Month: September 2014

2014’s top SA entrepreneur identified

Posted on by Webmaster

Adri-Kruger-Tzaneen-Country-Lodge

South Africa’s premier annual entrepreneurial competition, Sanlam / Business Partners Entrepreneur of the Year®, has named Adri Kruger, owner of Tzaneen Country Lodge, as this year’s overall competition winner at an awards ceremony held in Johannesburg on Wednesday, 03 September 2014.

In a field of 14 finalists, Kruger stood out from the rest due to the remarkable flair she has for business and the resilience that her business displays in the current economic climate. The entrepreneurial and innovative qualities Kruger displays have resulted in a prosperous business operating within a sometimes challenging industry. It is with sheer determination and a relentless focus Kruger and her team have created a winning business.

According to Kobus Engelbrecht, a member of the Sanlam / Business Partners Entrepreneur of the Year ® judging panel, Kruger’s drive and passion for the business, coupled with her caring attitude towards the community in which the business operates in, is what contributed towards her success in the competition.

Tzaneen Country Lodge, a four star country style hotel situated on a 170 hectare working mango farm just outside Tzaneen in the Limpopo Province, was started by Kruger in 2000 when it was just a dilapidated old farmstead. Together with her husband, Kruger managed to successfully develop the dwelling into the successful, fully serviced 60 bedroom hotel and large conference venue it is today.

She says that winning this accolade validates all the hard work, perseverance, determination, passion and the sacrifices that she has made along her entrepreneurial journey. “It also underwrites the belief I have in myself and in my staff at the hotel. However, above all, I believe that it will serve as an inspiration to all women, especially those coming from a relatively poor background with limited opportunities. I am a firm believer that anything is possible if you focus your mind and energy on a goal.”

Kruger seeks opportunities to create jobs, entrepreneurial opportunities and hope in communities where tourism is a lifeline for many. “We are committed to upskilling staff and supporting community members, and do so through training and product development, purchasing from local, small businesses and our various employment equity programmes.”

Tzaneen Country Lodge was started with four staff members in 2000, and has since grown to a complement of 58 permanent and 10 temporary staff members. Together with maintenance, gardens and farm employees, the business employs a total of 215 staff members. Kruger believes that the core of the hotel’s success is the quality and dedication of the staff. “An example of this is an employee, Mr. Isaac Selowa, previously a roadside hawker, who is now a successful Senior Restaurant Manager at the hotel’s a la carte restaurant, Feathers.”

Engelbrecht says that Kruger has been successful due to the way in which she has adapted her business model to the environment in which she operates. “The business has demonstrated innovativeness in how it has expanded, and by doing so has managed to attract a different market from the one’s originally serviced. The judging panel was also impressed with the way in which Kruger meaningfully engages her employees in order to create opportunities for growth and development in a rural area.”

Since its inception both Kruger and the hotel have been recognised by various industry bodies and have won several awards. In 2013, the hotel was named the Small Business Enterprise of the Year by the AHI, and also received the Best Responsible Tourism Award by SATOA, a leading international professional non-profit travel and tourism association. The SATOA award paid tribute to the years of dedication to green and responsible tourism practices which is central to the Tzaneen Country Lodge culture.

For further information on Tzaneen Country Lodge, please visit www.tznlodge.co.za

Artisan skills training centre collects Medium Business Entrepreneur of the Year® award

Posted on by Webmaster

Marthie-Jansen-van-Rensburg---Ekurhuleni-Artisans-&-Skills-Training-Centre---53

Marthie Jansen van Rensburg, founder of Gauteng-based Ekurhuleni Artisans and Skills Training Centre, walked away with the Medium Business Entrepreneur of the Year Award ® at the annual Sanlam / Business Partners Entrepreneur of the Year® Competition, held in Johannesburg on Wednesday, 3 September 2014.

Ekurhuleni Artisans and Skills Training Centre was established in 2006 following the identification of a need for an alternative way to the traditional schooling system. Students who did not have the academic ability to finish secondary schooling are given the opportunity to equip themselves with more practical artisanal skills, thus enabling them to become artisans or potential entrepreneurs.

