakery next to my practice, and we ran it together. Both of us were very hardworking and driven. We both wanted to be financially well-off; we wanted to take our kids to the best schools that money could afford us. We wanted to have holidays overseas. If you want all those things, you have to work hard for them,” says Dr Dlamini. After practicing as a family doctor in Umlazi township for several years, Dr Dlamini moved her practice outside the township to a wealthy suburb. She remembers the incident that became a turning point in her life: “In 1996, I was robbed at gunpoint outside my practice. They came for my car and ended up taking my proceeds as well. That affected me badly. Then we had to move from UMlazi to La Lucia,” she says. Dr Dlamini has worked in different sectors of the economy using her diverse skillsets and impeccable author background. Her MBA qualification allowed her to occupy many strategic roles in the private sector, including a

senior manager for HSBC Investment Bank. She is also the former Chairman of Aspen Pharmacare Limited (Aspen), a JSE-listed South African pharmaceutical manufacturer and distributor. Her company Mbekani Group has operations and investments in different sectors of the economy. “I was raised to believe that you should take charge of your life and that if you work hard and have a good education, you will be successful. So much happened along the way. As I encountered failures, that put me in a good stead because I knew I might fail today, but I can rise again.”

“I always knew I wanted to be financially independent. I knew that for me to be financially independent, I needed different income streams.” South Africa has made some inroads into its youth unemployment problems by introducing entrepreneurship into its educational curriculum. Dr Dlamini thinks there are quite a few things that are still not right. “Our education has trained us to work for somebody else. We need to educate a child to be innovative and curious. To consider entrepreneurship, even at the childhood level. Teach them to sell stuff because children learn through doing,” she explains. Corruption within the South African tender system is endemic. Media came up with a special term for black entrepreneurs who are getting tenders from the government - “tenderpreneurs’. The term itself is synonymous with corruption, which casts doubt over any black-owned business offering services to the government.

The term ‘tenderpreneur’ first emerged during the President Thabo Mbeki’s administration. Initially, tenderpreneur had an ambivalent meaning, with both positive and negative undertones. Dr Dlamini thinks tenderpreneur is usually associated with corruption. Many successful black entrepreneurs who are offering services to government are likely to be suspected of corruption. “I never heard the term tenderpreneur pre-1994. Then you ask yourself, there were no tenders back then? Because the supplier was white, it was okay. But the minute there is a black person, you make it look ugly, you make it look corrupt, you make it look bad,” says Dr Dlamini. According to Dr Dlamini, South Africa has to do what’s right and upŕoot corruption once and for all. “This will enable us to open markets for black businesses. Socioeconomic support is vital for black businesses. Unless we do that, we are not going to get it right. You talk about economic growth, economic growth for who? If you are not working with small businesses and entrepreneurs from the townships, you can’t redress the imbalances of the past. You have to build them so that there is economic growth and transformation that drives that economy. Dr Dlamini has expressed concern over the racial and gender profile in leadership positions at institutions of higher learning. She says black and coloured women are still underrepresented in South Africa. A year ago, Wits University launched the Female Academic Leaders Fellowship, which is aimed at empowering African and coloured women. The best advice Dr Dlamini ever received is “Love yourself unconditionally. You will make mistakes, and they don’t define you,” she says. One of the best lessons for Dr Dlamini: Being betrayed by a business partner. Dr Dlamini is an inveterate traveller who has been to different countries. She unwinds by spending Friday nights catching up on great movies. Her favourite musicians include Tshepo Tshola, Busi Mhlongo, and Luther Vandross.

Volume 29 • 2021

WOMAN SUCCESS

SHE IS A SOUNDING BOARD

FOR SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS 18

www.transformsa.co.za

WOMAN SUCCESS

Coming up with a good idea and then turning it into a profitable venture is no easy feat. But it’s even more challenging if you have no sounding board, and you do everything yourself, from spending money on bookkeeping to marketing and anything in between.

Gcina’s expo and business builder events help entrepreneurs market their products and services to pre-qualified trade consumers. What sets her agency from other business agencies is that they are accessible to small businesses. “There are always business agencies that say they help small business owners. I feel they are very out of touch. Their business is bigger than small businesses. I think being accessible to entrepreneurs is key, particularly in townships where we also do networking events. Apart from events, Small Business Runway also does webinars as well. Gcina says they invite a couple of leaders and speakers to discuss a variety of topics.

cina Madonsela noticed early on that entrepreneurs tend to struggle with many things.

As a passionate entrepreneur herself, Gcina has the first-hand experience of starting a new business. She understands that starting a business requires an enormous amount of planning, ambition, and execution. She shares: “When I registered my business, I was like, great, I’m going to register it and then start trading. Then I found out as I was going along that as much as there is Google, there is nobody who can help small business owners,” she tells TransformSA. Upon completing her studies, she went to work for several years. Gcina’s A-ha moment came when she was doing too much work, but she was still underpaid. That’s when she thought this was not going to work anymore. “ I always wanted to become a radio jock. Then I went on to work in that field mainly because I am a bubbly person, and I love talking. I worked for a couple of major media houses such as Independent Media, Caxton publishers, and Zazi Media,” she says. “Eventually, what I wanted to do was to run my own business. I used some of the pension that I cashed out when I resigned. So I didn’t have any funding. I was like, I am tired, don’t earn enough. I am going to follow my passion. Then I jumped.”

