6 minute read
SMMEs
UNSTOPPABLE
GoDigitalSA
COVID-19 couldn’t stop The GoDigitalSA Foundation from doing its good work in classrooms. By LYNNETTE JOHNS
GoDigitalSA teaches children how to code, providing them with skills that can be used in the fourth industrial revolution (4IR).
Sandile Mahlaba, GoDigitalSA’s cofounder and patron, says that when the global crisis hit schools and learning in the classroom changed, nothing was going to stop his organisation from working with learners and helping to prepare them for their exams. The coding being taught in brick and mortar classrooms was taken to the cloud, where GoDigital SA created the iThala Edu Platform on YouTube to help matrics with all their subjects. Most of the lessons are in isiZulu, the home language of the majority of the learners. The learners watch the livestreams or access the lessons on YouTube, Facebook and WhatsApp. WhatsApp Sandile groups were also used Mahlaba as revision classes. Mahlaba says that recordings are also broadcast on uKhoziFM every Thursday evening for learners who don’t have access to the internet. Despite the challenges presented by the pandemic, GoDigitalSA continued with its original curriculum. “We held online sessions introducing the learners to computer science and sessions focused on 4IR skills.” Reports show that the foundation reaches about 500 children per subject, but Mahlaba explains that this is not necessarily an indication of the total number of children reached, as screen-sharing is common and learners also share videos among themselves.
co-founder, GoDigitalSA
TRANSFORMING SOCIETY THROUGH TECHNOLOGY
“It’s our vision to transform society through technology,” Mahlaba says. “It has given us great joy and excitement to help the learners and community to cope with the changes brought by the restrictions. The lockdown gave birth to the adoption of social media and other platforms to reach and empower learners.”
He is excited about the possibilities that 4IR promises. He says there are many opportunities for young people. “We can change communities. When children are exposed to technology their lives can change. Imagine them being able to produce technology that changes lives. That makes people’s lives easier? That makes people prosperous. That is part of our vision,” concludes Mahlaba.
COBRA TO THE RESCUE
Launched just two days before the base, for example, webinars and content. national lockdown on March 27, Crake says that 239 businesses received Covid Business Rescue Assistance direct assistance from Cobra’s more than 200 (Cobra), provides pro bono services to subject matter experts from 70 organisations. businesses in distress due to COVID-19. “SMMEs have been the largest users,
IQbusiness, Schindlers Attorneys, Agility, although we have assisted businesses of Engaged Business Turnaround, Sirdar Group, all sizes including various listed enterprises,” Adept Advisory and Envision Advisory says Crake. Services are among the many companies Many manufacturing concerns are SMMEs that have pooled their resources to offer and, with numerous factories shutting shop, legal, accounting, technology, business the lockdown could have signalled the death and nancial advice and support to assist knell for these businesses. “The Southern businesses, particularly small, medium, micro African Clothing and Textile Workers Union enterprises (SMMEs), negatively impacted by (Sactwu) is leading engagement with us the pandemic. regarding several businesses in distress,
Cobra’s Adam Crake says that retail, which is impacting their members. They have manufacturing, construction, hospitality and also brought COSATU into the conversation.” business services make up the top sectors Cobra has been endorsed by Business seeking help. “The main requests are for Unity South Africa (Busa) as part of its funding, business rescue, business turnaround response to the economic crisis. and legal help. Over half the requests are for To get future funding for businesses in funding less than R100K,” he explains. distress, Crake says that Cobra is talking
Cobra has recorded more than one million to each of the banks and to the Banking impressions via its social media campaign and Association of SA (Basa), although they has reached 500 000 people. And, over 20 000 are reluctant to act in concert due to people have used Cobra’s self-help knowledge banking regulations.
“SMMEs have been the largest users, although we have assisted businesses of all sizes including various listed enterprises.” – Adam Crake, Cobra
More than half of the businesses that reached out to Cobra had not approached their banks for funding. The majority of these businesses have movable assets to leverage as security for borrowing purposes. Source: Cobra
THE INNOVATION HUB
Through its OpenIX programme, Matona Sakupwanya the Innovation Hub has identi ed, supported, piloted and implemented innovative solutions for SMMEs to address the direct and indirect lockdown, the hub started an industrial impact of our recent global economic initiative. We supported interventions challenge. Matona Sakupwanya, in the foundry industry through our spokesperson for the Innovation Hub, partnership with the National Foundry adds that the hub has also supported the Technology Network to aid sustainability development of an online platform for small- and job retention in the sector,” scale farmers to sell their produce. “During Sakupwany explains.
DID YOU KNOW? The Innovation Hub is the innovation agency of the Gauteng Province and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Gauteng Growth and Development Agency. It was established by the Gauteng Provincial Government through its Department of Economic Development to promote the economic development and competitiveness of Gauteng through fostering innovation and entrepreneurship.
Source: innovationhub.com
STRENGTHENING THE SUPPLY CHAIN
Telesure Investment Holdings (TIH), a holding company for several insurance companies, has identi ed 2 100 SMMEs to bene t from TIH’s COVID-19 relief fund. The businesses provide services or products to companies within the TIH group.
At the height of the lockdown, companies, philanthropists, foundations and billionaires donated to the Solidarity Fund, which disperses money to assist in health and humanitarian relief. The fund received R3.16-billion and has allocated R2.2-billion. Telesure donated R50-million to the fund.
In addition, the Douw Steyn Family Trust, the Steyn Family and the insurance companies founded by Douw Steyn pledged R320-million for a COVID-19 relief fund.
Of that, a relief fund of R70-million had been established to assist small businesses, which were not able to earn an income during the lockdown, in TIH’s supply chain.
The SMMEs were identi ed by Auto & General Insurance, 1st for Women Insurance, Dialdirect Insurance, Budget Insurance, 1Life and hippo.co.za, as well as Steyn City Properties and the Saxon Hotel. “We remain committed to ensuring that our communities are assisted during this crisis and beyond,” says Telesure Investment Holdings CEO Tom Creamer.
It takes SMMEs 10 minutes to apply for funding on Vodacom’s Vodalend platform. No need to go in-store, and a minimal amount of paperwork is needed.
BIG HELP FOR SMALL BUSINESS
Since November last year, cellphone giant Vodacom has been lending money to small businesses with a good nancial track record through its VodaLend Business Advice programme.
VodaLend loans up to R1.5-million at a 34 per cent interest rate. The application only takes a few minutes and the loan funds are deposited within 48 hours.
SMMEs need quick and easy online funding options and fast approval decision-making says Quintin van Vuuren, executive head of VodaLend at Vodacom Financial Services.
“Small businesses feel the impact of rapid economic movements more severely than larger corporate institutions. SMMEs don’t have large cash reserves, or teams of accountants managing their budgets and cash ows. SMMEs can’t afford to waste resources, money and time when applying for business nance. That is why we focused on providing businesses with an effortless end-toend digital experience when applying for nance,” Van Vuuren says.
