Karen Harverson
The development of a positive enterprise culture is not solely the responsibility of the government but also of the private sector. South African Breweries (SAB) recently hosted a prize-giving function for the winners of its Kick-Start programme, a joint initiative set up in May last year between SAB and youth business organisations. The R2,7-million programme provided seed capital of R1 000 to 400 aspirant business people to set up their own businesses. Last week, 24 of the most successful candidates received cash grants totalling R144 000 to reinvest in their enterprises, which ranged from flower pot sales to house wiring. North-eastern Gauteng winner Patrick Mnisi said he planned to reinvest the R10 000 he won into his reupholstery and repairs business, which has a monthly turnover of R4 000. `I want to employ another person in the business now,’ he said. The Department of Trade and Industry’s chief director, Dr Alastair Ruiters, said that the bulk of South African exports emanated from small companies or from joint ventures between big and small companies. He said that SAB had undertaken to buy more than R50-million of their annual requirements from the small business sector. SAB managing director Norman Adami announced at the function that an additional R2,5-million would be provided to continue the Kick-Start programme this year.