Jansen van Rensburg says that there is currently a great shortage of well-trained artisans in South Africa and it is vital that similar places of learning become attractive to young South Africans in order to close the gap. “Too often, young students who do not have the academic ability fall by the wayside and do not consider the prospects an artisanal career may present. In light of this, our purpose is to rebrand these once underestimated career options as an attractive choice for young South Africans.”

According to Lionel Billings, a member of the Sanlam / Business Partners Entrepreneur of the Year® judging panel, whilst not a trained artisan, Marthie was able to identify a unique gap in the education sector to train and up skill young South Africans to become qualified artisans. “Having started the centre without any outside funding, Marthie, through her passion and drive, has been able to make a direct and real impact in an environment, especially the youth, where unemployment is a growing concern.

Billings adds that what makes Ekurhuleni Artisans and Skills Training Centre stand out, apart from the approach Marthie follows, is that artisans that graduate from the centre are employable. “The centre provides real and practical skills which also enable graduates to gain further training and accreditation.”

With a key objective to increase the number of skilled artisans added to the South African labour market, Ekurhuleni Artisans and Training Centre offers a number of courses spanning across different industrial trades from boilermaking and bricklaying to professional painting and carpentry. In addition, the training centre provides individuals with the necessary assistance in preparing for their trade test. Existing tradesmen who would like to sharpen their skills can do so with the refresher courses on offer.

Since opening its doors, Ekurhuleni Artisans and Skills Training Centre has successfully upskilled over 19,000 students and plans to double this number by 2020.

“We are very proud to receive this accolade for the work we have done thus far, but it definitely doesn’t stop here. While we take the time to relish in this milestone, we will continue to achieve excellence and add value to South Africa’s social development.” concludes Janse van Rensburg

For more information on Ekurhuleni Artisans and Skills Training Centre, please visit www.eastc.co.za.

Legaci Dry Cleaners and Laundry Services awarded top entrepreneurial Judges Prize

Posted on by Webmaster

Dudu-and-Leema-Mofokeng---Legaci-Superior-Dry-Cleaning-and-Laundry-Services---12

Dudu and Leema Mofokeng, joint owners of Legaci Dry Cleaners and Laundry Services, were awarded the Judges Prize at the annual Sanlam / Business Partners Entrepreneur of the Year® competition, which was held in Johannesburg on Wednesday, 3 September 2014.

The Sanlam / Business Partners Entrepreneur of the Year ® Judges Prize – an additional award introduced to the competition this year – was awarded to Dudu and Leema Mofokeng to celebrate the remarkable progress the business has achieved in the short period, having only established the company in 2008.

Kobus Engelbrecht, a member of the 2014 Sanlam / Business Partners Entrepreneur of the Year® judging panel says that there wasn’t originally a Judges Prize category, but that the decision was taken by the judges to create the category and award the prize due to the impact Dudu Mofokeng made on the judges with her passion and energy for both her business and entrepreneurship qualities.

Prior to starting her own business, Dudu worked in the corporate world, but always believed that her talents could be better utilised. Having grown tired of the corporate environment, Dudu resigned and armed with her entrepreneurial spirit and a BCom Degree, decided to set her sights on something bigger. While volunteering at an AIDS orphanage she saw an opportunity to manage her own laundry outlet under the trade name ‘Pressed in Time’. With the help of her mother, a domestic worker for many years, Dudu went about building her laundry business. Today, with branches across Pretoria and a head office in Silver Lakes, the company currently has three retail outlets and an industrial plant specialising in high-end dry cleaning services in the region.

“Dudu made a courageous move resigning from her job to become an entrepreneur. Given the low barrier to entry of her line of business, she entered a very competitive industry, but has managed to grow her business organically and has created jobs in the process. She differentiates her business by introducing innovative and specialised solutions to the market,” says Engelbrecht.

Dudu says that this recognition is an affirmation to all the efforts, hardships and hard work that she has put into the business to grow it to the level that it is today. “This is a conscious and moral compass to me that will constantly be a reminder that more is expected of me.”

She says that her future goals for the business include expanding her network by opening retail outlets in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban. She also aims to open the first dry-cleaning school in South Africa to train individuals to provide a skilled service in the industry.