Gcina started the Small Business Runway, a small development agency. Over the years, she has helped many business owners with accounting, marketing, and PR. She amassed experience working in corporate, hosting business expos, and conferencing experiences. She is also an Advisory Board Member to the African Council for Trade, Tourism, and Investment (AFCOTTI). “ Our work is focused on the fundamental building blocks of an entrepreneur when they are starting a business. They would need someone who typically will be a go-to person. They would need education around their industry..” “So Small Business Runway is that hub that assists entrepreneurs to kickstart their business and move on with their journey. We help them with accounting; we help them to set up their website. We help them with their marketing. We have some online courses that help them get new clients as well.”

“

Getting new customers and raising capital are among the top challenges facing business owners today. However, Gcina thinks establishing a credible reputation for her business was her major challenge. “I think our biggest obstacle was establishing ourselves as a credible business. What I mean about that is proving who you are and who your clients are. A lot of people want to do business with you when they know those things,” she explains. Her advice to aspiring entrepreneurs is: “Be bold and unapologetic about your vision. What I mean about that is you need to refuse defeat. Success is the refusal of accepting defeat. It is the constant showing up, and the constant learning, and building yourself.” Gcina’s favourite books include Multipliers, Return to Love, and Master Your Finances.

Be bold and unapologetic about your vision. What I mean about that is you need to refuse defeat.

”

Volume 29 • 2021

ENTREPRENEURS

FROM A STREET VENDOR

TO AN OWNER OF A THRIVING BUSINESS

You don’t need an MBA to start a business. Valuable lessons in business don’t always come from business books but from things around you.

eorge Moyo decided to take the e n t re p re n e u r s h i p ro u te a f te r completing his matric. His journey in business started in the early 80s when he had to eke a living as a street vendor. Born and bred in the dusty streets of Alexandra, today, Moyo is an inspiration to many aspiring young entrepreneurs. His clothing brand Shosho was launched at Jet Stores in August 2021. To become the success he is today, he had to endure a lot of pain, which included risking being arrested for selling in Johannesburg CBD. “I started my schooling in Alex and did my high school in Thembisa at Boitumelong Secondary School,” he recalls poignantly.

www.transformsa.co.za

Moyo says he was inspired to become an entrepreneur by his mother. He reveals: “My mother used to sell some clothing at some stage. She used to do sewing as well. After I completed my matric, I could not go to varsity. This was during times of struggle. Then I started going into hawking in Johannesburg Park Station.” In the early 90s, Moyo’s keen interest in clothing led him to start what would become one of few black-owned clothing brands, “Shosholoza.” How the name came about is the stuff legends are made of. “My father came to South Africa in 1932 from Zimbabwe to work in the mines,” says Moyo.

He says the brand name Shosholoza was inspired by a song his father and coworkers sang. “Shosholoza originated from among working miners who sang the song to the rhythm of their swinging axes as they dug. When they traveled back home, they would sing Shosholoza.” Even former president Nelson Mandela sang Shosholoza as he worked during his imprisonment on Robben Island. Moyo says this is a song of hope, encouragement, and solidarity. “People used to sing along when they were working, and all that. In 1994 I trademarked the name Shosholoza,” he says.

ENTREPRENEURS

In 1986, Moyo and Lawrence Mavundla formed the African Cooperative for Hawkers and Informal Traders (ACHIB). Today, this organisation represents the rights of hawkers. “Being a hawker during those years was very difficult. You’d get arrested for not having a permit to sell. So, hawkers were arrested all the time. That’s why we started this organisation.”

“The president of PSL was there, the MEC for sports was there, and all the veterans. We thought: If you go to Germany, they’ve got Adidas, the USA has Nike, Italy has Diadora, what about Africa?” says Moyo.

When Shosholoza was launched in 1996, Moyo was in partnership with Gallo records. The brand became an instant success at Woolworths retail shops. However, when their contract with Woolworths ended, they decided to shift their focus to designing safety boots.

This year, Shosholoza has re-entered the market with the new Shosho range retailing at 426 Jet Stores. Moyo says this is the most significant milestone in his business journey. A far cry from hustling clothes from the corners of the streets of Johannesburg. He reveals that the Shosho range targets people between the ages of 18 and 40. This new range will hit the stores from the 27th August. Their goal is to extend their footprint internationally.

Today Shosholoza has a strong presence in the mines. No miner in SA is not familiar with the Shosholoza Gumboot, a heavy-duty kneelength PVC mining gumboot with safety toe protection of steel toe cap.

“When we designed this range, our goal was to make it Mzansi’s number one lifestyle brand. We want all who wear it to believe that we are building a new nation and heritage.”

In 2010, during the FIFA world cup, Shosholoza launched its first South African soccer boot. Among the product range was a Shakes boot, named after former Kaizer Chiefs midfielder Isaac “Shakes” Kungoane.

“What makes our brand unique is that Shosholoza is locally manufactured. We are also buying our cotton from local farmers. Everything about our brand is about our country. The quality is just amazing and affordable as well,” he adds.

