After nineteen years of working for a corporation, Zachariah “Zakes” Bulwane from Evaton in Sedibeng took the great leap to becoming his own boss when he started Bulwane Projects and Maintenance (Pty) Ltd.

“In 2018, with a combined nineteen years (19) of experience in the Gas, Petro-Chemical and Refinery industry, I resigned from my job to pursue my interest in starting my own business. Using my retirement funds, my business Bulwane Projects and Maintenance (Pty) Ltd was born.”

Bulwane is one of many entrepreneurs who have received Business Development Support from the GEP, and he credits the agency for helping him in his entrepreneurship journey.

As any entrepreneur, Bulwane faced fears and uncertainties when he started his business but was determined to not let these get in the way. “Being a first-time business owner, I was very confused by all the legal and compliance requirements my business needed to comply with. It was also very difficult to navigate the requirements and specifications for tendering or quoting for projects”, recalls Bulwane.

Bulwane used his networks to ensure that he starts his entrepreneurial journey on the right foot, eventually making his way to the GEP. “I was introduced to GEP by a GEP service provider, Tiso SHEQ Consultants. They invited me to the GEP offices for a presentation and that was the turning point of my business.

After that first meeting at the GEP Offices in Vanderbijlpark, I was able to get an application approved to help my company with our Health and Safety system, a key requirement in our sector. Soon after that I was also assisted with a Quality Management System (QMS). I then used my own funds to pay Tiso to help me get ISO Certified so that I can get a Vendor Number from Sasol” he explains.

The ISO certification, and the branding has elevated the company, allowing it to compete in the market. “Since my business now has these marketing tools and the fact that we are ISO and QMS Certified and legally compliant on many other requirements, it has become easier to be invited for potential contract opportunities. The manual tools we received are also a great help on the business as we no longer need to rent our tools, this gave us the opportunity to invest our profits into the business” expands Bulwane.

Over and above helping his company become ISO certified, GEP has also provided marketing tools to help his business build its brand. “GEP is responsible for the good-looking logo of my company, and I am so proud because we are a very professional looking company”, says Bulwane.

Today, Zakes employs eight full-time employees and is working towards even greater growth for his business. “There is a great deal of growth and success at Bulwane Projects and Maintenance. With these past three years of growing success, we have managed to at last let my old Toyota bakkie get some rest, and I have now been able to buy two double cab bakkies for the business, along with a lot of much needed power tools,” he states.

Bulwane extends his gratitude to all those who contributed to his journey. “Thank you to GEP Management, Business Specialists and GEP Service Providers, with your amazing support to our business”, he concludes.

Phumzile Mthembu is the founder and owner of Ingcweti (Pty) Ltd trading as PureB Baby Care, based in Tembisa, Ekurhuleni. PureB Care is a natural baby skincare brand with products made especially for babies. Phumzile was inspired by the struggles of her son who was diagnosed with eczema as a baby: “At these ages, the skin is still in the development phase and is very sensitive leading to skin irritations such as eczema, dermatitis and dryness.

After trying many products, it dawned on me that there was an opportunity in the market to produce baby care products that are 100% natural and without harmful chemicals” she recalls. At the time of her venture, Phumzile had already started dabbling in manufacturing. “I was making perfumes, and I was also training people in perfume making, but this (PureB) was far more than a business to me, it was about creating something that would greatly improve the quality of life for my child, and many other children.

Phumzile reached out to GEP for assistance with the branding of her products, marketing material, equipment, and raw materials. She received the support that has enabled her to steadily grow her brand. “I had a good experience with GEP, they understood my vision, as well as what my business needed at that time.

The initial stages of starting a business are extremely challenging, especially in the manufacturing sector where one competes with a number of established brands. Going to GEP helped alleviate some of these challenges, along with support from other government agencies, we have been able to our brand, and put our products on shelves” states Phumzile.

Phumzile’s goal is to be a leading manufacturer of quality yet affordable baby skin products. “Our baby care products are specially formulated to help repair and protect the skin at a cellular level. They are fragrance-free, naturally anti-bacterial and contain anti-fungal formulae, but with all these capabilities, they remain gentle enough for newborns. What is most pleasing is that they have been quality tested” she explains.

Her work has also gained recognition, amassing several awards including a top 3 placement in the Ernst and Young Impact Challenge, a continental competition. Phumzile was the only woman to make it into the top 5 of this competition.

Phumzile believes her entrepreneurial journey has only just begun: “I am working towards making my products the most preferred in the market, at the same time ensuring that I am running a sustainable business. I want to change lives, not only through the effectiveness of my product but also by creating opportunities for talented young people so we can be part of the journey of creating a world-class African product” she explains.

While she is focused on making a success of her venture, Phumzile also reveals that starting this business and seeing the impact it has had on her, her team and the community has inspired her to do more for children.

