AfriSam empowers local entrepreneurs | Roodepoort Record

AfriSam (a supplier of construction materials) offered free business skills training to 24 local entrepreneurs. Their graduation ceremony was held on Friday, 28 June at the AfriSam Business Development Centre.

As part of the company’s Enterprise Development Programme, the graduates successfully completed a four-months business skills programme designed to support entrepreneur and business owners close to its Roodepoort and Eikenhof operations in Gauteng.

“At AfriSam, we understand that growing small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs) is vital for broadening economic participation and delivering on our country’s economic development objectives” said Jabu Motlhako, Enterprise and Supplier Development Professional at AfriSam

According Jabu, AfriSam’s Enterprise and Supplier Development Programme identifies, empowers and enhances the capacities of black-owned SMMEs that operate in close proximity to the company’s operations. Another key aim of the programme is to provide the entrepreneurs with the necessary support and develop them to grow their businesses and ultimately be included in AfriSam’s database of registered vendors.

AfriSam selected 24 black SMMEs from communities close to its Eikenhof and Roodepoort operations for the training programme. The entrepreneurs were from different industries ranging from catering, construction and property development.”The training was very beneficial to me because it covered a variety of topics such as starting a business and maintaining it, as well as handling the finances. I have also learnt how to do my company profile. I will be able to go back to my community and employ the unemployed youth,” said Bram Fischerville entrepreneur, Peter Molete. The company will also be assisting five of the graduating SMMEs with office space for between 12 and 36 months at its Business Development Centre.