“

Moyo says limited capital, support networks, and access to credit put most black entrepreneurs at a disadvantage from the start. “That’s why a lot of our people end up going into tenders. Because that is an easier way than competing with well-established businesses.” On transformation, he says: “As a businessman, I think we need to transform the way we do business. Even if it’s access to the market, funding, and so on. We need to be strong in industrialisation.” His advice to aspiring entrepreneurs is to focus on what they love. “Have a passion for what you are doing. Business is not about profit but about making the world a better place. Profit will come after you’ve delivered quality service and products,” he cautions. In his spare time, you are likely to find Mr. Moyo unwinding with his friends in one of the shebeens in Gomora. If not doing that, you’ll see him running every morning. He listens to any music, from Jazz, Amapiano, and hip-hop artists such as L-tido.

Have focus and passion for what you are doing. Business is not about profit but to make the world a better place.

”

Volume 28 29 • 2021

PROFFESSIONAL

WHAT DOES IT TAKE

TO BECOME A BUSINESS ANALYST?

The role of a business analyst is evolving fast—especially if we have to consider that SA’s companies are now hiring more BAs in an attempt to compete globally. by Dumisani Hlatswayo

he rise of automation and smart technology are some of the reasons today SA’s companies hire people like Moreblessing Maisva. She is a Senior Business Analyst (BA) with a deep passion for helping companies improve their processes. Moreblessing engages with business leaders and their

www.transformsa.co.za

employees to understand how systems can improve efficiencies. Moreblessing’s career in business analysis spans more than ten years. She now works for MetaPer formance, where she is also one of their trainers of junior BAs. Besides

training junior BAs, Moreblessing started doing robotic processing. She is beaming with pride when she tells us that she has built her first few bots. Her impeccable academic background is a testament to her love for education.

PROFFESSIONAL

“

A Business Analyst is a link between business and IT. Why? Because business and IT don’t speak the same language.

”

Moreblessing holds a BCom Information Technology Management with majors in Informatics, IT Management, Business Management. Moreblessing has also completed the International Institute of Business Analysis (IIBA™) endorsed the Business Analysis course of MetaPerformance. “I started doing a diploma in programming. Then I realised that was not for me, because I like interacting with people rather than sitting behind my desktop,” Moreblessing recalls. According to Moreblessing, it is much easier to change processes within a small business than in a big organisation. She says agility allows small companies to focus on being customercentric and adaptable. “I always say the thing that gives big businesses a competitive edge is that they have money to throw around, which small businesses don’t have. But small businesses have something big businesses don’t have. It is called agility. Agile methodologies work to the advantage of small teams because they rely on daily interaction and feedback.” “As a big business, how do you then create predictability and flexibility? That’s what small businesses have. And that’s where the process comes in.”

“If you are a small business, how do you create efficiencies so that you can compete at the same level as the big businesses? It has many departments, and that’s where my passion lies—making sure that everyone can compete.” The world is moving to a more automated space. SA wants to be a digital economy, but few entrepreneurs are willing to come with digital innovations. Everyone thought SA was building its version of Silicon Valley at the tip of Africa, with start-up tech hubs mushrooming across Cape Town and Johannesburg. But, Moreblessing thinks there are still no local systems competing on a global stage. She explains: “It is the inherent fear that we have. That says our products are not good enough. That’s why we import everything. Even when you try to do business with a black person, people would say: Why do you want to do business with them? They’re going to dupe you. Or they won’t deliver. And history is not on our side. Remember, a business that has been in operation for years can’t perform as the one started operating recently. “ Moreblessing thinks international systems don’t work in our favour. For starters, some solutions can’t cope with the South African tax system because they were not built for the local market. “Yes, we may think those systems are attractive because of their international brand image, but in reality, they are not effective for us. Half of the time, you have to do configurations and customizations for a solution to work in a South African context,” she says. Moreblessing says a good BA should connect IT and the business. “A Business Analyst is a link between business and IT. Why? Because business and IT don’t speak the same language. IT speaks in terms of technology, features, and what the system can do. On the other hand, business addresses how a system grows the bottom line. Or it means to customer satisfaction,” Moreblessing says. Their job is to understand what the business is trying to achieve and translate that into an understandable IT solution.

She uses an adage to illustrate: “A calf wobble a bit and doesn’t walk in a straight line. As the calf goes back to pastures. It follows the same pattern and weaves in and out trees. Other calves would also follow the same path. In an organisation, things happen similarly. In most cases, no one understands why. So our job as analysts is to investigate the process to get a deeper understanding.” When it comes to small businesses, Moreblessing recommends strengthening the path in the early stages of the company. “I always say there are three pillars in business, and they are Processes, People, and Technology. My job is to bring those three key things together.” Business Analysis is a growing field, and young people are venturing into the area. They noticed that business leaders struggle to articulate what they need. So there would always be a need for business analysts like Moreblessing to help them. “As a small business, you can start with what you have. When it comes to processing, you can document it using Microsoft Word and document the steps. However, if you use it for the next step, automation, it becomes a tad difficult. As English is not our first language, misunderstanding is a common problem for us,” she says. Moreblessings says small businesses don’t have to buy a system but instead hire an analyst for a specific period to document processes. “A process document is also an aging document. You have to go back and revise it because things change. We need to ensure that the process document we did three years ago is still aligned with where the company is going. Does it still meet the needs of the customer? Does it still make us competitive? If you want to be the fastest in your industry, your process cannot be in the middle ages. If you want to compete globally, your process cannot compete on a township level. You need to make sure that your process adapts with current changes,” she concludes. Volume 28 • 2021

DISABILITY

REMOVING BARRIERS

FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES Multiple barriers make it extremely difficult or even impossible for people with disabilities to progress in life.

uckmore Takachicha is a community services manager for the Association For The Physically Disabled(APD). APD is a registered non-profit organisation helping people with most forms of physical disability. According to Tak achik a, APD assists people with disabilities and their

www.transformsa.co.za

families resolve their personal psychological and physical problems and empowers them to develop an independent lifestyle. Being a qualified social worker allows Takachicha to manage, coordinate, and improve the ser vices programmes that his company offers.

