VULINDLELA MIAMI BUSINESS DIARY by Letta Balebeng

VULINDLELA MIAMI BUSINESS DIARY

Innovative Startup ideas for Smart Entrepreneurs

Keagile Balebeng

Are you interested in starting a business in South Africa? Do you need ideas or information on the best business investment opportunities in South Africa?

Then I advice you read on. South Africa is the second largest economy in Africa. The country ranks 39th on the Ease of Doing Business Rank and the World Bank ranks it as an upper-middle income economy.

Although poverty is still a problem in South Africa, and a huge fraction of the population is unemployed, there are many untapped business opportunities for insightful investors. So if you have some funds that you would like to invest in South Africa, then here are the ten best small business investment opportunities you can explore:

Cape Town, Durban, Richards Bay, Sandton, Centurion, Johannesburg, and Pretoria.

Top 10 Small Business Investment Opportunities in South Africa

1. Real estate

Being a rapidly growing country, the demand for land, houses and other facilities by individuals and businesses is booming. And this makes the real estate sector one of the most lucrative aspects of the South African economy. If you have little capital, you can start dealing in low cost land and housing units. And if your capital is on the high side, you can invest in large expanses of land as well as housing estates.

2. Clothing and textiles

South Africa’s clothing and textile industry is another very lucrative sector. The demand for South Africa-made clothing and textile products is high not only in South Africa, but also in neighboring countries. So, if you have what it takes to break into the textile market, then you can make lots of profit in the long term.

3. Food processing

Although there are quite a number of processed food manufacturers in South Africa, the huge demands are still yet to be met. So, there is enough room for new investors in the food processing industry. You have a wide range of products to choose from; fruits and vegetables, juices, animal products, and so on.

4. Agriculture

South Africa has a wide expanse of land that can be utilized for agriculture. With huge demand for agricultural products and adequate workforce, new investors can easily start a business in the agriculture sector. Depending on your capital, you can start on a small scale or on a large scale. With a low capital, you can cultivate selected crops on a small piece of land or rear animals such as fishes or poultry. But if you have larger capital, you can cultivate a wide range of crops and rear animals as well.

5. E-commerce

South Africans are now feeling more comfortable with buying their needed products and services online. So, online retail stores in South Africa are now enjoying more patronage. And chances are you will make lots of profit by starting an online retail business. Even if you are on a low budget, you can start with just one product category and expand from there.

6. Foreign cuisine

South Africa plays host to many expatriates, and many tourists visit the country annually from different parts on the world. For these reasons, there is always huge demand for foreign delicacies, which most of the restaurants in South Africa don’t offer. So, there is huge profit potential in a restaurant business that offers various foreign cuisines such as Italian delicacies, Chinese delicacies, American delicacies, and so on. In addition, you can still offer local delicacies to cater to South Africans as well.

7. Online marketing

Many South African businesses are trying to establish and improve their online visibility as a way of attracting customers through the internet. In fact, businesses are setting aside a sizeable fraction of their marketing budget for online marketing alone. This creates huge opportunities for online marketing experts such as SEO consultants, website designers, copywriters, and social media managers. If you have a good background in any aspect of online marketing, you can start a business and make money from your skills and expertise.

8. Freelance writing

In order to cut cost, many individuals and businesses in developed countries like the US and the UK now hire freelance writers from other countries. But South Africa tops the list of their preferred countries because the country is widely regarded as a native English-speaking country. So, if you have good writing skills, you can make a lot of money by working as a freelance writer for clients from all over the world. Writing assignments you will handle include blog post writing, article writing, press release writing, proposal writing, newsletter writing, copywriting, and so on.

9. Technology products

South Africa is one of Africa’s largest markets for technology products such as PCs, smart-phones, and tablets. Since these devices are in huge demand in South Africa, new investors can make lots of profit by selling the latest products by global brands such as Apple, Samsung, Sony, and so on. In addition to selling technology products, you can sell their accessories as well. And if you have the expertise, you can render repair services, too.

10. Tourism

South Africa hosts thousands of visitors every year. These people come from various parts of the world to behold South Africa’s rich cultural heritage, beautiful sceneries, lush landscapes, and so on. A smart business move is to offer services that cater to tourists, such as working as a tourist guide.