For more information on Legaci Laundry and Dry Cleaner Services, please visit www.legaci.co.za

SA female in engineering industry awarded Job Creator of the Year title

Posted on by Webmaster

Theresa-J-Cupido---ATN-Roadmarking-&-Civils---24

Theresa Cupido, CEO and owner of Roadmarking and Civil Engineering company, ATN Group (Pty) Ltd, has been named the 2014 Sanlam / Business Partners Entrepreneur of the Year’s Job Creator of the Year® at an awards ceremony held in Johannesburg this morning. Cupido was recognised due to the significant role she plays in employing and empowering individuals within the industry.

ATN Group employs between 250 and 300 individuals at any given time, and has grown its employment rate by 100% in the last year. The business also has a strict “each one teach one” policy in place, and as part of this programme, both staff and management work to empower students with the relevant industry experience through the ATN Student Learnership Programme which is run in conjunction with the Masisikiswe Programme.

Cupido says that owning a business and empowering people has always been her dream as she grew up in a family of business minded individuals. She explains that as part of the skills development process that the business has implemented, ATN employs both skilled and semi-skilled industry professionals, and ensures that there are tight systems in place to transfer the expertise across all levels.

The business has measures in place to ensure that 2% of annual turnover is spent on training and internship programmes. “In addition, our routine road maintenance contracts are split between local temporary labour and contract employees to establish job creation within the industry. We assist smaller industry players and subcontractors by means of an enterprise development programme, which creates opportunities to become compliant in the industry.”

ATN Group (Pty) Ltd, established in August 2006 by Cupido, has over 100 years of combined expertise and skills in the Roadmarking and Civil Engineering field, and is a 100% black owned company. The company’s diversified service offering include services such as civil engineering, traffic accommodation, road studs, routine road maintenance, pipe laying, concrete structures, sandblasting, and Erosion Protection Works.

Cupido says she is humbled by the award, and that it will inspire her in continually sharing her acquired knowledge, determination and experience with younger, emerging entrepreneurs. “I believe that it is in sharing with others that I am able to grow to greater heights.”

The business idea came to her in 2005 while listening to a debate on the radio about the shortage of black South African female entrepreneurs, and the need for infrastructure in the country leading up to the 2010 Soccer World Cup. She was at the time assisting her husband writing reports for the Road Accident Fund, as well as working as a buyer at one of the top retail companies. Her involvement with the Road Accident Fund is where she developed an interest in the road marking industry, and as a result Cupido made the choice to start her own successful business.

According to Kobus Engelbrecht, a member of the Sanlam / Business Partners Entrepreneur of the Year ® judging panel, Cupido was selected as the Job Creator of the Year® due to the way in which she has built a business that employs a large number of unskilled workers who would otherwise have been unemployed. “Her achievement is even more remarkable as it is very challenging to create jobs for unskilled workers in a modern economy. She is therefore making a meaningful contribution in reducing unemployment in South Africa.”

In 2007 the business was selected by Martin & East to form part of their Enterprise Development Programme for emerging contractors, and ATN Group’s successful participation in this programme accelerated the company’s growth significantly. Cupido is also a member of the South African Forum for Civil Engineering Contractors (SAFCEC), where she is currently the chairperson of the Western and Northern Cape region.

For more information on ATN Group (Pty) Ltd, please visit www.atngroup.co.za

Leading player in SA’s animal health industry named as Innovator of the Year®

Posted on by Webmaster

Lorimer-Gowar-Larrem-(Pty)-Ltd-28

Having noticed a gap in the local market to offer innovative services to clients who required customised health options for their animals, Lorimer Gowar, founder of Larrem (Pty) Ltd, a leading player in South Africa’s Animal Health industry, has been named Innovator of the Year® in the 2014 Sanlam / Business Partners Entrepreneur of the Year® competition, which was held in Johannesburg on Wednesday, 3 September 2014.

Established in 1999, Larrem (Pty) Ltd specialises in the manufacturing of veterinary nutriceuticals, pharmaceuticals, feed additives and supplements, as well as raw material commodity sourcing. Its mission is to implement quality, niche products required to enhance health, production and efficiency in animals, as well as to guarantee product safety to its customers, their livestock, consumers and the environment.