We introduced a home-based system in some parts of Ekurhuleni. We visit people with disabilities that we identified with our deferral pathways with this programme, including using online platforms. We have a team of caregivers who have some qualifications to prove it. Say they could

DISABILITY

“

We introduced a home-based system in some parts of Ekurhuleni. With this programme, we visit people with disabilities that we identified with our deferral pathways, including using online platforms.”

The appropriate legislation might be in place, but not the proper attitude. The result is that people with physical disabilities are still invisible or inferior in the eyes of many South Africans. The programme aims to address this issue in a constructive and meaningful way. “ What we did as part of the response to unemployed, we created a division that trains people with disabilities. They are learning how to start, manage and run their businesses,” he says.

”

be paraplegics, quadriplegics, they could be any disabilities. So we send our team of caregivers to try and assist them,” Takachicha tells Rise N Shine. Initially, volunteers APD had to recruit and train caregivers for people with severe disabilities in their own homes. But later, APD realised that the duties of caregivers involved a lot of physical work. Most people with disabilities could not bathe themselves, get out of bed, and even go to the bathroom. It was for that reason that APD decided to employ caregivers. Since then, the caregivers have helped hundreds of people in Soweto, Tembisa, Alexander, and Johannesburg. Takachicha says APD offers a home-based Care service. APD’s Social Workers started the Home Based Care Service in the early 90s after determining a need for a homebased care program in the community. Many persons with disabilities, especially those

who are bedridden, were living in desperate circumstances. Sometimes even without anything to eat or drink, and nobody to clean them. In some cases, family members had left their jobs to care for their disabled people, with the result that the household income had either been dramatically reduced or completely dried up, causing even more severe problems. “Sometimes they need to be fed, bathed, or their homes need to be cleaned. To help them live with dignity. As we do that, we try to equip family members with the skills that will enable them to take proper care of people with disabilities,” he explains. Caring for people with disabilities is crucial to the well-being of the entire country. Hence the organisation hires social workers such as Takachicha to ensure that people with disabilities are taken care of. APD also provides programmes aiming to break down barriers in the corporate world. A Barrier Breaker recruitment prepares young people for the open labour market. It starts by identifying employment opportunities, then prepare young people for those oppor tunities. It also assists employers with all aspects of diversity training and facilitation. Having ignored the rights of 4 million people living with disabilities for years, APD aims to help them play their role in the job space.

Attitudinal barriers are some of the challenges many people with disabilities have to face. They range from the most basic and contribute to other obstacles. For instance, a family member limits a person with a disability from par ticipating in everyday life and common daily activities. “Apart from a challenge to gain access, there are also issues that I call “systemic blockages.” From a social worker’s point of view, we have to address the stigmatisation that we have. We still have members of the communities who view disabilities in mystified ways. They think a person with disabilities is disabled because of some misfor tune or even witchcraft. We come across these issues when we deal with families. As a result, some families won’t send their children with disabilities to school. They have to hide this child because they don’t want the world out there to see a person living with a disability within our households. As they do so, don’t allow a person with a disability to be active in the economic space,” says Takachicha. He says community members sometimes stereotype those with disabilities, assuming their quality of life is poor or victims of witchcraft. Stigma within society is also prevalent. It is rooted in people’s ideas related to disability. “Some people still believe that a disability is a personal tragedy that needs to be cured or prevented. Or punishment for wrongdoing,” he explains.

Volume 28 29 • 2021

AWARENESS

“

Some of the challenges that I faced were more internal than they were anything else.

”

SURVIVING CANCER

AND BECOMING A BEACON OF HOPE 26

www.transformsa.co.za

AWARENESS

Skin cancer (or melanoma) has become one of the common skin cancers in South Africa. Year in and year out, the CANSA reminds all South Africans to be SunSmart throughout the year, especially during Summer. However, only a few people heed the call.

we don’t think much about them. Kids can tease you and make you feel embarrassed about it. All I knew was I had something weird on my skin that other kids didn’t have. The mole was grey in colour and irregular in shape and had a very rough texture, it looked like a colourless jelly tot.” Naniki advises people to seek medical help before it’s too late: “I was a light skin girl playing on the street like any other kid, but I had issues with my skin. If I play for too long in the sun my skin would burn. How do you explain this to a mom or your dad?” She says she appreciates her parents for being proactive by buying her sunscreen. Her mother thought Naniki was more likely to continue playing outdoors, so getting her sunscreen was the best way to protect her skin. Unfortunately, her mole kept on growing until Naniki was later diagnosed with skin cancer.

aniki Seboni is a young cancer survivor who has decided to use her experience to educate others. She is a motivational speaker, actress, presenter, and skin cancer survivor. Born and bred in Soweto, as an only child born to two working-class parents, Naniki was raised in a family that supported her “big dreams”. It was while she was 25 when she was diagnosed with Stage III Skin Cancer: Malignant Melanoma.