“I am now a qualified life coach and an author, I educate children on mental health because I believe it’s a neglected area in our communities which if we can get right, can help create a more stable society, with more rounded members of the community and better leaders. My book is called Khwezi, it is an affirmation book for children. I am busy with another bedtime story book” she concludes.

Katlego Suze took a plunge and left her corporate job at the beginning of 2020 to pursue her dream of owning and running her own business on a full-time basis. Little did she know that less than two months later, the whole world would have to come face to face with the none before imagined impact of COVID-19. “Had I known that Covid 19 would have such an impact on our lives, I don’t believe I would have left my job at the time I did. At the same time, I am still glad I did” she says. Despite venturing into full-time business at possibly the worst period, Katlego’s business, Lemmechew Foods has persevered.

Katlego started the business in 2018 as a home-based business in Atteridgeville with a focus on food manufacturing.

“I studied Hospitality Management, and I am a professional chef with a certificate from the Steyn Culinary School, but I spent most of my professional life as a Loans Consultant. You can only imagine how I yearned to venture into my passion throughout my eight years working as a Loans Consultant”, she recalls.
Lemmechew Foods started as a catering business for corporate and private events. The business also sold venison, and health shakes. They also conducted cooking classes for kids. In 2019 Katlego pursued an idea to produce Lemmechew chilli sauce in three flavours, manufacturing and bottling the products from her home. “I knew that there were many other producers of food sauces out there and consumers have loads of choices however as a trained chef, my focus and goal was to produce a product that would be of exceptional quality, a premium product at affordable rates, something tasty yet healthy, without preservatives and artificial flavour enhancing additives such as monosodium glutamate commonly referred to as MSG”, she says.

The biggest challenge that faced the business was a lack of adequate equipment which made it difficult to keep up with growing orders.

“This made us reluctant to take large orders even though interest in our products was growing” explains Suze. She approached GEP for support firstly from the Township Business Renewal (TBR) and later for Covid Relief Fund for Manufacturers.

From the TBR fund, the business received a stove, sealing machine and cooker hood. Funding from the Covid Relief Fund was used to purchase ingredients and packaging materials such as bottles. In 2022 the business received assistance with marketing tools in the form of banners, tablecloths, and vehicle branding and has recently approached GEP for growth finance.

Katlego’s perseverance and eye for opportunity have paid off, the business now trades from the Sunderland Ridge Industrial Park. LemmeChew employs six full time staff and is in a process of employing product promoters. Their products are now found in large retailers including Shoprite, OK Grocer, and OBC Meat and Chicken among others.

“The growing uptake of our product is a huge testament to its quality and the commitment of my team to produce world-class products. Shoprite has a network of over 2000 stores and that is a very big opportunity for us” explains Katlego.

Katlego has achieved impressive milestones, but still harbours dreams of greater success. “Looking at where we started, and where are today, we are very proud of our progress, but we are looking to achieve far much more, reach many more homes, and create many more employment opportunities. I want to see us exporting our product and becoming an international brand”, she concludes.

GEP AND SAIPA HOLD INDUCTION

On 5 August 2022, the GEP Finance unit went on an induction training at the South African Institute of Professional Accountants (SAIPA) offices in Midrand. SAIPA is a Professional Accounting Organisation that represents over 15 000 qualified Professional Accountants in practice, commerce and industry, academia, and the public sector. They promote ethical and responsible behaviour within the profession to retain public trust and confidence.

GEP and SAIPA entered into a two-year partnership that will see GEP finance professionals taken through various assessments towards continuous professional development. This is in line with the goal to equip each employee with a professional designation that is recognised internationally and with the South African qualifications’ authorities. Through this partnership, SAIPA has already undertaken training workshops with GEP employees that include topics such as understanding the Risk Management for all staff and Managers.

The induction sought to provide the GEP team with an understanding of the SAIPA offering, expectations from all those involved and to expose them to an array of well-versed professionals and experts that will be working with GEP toward meeting the objectives of this partnership.

The Finance team received an in-depth induction into the role of SAIPA and the various ways the organisation can assist them as professionals, noting the immense challenges that are often faced by finance professionals. This support spans areas such as tax law practices, legislatives guidelines and business advisory services.

Commenting on the induction and the partnership, Acting Manager: Finance, Gift Dladla applauded the initiative, stating: “There are a number of developments and trends in the finance sector and participating in the continuous development opportunities that are brought on by this partnership will help the team to always be ahead of the curve.

It is also pleasing that everyone in the finance team is here, including our interns, the value of this partnership will be immense”
At the forefront of the initiative, HR, and Organisation Development Manager; Ms Thenjiwe Msomi thanked the finance team for wholeheartedly embracing this opportunity: “As an entity of great importance to the people of Gauteng, it is important for GEP to have a highly skilled employees and professionals, and this is can only be achieved by continuous development, and the Finance team has taken to this process like fish to water.

We expect that it be of great benefit to not just GEP, but ultimately our clients”.