According to Kobus Engelbrecht, a member of the 2014 Sanlam / Business Partners Entrepreneur of the Year® judging panel, Larrem’s ability to create new, profitable products to solve the problems of his customers contributed towards the business being recognised as Innovator of the Year®.

“Gowar has the ability to innovate his product offering to solve the needs of his clients in such a way that he has been able to profit from them. His ability to get to the core of the problem and to apply his knowledge and skill to solve the problem stands out. His innovations also have a positive social impact.”

He adds that Larrem is one of a few veterinary manufacturing companies in South Africa with an innovative Food and Health Management System and the only one with ISO 22000 accreditation.

Gowar, who has extensive experience in the South African farming arena, says that innovation goes hand-in-hand with market research. He believes that the secret to being a successful entrepreneur is the ability to change according to industry needs, and that this is one of the strongest attributes of Larrem, and what has led to the business’ success.

He explains that through its unique structure, the business has the advantage of continuously evolving its product lines to suit the needs of the industry and its clients – something that many corporate companies are not able to do. “To stay on top of market trends, genetic modification and climate change, I am equipped to develop and manufacture products in a relatively short turn-around time. My innovative range of products illustrates this aspect comprehensively – Larrem is known for its adaptability to change,” says Gowar.

All products developed and manufactured by Larrem aim to increase an animal’s genetic potential and the company has also recently expanded its product offering to include natural (Ayurvedic) medication as an alternative to antibiotics and chemicals. Following the popularity of its products, Larrem now also distributes its products throughout Africa, including countries such as Angola, Botswana, Mozambique, Namibia and Zimbabwe.

Gowar says that this award recognises the many years of dedicated work to all the processes and standards that Larrem has strived to achieve and present to its customers over the years. “It is also recognition for all the years of hard work to get to this stage. The experts in the different industries, from whom I have been learning for many years, will be delighted that their hours of patience in mentoring and aiding in all facets of my company’s divisions, has paid off.”

He adds that to be a part of such a prestigious award competition is the ultimate reward and motivation to his hard-working, dedicated staff. “With such a prestigious award, Larrem and its staff can grow taller, together,” concludes Gowar.

Visit www.larrem.co.za for more information on Larrem (Pty) Ltd.

SA’s best entrepreneurs recognised at 2014 Sanlam / Business Partners Entrepreneur of the Year®

Posted on by Webmaster

The winners of the 2014 Sanlam / Business Partners Entrepreneur of the Year® competition were announced at an awards ceremony held on 3 September in Johannesburg.

Following a stringent judging process, the 14 finalists were narrowed down to five winners. The overall 2014 Entrepreneur of the Year® winner was Adri Kruger, owner of Tzaneen Country Lodge, a country style hotel situated on a 170 hectare working mango farm just outside Tzaneen in the Limpopo Province. Starting with an old and dilapidated farmstead in 2000, Kruger managed to successfully develop what was intended to be a four-bedroomed guest house into a full service 60 bedroom hotel.

According to Christo Botes, spokesperson of the Sanlam / Business Partners Entrepreneur of the Year® competition, Kruger was awarded the overall title due to the resilience she showed in the current economic climate and her ability to adapt her business model to attract a different market from the ones she typically served – both traits inherent in a true entrepreneur.

The 26 year old competition, widely considered to be the pre-eminent of its kind in South Africa, celebrates excellence in entrepreneurship and aims to honour, benefit and uplift South African small and medium enterprises (SMEs) by providing a platform for entrepreneurs to showcase their achievements and elevate their profile, as well as their profits.