“Because of all the sport that I was playing, I was constantly in the sun. If you are not educated about small things you tend to miss the bigger picture. When my skin kept on burning, I was told to apply Vaseline and I’ll be okay. But we now know that if you get about five severe sunburns as a child you have a risk of developing skin cancer when you are older. But all those years I was getting sunburned and not going to the dermatologist.”

“A big part of who I am is what redefined my cancer journey, but before that, I was doing a lot of stuff for radio, television, and acting. I think my background has given me the confidence to be able to stand and speak without withering on stage,” she tells Rise N Shine.

When Naniki was at varsity when a second mole developed on her left leg. This one was slightly different to the first one. It was black, and excruciatingly painful even when it was still smaller. Then it started growing to become irregular and looked like a huge fly. As it was quite unsightly, Naniki was forced to stop wearing shorts.

Naniki’s journey as a cancer survivor started when she developed a mole on her hand; she was only 6 years old at the time. “You know black people have developed moles before and

“A normal mole should look normal. It should look like your skin tone, when it starts to

change in colour or shape, you have a problem. I now know this. Most people don’t take these symptoms seriously. When I speak to people, I want them to be aware of their moles, their shape and symmetry,” she cautions. “Skin cancer is still known to be a white disease, but here I was a young black girl with this disease. When my doctor said you’ve got skin cancer I said but I am black. I thought I was a smart girl, I went to the best schools, I could speak well. I was truly shocked, I was taken aback by the diagnosis, I knew that my life was going to change,” she says.Naniki’s battle with cancer was not physical, but more mental. Her mind couldn’t grasp the fact that she had been diagnosed with the so-called “white people’s disease.” She was in denial. “Some of the challenges that I faced were more internal than they were anything else. I dealt a lot with the mental and emotional implications of my journey. At end of the end, early detection is crucial. If you can have some basic knowledge of cancer you will be able to pinpoint it. Let’s start having empowering conversations in our households,” she concludes.

Volume 28 29 • 2021

FINANCE

RESPONSIBLE CREDIT CAN LIBERATE A NATION’S WOMEN At least 40% of mothers in South Africa are single parents, and only 25% of children in this country are part of a nuclear family.

he reality of these statistics is that many women have to make ends meet on their own, often without any contribution from the fathers of their children. Government grants, help from family members and working more than one job help to fill the gap, but so can credit – a resource that is often overlooked.

“Woman puts her daughter through university by using credit cleverly.” This is not a headline we have seen before, and more’s the pity, as this real-life story illustrates. When 18-year-old Pumzile Ndlovu announced that she wanted to go to university – and had achieved the marks to secure a place – her mother despaired. Without a husband and living a simple life in Eastern Cape, her options for funding her daughter’s studies were limited. Soon, however, Ms Ndlovu’s innate resourcefulness suggested a solution. Over the next three years, Ms Ndlovu took out a series of loans from her trusted credit provider

www.transformsa.co.za

“Ms Ndlovu secured a future for her daughter and gave her a further head start by enabling her to start her career. She could do this, because she understood that when credit is geared towards a specific goal and managed well, it can change lives.” to pay for tuition, books and accommodation. “I remember how cleverly she managed those loans,” says Phumzile, “always making sure that she paid

her dues so that she would not lose her line of credit. That’s how I got through varsity.” According to Alfred Ramosedi, CEO of Bayport South Africa, stories like these highlight the power of responsible credit combined with financial literacy. “Ms Ndlovu secured a future for her daughter and gave her a further head start by enabling her to start her career. She could do this, because she understood that when credit is geared towards a specific goal and managed well, it can change lives.” Sadly, in the context of South Africa’s overindebtedness crisis, credit is more often painted as the cause of the problem, than a potentially powerful solution. “When people understand how to leverage credit to achieve their ambitions, the impact is immense,” says Ramosedi. “For women in particular, the right credit at the right time can bring about a step change and liberate them from the limits imposed by single parenthood.” Given South Africa’s family statistics, such liberation is also an act of nation building.

The financial wellness partner of employed South Africans Bayport South Africa has been issuing unsecured longterm loans to South Africans since 2004. Our goal to create a transformed financial services company that helps to bring about economic empowerment and transformation in South Africa was realised in 2017 when a black-owned consortium acquired 51% ownership of Bayport South Africa. The Government Employees Pension Fund (GEPF) has a 35.7% shareholding and a black-owned South African strategic investment partner 15.3%. Pursuing a business model that brings financial wellness within reach of employed South Africans was the next logical step. In 2019 we launched Bayport Money Solutions – a corporate financial wellness programme that combines practical debt relief assistance and financial literacy. Financial distress is not only a personal or family dilemma; it has a direct impact on employers and on the national economy. Employees who are caught in a debilitating debt trap are less healthy, less attentive and less productive – thus contributing less to the economy. Bayport Money Solutions addresses all these issues while giving employees the means to achieve lasting personal economic transformation. Bayport has partnered with over 40 private and public sector employers over the past year to offer the Bayport Money Solutions programme to their workforce. The success of the programme rests on the partnership between Bayport and employers, which allows us to pass on the benefit of the reduced cost of risk to their employees, our customers. Through this, and our ability and willingness to extend high-value, long-term credit to individuals that would not generally qualify for credit in the open market, employees can immediately increase their monthly take-home pay, reduce their overall debt burden and, over time, improve their credit profile.