Other 2014 category winners include:

  1. 2014 Small Business Entrepreneur of the Year®: Johan Eksteen, owner of Agricon (Pty) Ltd, a worldwide supplier of pelletizing machinery and equipment as well as agri–processing factories. www.agricon-pelleting.co.za
  2. 2014 Medium Business Entrepreneur of the Year®: Marthie Jansen Van Rensburg, founder of Ekurhuleni Artisans and Skills Training Centre (Pty) Ltd. Based in Kempton Park, Johannesburg. The centre focuses on training unemployed individuals as artisans. www.eastc.co.za
  3. 2014 Job Creator of the Year®: Theresa J Cupido, CEO and owner of ATN Group (Pty) Ltd, which has over a 100 years of combined expertise and skills in the Roadmarking and Civil engineering field. The group employs between 250 and 300 individuals, and has grown its employment rate by 100% in the last year. www.atngroup.co.za
  4. 2014 Innovator of the Year®: Lorimer Gowar, founder of Larrem (Pty) Ltd, is a leading player in South Africa’s Animal Health industry and specialises in the manufacturing of veterinary nutriceuticals, pharmaceuticals, feed additives and supplements, as well as raw material commodity sourcing. www.larrem.co.za

The competition provides prizes worth R1 340 000, which includes a cash prize of R100 000 for the overall winner and R50 000 for each of the other category winners. Each winner will also receive valuable mentorship support, networking opportunities and associated marketing and national media exposure to further drive their business’ success.

An additional award that was handed out this year was the 2014 Sanlam / Business Partners Entrepreneur of the Year® Judges Prize, which was awarded to joint owners of Legaci Dry Cleaners and Laundry Services, Dudu and Leema Mofokeng. With branches based in Pretoria and a head office in Silver Lakes, the company currently has three retail outlets and an industrial plant specialising in high-end dry cleaning services for the hospitality and commercial industries, as well as individual clients.

Botes says that this prize was awarded to Legaci Dry Cleaners and Laundry Services as the business made the biggest impression on the judges. “While the business is not yet at the level of the other entrepreneurs awarded this year, in terms of size and turnover, Dudu and Leema Mofokeng have managed to grow the business organically from nothing when they first established the business in 2008. We have no doubt that this business will continue to grow and succeed.

“The competition is committed to playing a crucial role of creating awareness for local entrepreneurs, the heroes of South Africa’s economy, and in so doing contributing towards elevating the level of entrepreneurial activity in the country. We have seen first-hand how the competition has assisted past winners to grow their businesses and inspire fellow entrepreneurs in the process. We wish all of our 2014 winners continued success and will monitor the evolution of their businesses with keen interest,” concludes Botes.

Free State entrepreneur awarded Small Entrepreneur of the Year® award

Posted on by Webmaster

Johan Eksteen, owner of Agricon Pty Ltd – a worldwide supplier of pelletizing machinery and equipment as well as agri–processing factories – was awarded the Small Business Entrepreneur of the Year® title at the annual 2014 Sanlam / Business Partners Entrepreneur of the Year® Competition, held in Johannesburg on Wednesday, 3 September 2014.

With over 15 years of experience in the agriculture industry, Eksteen has gained a wealth of knowledge and expertise in pelletizing by working in countries such as South Africa, Uganda, Australia, Singapore and New Caledonia. Pelletizing, involving the processing of materials into small dry pellets, is a common practice in industrial procedures. This process is used globally by manufacturers of animal feed or recycling facilities that specialise in processing materials for reuse.

Eksteen identifies that this process can only be successfully accomplished with specialised equipment, namely a pelletizer. “Agricon has successfully been able to supply businesses with a variety of pelleting products such as; tobacco dust, rooibos tea, human sludge waste, organic fertilizers and vermi-compost, but also specialised industry specific pelletizing equipment.”

In addition to the manufacturing of machines and equipment, the company also provides training and on-site installation for clients, as well as support following a sale or the provision of spare parts.

According to Lionel Billings, a member of the Sanlam / Business Partners Entrepreneur of the Year ® judging panel, Eksteen is a prime example of a true entrepreneur – someone who was able to not give up on his dream. “Through sheer grit and determination, Johan stabilised a struggling business, became a specialist and was able to infiltrate a difficult European market successfully with his unique business offering.”

Eksteen says that being granted the opportunity to have his business assessed by a successful and experienced panel of competition judges, as well as winning this division of the competition, has given added courage and confidence to expand his business even further. “Winning this award proves to me that the journey was worth all the hard work and sacrifices. It also provides my team and I with a new, invigorated feeling of enthusiasm to take Agricon even further.” concludes Eksteen.

For more information on Agricon Pty Ltd, please visit www.agricon-pelleting.co.za