Ms Ndlovu secured a future for her daughter and gave her a further head start by enabling her to start her career. She could do this, Contact us understood that when because she corporate@bayport.co.za credit is geared towards a specific www.bayportsa.com goalSAand managed it can Bayport @Bayport_SA well,@BayportZA change lives.

The impact of this approach is evident in numerous customer testimonials. Here is an SMS we received recently:

Tonight I’m sleeping again in my own house with my family. It is like I am dreaming. For a long time I slept in a municipality truck while I was running away from the loan sharks. Now I am in control of my debt. Having learned that once-off assistance does not suffice to break bad money habits, a critical part of our offering is financial literacy that includes regular free credit health reports, wellness days, financial literacy training, digital access to financial literacy information and, if required, on-site or online access to financial coaches. Our belief that financial inclusion, practical solutions and financial literacy are the keys to personal economic transformation is evident in all we do.

Borrow for the right reasons. Bayport Financial Services 2010 (Pty) Ltd is an authorised financial services provider (FSP 42380) and a registered credit provider (NCRCP 4685). Terms and conditions apply.

LEGAL

CONQUERING THE MALE-DOMINATED LITIGATION SPACE Representation is important. I believe that as more female lawyers make their mark as experts in their fields and leaders in their firms, more young women will be encouraged to stay in the profession.

By Dumisani Hlatswayo

hile female lawyers remain underrepresented in the ligation space, many young women don’t let the snail’s transformation progress discourage them. Demi Pretorius is one such woman.

to conduct corporate and procurement related investigations in collaboration with Adams Forensics, the forensic leg of Adams & Adams. She holds two degrees: a BCom Law and an LLB degree from the University of Stellenbosch.

process and the pros and cons of every decision. I work closely with advocates to get the matter ready for a hearing before a judge or arbitrator. The preparation involves a lot of research and procedural arrangements,” adds Demi.

Demi has fond memories of her childhood before she was admitted as attorney: “I grew up in Pniël, a small town near Stellenbosch. The benefit that I had was that I didn’t have just my parents taking care of me and supporting me, but the whole community as well,” she says.

Demi made the most out of her time at university. While most students focused only on attending classes, Demi made time to help other students as well. She sat on the Student Council of the law faculty and was a mentor in her university residence.

With the fourth industrial revolution vigorously forcing companies to transform, law firms also had to adapt to changes. “The shift to digitising our law practices has been exciting and has brought about major efficiencies. Most court hearings are now conducted virtually via Microsoft Teams, which cuts traveling time and costs.”

Demi has always been opinionated and brave to speak out about various issues. Those two etiquettes coupled with a desire to help people were significant motivating factors in choosing the law career path. Today Demi is a Senior Associate in the commercial, property, and litigation department of Adams & Adams based in Pretoria.

Her first involvement with Adams and Adams was around 2011, prior to commencing her LLB degree, when she was interviewed for a bursary. Ten years later, Demi is employed by the same firm. “I advise clients on how best to resolve or avoid disputes, focusing on solutions that make business sense. When I start a new matter, I look at all the relevant facts, and I consider that against the legal framework to assess the merits of the case” she says.

According to Demi, transformation should

As a litigation specialist, she predominantly deals with document intensive cases across multiple fields, including contract, company, and insolvency law. She is also routinely requested

“I then advise clients on the legal remedies available and how best to achieve their desired outcome. If that involves litigation, I make sure the client understands the different phases in the litigation

promote equal opportunities, enable exposure and equal representation. While she believes South Africa still has a long way to go, Demi believes it is still possible to achieve those three fundamental goals.

www.transformsa.co.za

Women in the legal profession are still on the back foot in comparison with their male counterparts. Sexism and lack of gender transformation are the issues that still dog this industry that employs about 27200 people in South Africa.

LEGAL

Focusing on the legal profession she says: “Although the legal fraternity is welcoming to all people from different walks of life, more should be done to develop and promote young practitioners, particularly women and people from disadvantaged backgrounds. One solution is to afford those individuals opportunities to work with experienced seniors where the environment is conducive to organic skills transfer and otherwise provide exposure to quality legal work. There is value in diversity, and we must embrace it. There is a responsibility on all legal practitioners to promote skills transfer. I would encourage senior professionals to keep an open dialogue with youngsters entering the legal profession and more freely share accounts of their successes and mishaps. We often overlook that sharing stories of our failures can help others to reap the benefits of a lesson without having to take the same detour – it has potential to accelerate growth and can be of great value in the litigation space which is a fast-paced environment,” she says.

The misconception that women litigators are less capable of doing their job persists. Many people still think women, especially female lawyers of colour, are not good enough to be in the field. The assumption that race and gender determine potential perpetuates this belief. “I am fortunate to work in a firm where the overwhelming majority of professionals are women. That said, the profession remains male-dominated, and it is easy to start believing that only men can be exceptional litigators if that is all you are exposed to. Representation is important and I believe that as more female lawyers make their mark as experts in their fields and leaders in their firms, more young women will be encouraged to enter, and stay in, the profession. This could change the narrative over time.” says Demi. Demi’s tip to business owners is straightforward: “Invest in good legal advice at the time when you enter into a business transaction and conduct frequent risk assessments in your business.

Costly and protracted litigation generally flows from poorly drafted contracts and surface level problems that go unresolved for long periods,” cautions Demi.” Her advice to anyone who wishes to pursue a career in private practice: “Seek out shadowing opportunities. Most legal firms have vacation work programmes which they advertise on their websites; find a mentor in your field of interest; or befriend a final year student and touch base with them in the next year to gain insight into the inner workings of a law firm.” One of the hardest lessons she has learnt is: Working longer hours doesn’t necessarily lead to increased productivity and could lead to burnout. We are multifaceted beings and need stimulation from various areas in our life to excel at work.” Demi unwinds by watching documentaries on Netflix and listening to podcasts on Spotify. She says exercising is her biggest stress reliever.

ENTREPRENEURS

GROWING AN HR BUSINESS AMIDST COVID-19 You need two things to grow an HR consulting business: A compelling offer that provides value and a well-populated niche of potential clients. Now one understands this better than Mackie Makitla. By Dumisani Hlatswayo

ackie Makitla Dinake has been in the HR space for over 20 years. He is a charismatic entrepreneur who has been involved in the Psychometric and Competency Assessment space, focusing on Business Development. He is a staunch believer in taking care of your staff. According to him, taking care of your human capital is as crucial as taking care of your customer.

“COVID-19 has changed the way we work forever. Many employees are now working from home, and remote work is likely here to stay. HR departments will continually need to adapt their functions to support employees who are working from home. Partnering with an experienced HR consultancy, such as Phelekeza, can help companies in several ways,” he writes. His company Phelekeza is a 100% black-owned founded by a team of driven and passionate intellectuals to positively impact organisations and society. “The aim has always been to prepare and accompany professionals throughout the entire talent acquisition journey,” he tells Transform SA.

www.transformsa.co.za

It was in 2015 when the idea to start an HR consulting firm started to germinate in Mackie. Being the entrepreneur at heart that Mackie is, he never let a lack of financial resources stop him from starting Phelekeza. But many challenges and surprises were awaiting him.

is no longer the same as the one required for the future of work. “The problems as far as linking employers and employees, and there is also a lack of awareness as to what kind of commitment an employer should have,” he explains.

“In 2016, Phelekeza started operating; that’s how the company started growing. I invested all the energy in the business. Phelekeza was a dream come true in the sense that I likened it to a black canvas. I wished for a particular time of environment and product offering—all of that I have achieved through Phelekeza. There is no limitation in how we service our clients,” he says.

“With all of those interventions, both the employer and employee should know what to do next. Or how to navigate challenges brought on by the pandemic. We are solving very intricate problems. We need to ensure that companies employ employees who have the right set of skills and can deliver on the job. Companies need to be able to measure the competencies of each employer.”

Mackie believes SA lags behind when it comes to offering top-notch HR services. “We are servicing the work environment. We deal with humans, and we use people to meet goals. We need to make sure that they perform optimally. Why I say we are still behind is because organisations are still treating employees as tokens,” he explains. With all the changes that the pandemic brought to the workplace, the current company culture

Mackie says Phelekeza has always been ahead when it comes to adopting cutting edge technologies. His office became virtual before Covid forced many HR companies to consider working remotely. “We were initially operating in an office. Unfortunately, our investors pulled out, and left us dry. At some point we had to operate from a garage. From then, we decided that we

ENTREPRENEURS

would offer our services online. That is when we started utilising our resources and model ourselves to operate online. That was back in 2018. When Covid hit, we were already working virtually,” he says. Challenges Mackie had to face include losing a significant investor. As soon as the investor pulled out, Mackie knew they had to take drastic measures to stay afloat. Mackie sought to leverage their existing customer base to offer services online to increase revenue. Five years later, they are soldering on. “Remember, I didn’t have capital outlay to invest in a business. The business was still in its formative stage, so there we were not making much money. By then, I hadn’t even drawn a salary. Everyone left, and there was literally company. I was the only one left who had to start from scratch,” says Mackie. “The lesson I learned during that period is not to depend on anyone. And that was a moment of

“Phelekeza was a dream come true in the sense that I likened it to a black canvas.”

fully fledged. We have all the resources that are going to transform corporations. We are in a position to listen, advise, and make sure that BBB-EE policies are implemented, and that there is a transformation in the workplace. As a company, we have to make sure that the playfields are even for all races, genders,” he says. His advice to aspiring business owners is: “Technical know-how is not enough in starting a business. You need more than that. You need to understand people; you need to know what

truth, a moment of awakening. That I am on my own, I think that lesson was necessary for me, and it was a necessary struggle to wake me up. Ever since, I feel unstoppable, and today I know what needs to be done.”

kind of culture you want to cultivate. In business building a culture, you need to understand yourself, what makes you tick, and what kind of environment you want to create for your business. Know that challenges will be part of your journey.”

Mackie believes that Phelekeza is at the crux of driving transformation. I think we are a new generation of black-owned companies that is

Mackie relaxes by walking his dog or listening to jazz music. He listens to John Coltrane and Bill Withers.

ENTREPRENEURS

3PRINCIPLES OF BEATING

THE ODDS AND RUNNING A BUSINESS SUCCESSFULLY History has proven numerous times that business and love can overlap. That’s when couples work together, they will grow old together. By Dumisani Hlatswayo

onwabo Goliath is an entrepreneur who was lucky enough to marry a woman who believed in his potential. He is one of the few business owners who got the best advice from their significant other. Her advice was simple yet profound: She told Lonwabo that he has what it takes to be the greatest, as long as he remains humble.

Today, Lonwabo is an “all-rounder” who has claimed significant successes in the Sales & Marketing space, Customer Support departments, and general Business Operations at various companies within Corporate SA. Lonwabo’s day typically start around 3:00 am and ends at 11:00 pm. His philosophy is: “Give me a challenge, I’ll convert it to an attractive opportunity. Give me a seed; I’ll show you the meaning of multiplication. Give me your thoughts, and I’ll birth an idea to life. You dare me, and I will deliver.”

“When you start a job, your main goal should be on finishing it according to client’s expectation.Your job as a business, is to make your client smile.” 34

www.transformsa.co.za

He is a Director of Phetoho Solutions, a 100% black-owned property development company that offers turnkey solutions for a myriad of services such as Property Investment, Construction and Management, and Infrastructure Management. He is also a Co-founding member of his family business, Dare Solutions (PTY) Ltd. Apart from that, Lonwabo is the Managing Partner at Frame Fun Digital Printing and spends most of his time there. Rather than simply operating day to day and hoping for better results tomorrow, Lonwabo is not afraid to roll up his sleeves and work hard. He does this guided by three principles that help him grow his business ventures. He reveals: “The first question you need to ask yourself is what am I going to do differently, there are so many companies that have been operating for years, delivering similar services to yours.” Lonwabo says that question is vital to any fledgling business. He cautions entrepreneurs not to neglect to outline their value proposition and align them with customers’ pain points.

ENTREPRENEURS SECTION TITLE “Number two, treat your people fairly, especially within the work environment. By that, I mean, take care of your team. That in itself bares potential of growing your business, for if you are a soloist who prefers doing things yourself, you won’t get to empower others. For example, ensure that you expose your team to relevant courses, webinars and elements that make their job even better. Then we can say you’ve got the potential to grow a good business,” says Lonwabo. “Number three, start to finish,” he continues. “When you start a job, your intention should be to finish it so that you don’t get yourself into trouble. There is a high cost you’ll have to pay for not finishing what you have started.” While Lonwabo’s principles seem generic, they apply in every business, regardless of its size or industry. Lonwabo says those three principles can keep any business owner on an even keel. “As entrepreneurs, we have no choice, but to hunt for opportunities, daily. We need to be deliberate on this by allocating time for browsing through online Supply Chain platforms. It’s a misapprehension that you only get business if you have ‘inside connections’. It is not always the case. You can go get these opportunities yourself.” he says. MUDAU PICTURE FRAMERS T/A

DIGITAL PRINTING & SIGNAGE

WE MAKE

YOUR BRAND ROAR OUT LOUD Large format printing design and installation. From personal to industrial applications. Framefun designs and manufactures it’s own signs, billboards and decals to meet client requirements.

011 462 0358 info@framefun.co.za www.framefun.co.za

Most aspiring entrepreneurs intuitively know when it is the right time to take the plunge, and Lonwabo was no different. He says venturing into business and getting married at a younger age are the two best decisions he ever made in his life. “You know it’s tough because in corporate, you have this false sense of security. I knew it was going to be challenging because I was going to be in unfamiliar territory. However, I still believe it was the best decision to step out of my comfort zone. I started realising that I could do what I loved. My passions started aligning to my daily activities, that’s when I realised that the ‘move’ was the best decision I have ever made. You never see it that way when you are going through the process. Everything is driven by hope and foresight. Making a decision that I am not going to depend on a salary can be overwhelming.” According to Lonwabo, marriage can teach entrepreneurs a lot of things on running a business. “For instance, being married can sharpen your time management and negotiation skills. Marriage also makes it easier for you to deal with HR matters. You are more likely to make sound people-based decisions when you’ve had your own shot at dealing diverse and complex issues within a family setup, especially between you and your spouse. Marriage requires ‘staying power’, and that’s what business is about… the choice to stay and push

no matter what. There are times even in marriage, when the pressure drives you to the temptation of throwing-in the towel. Business is no different.” says Lonwabo. Besides being an entrepreneur, husband to a supportive wife, and a doting father to two children, Lonwabo is also a Song Writer and Musical Composer. His 17-year-old son is a young emerging Pianist and Musical Producer, his 14-year daughter a Vocalist and fond of art and Fashion Designing, whereas his wife has a passion of scriptwriting, directing plays and her demanding career. Lonwabo becomes all smiles when he talks about his love for music: “When I am not working, I compose music. I am a church boy, and my church is well-known for its key signature sound in music. The harmonising, soothing voices from the mere congregational singing is what founded our passion for music as a family. I sit with my family, and we do four-part-harmony together. I made it a point that I pass on the legacy I embraced from my parents to my kids.” “Our favourite song is, Listen to The Voice, a song I wrote several years ago. This particular song is all about this inner “Voice” which guides us on what we should say and do. We even won a Musical Competition with that song, as a family unit” he recalls.

Transform SA Edition 30

Articles inside

Legal

Awareness

Finance

Leadership Guest Note: Dudu Msomi

Publishing Editor: Sakhumzi “Saki” Mabhele

Professionals

Contributors

Disability

Entrepreneurs

Women success

Foreword: Tasneem Fredericks