Ajaero T. Martins, 2015,Starting a Business in South Africa: 10Big Opportunities MyTopBuisnessideas.com, Africa.

Shared by Letta Balebeng

Science is...not SCARY!

Science is...not SCARY!

Monsters, ghosts, witches and wizards all strike fear into the hearts of kids. The only thing scarier (for some) is……… SCIENCE! Sci-Bono is offering kids of all ages the chance to experience science in a way like never before. Hands-on and interactive, the centre offers more than 350 exhibits, science shows and experiments that will debunk the myth that science is scary or difficult. For one day only you will get a chance to see for yourself – kids dressed up on Halloween will get free entrance! ONLY on 31 October 2015!

All primary school learners across Gauteng are invited to take advantage of an amazing offer! Between 19 October and 8 December primary schools qualify for a 50% discount when visiting Sci-Bono Discovery Centre. Bring your learners to a world-class science centre to experience the amazing world of science and technology in an environment where nothing is off-limits. Stimulating and interactive exhibits, science shows and hands on experiments are just some of the activities that will keep your learners enthralled for hours. To make a booking for your school please contact Cynthia Sithole on 011 639 8491 or email info@sci-bono.co.za.

Lesufi to announce plans to support young writers

Gauteng Education MEC Panyaza Lesufi will on 28 September

2015 launch the Young Writers Programme. The programme is aimed at supporting young and emerging writers in evaluating their books for school libraries in support of the Department of Basic Education’s Reading Promotion Campaign.

Details of the event are as follows:

Date:               Monday, 28 September 2015

Time:              17:00h for 17:30h

Venue:           Emoyeni Conference Centre

                     15 Jubilee Road, Parktown

                     Johannesburg

More than half of the children in SA live in poverty-UN

Opportunities should be created for youth to blossom

Southern Africa faces an increasing orphan crisis due the HIV and AIDS pandemic, crisis or other causes. According to surveys, about 43 million children in the Southern Africa region do not have parents. They are also susceptible to violence, hunger and other abuses.

The UN estimates that more than half of the children in South Africa live in poverty. The HIV/AIDS epidemic which is sweeping the nation is leaving South Africa with a population of millions of orphans and vulnerable children. 1 in 5 children are orphans in South Africa and it is estimated that these figures will rise to 1 in 3 by 2015. (MRC, 2007)

This large number strains systems by which families and communities have traditionally provided care for orphans. Support for some orphans is being provided by a variety of government, community and non-governmental organizations, but this assistance reaches only a small percentage of those who need it.

The future of these children is usually not too bright as most are not adopted and have to fend for themselves, lacking work skills, many of these orphans and vulnerable children are destined to a life of poverty.

Jewels of Hope strive to provide a solution to this problem by using some forward thinking entrepreneurial ideas.

Jewels of Hope serves by designing marketable jewellery, sourcing and buying raw materials, preparing bead kits, providing training in the production process, child development and opening access to markets.

“We believe it is part of the solution to develop children from a point of despair to becoming confident and competent young citizens, empowered to build a self-reliant future for themselves”, says Janine Ward, Co-CEO  at Jewels of Hope.

 “Donating to charity is of course a wonderful thing, but the face of charity is increasingly taking an entrepreneurial character and thus it is crucial for the children to develop artisanal skills”, she added

Through this empowerment initiative, children are taught to be self supporting, they stop worrying about the next meal, but start building on self confidence and respect. By giving them the ability to provide for their family and others, they can feel a sense of accomplishment and pride and look forward to their future.

They have also created an environment within the organization where children are motivated to take proactive steps in preparing for their futures

Jewels of Hope provide tools to churches and community organizations to establish Connect Groups, with five children between the ages of 11 and 18 years, assisted by an adult who not only acts as a jewellery trainer but also as a mentor and support for the difficult life situations the children face. This group meets weekly and provides a means for personal growth, income generation and life skills for vulnerable children, without them missing school.

Jewels of Hope also help these children grow spiritually, by creating a safe space for them to work through various mentorship booklets with the Trainer, sharing life’s challenges and praying together.

 The organization began in 2004 as a single support group with 11 children from child-headed households, who made jewellery to support themselves. Ideas and systems developed and this group became a model which has been extended through partnerships to other locations in Africa.

Tshepo in Zeerust

Nthabiseng in the Jewelry of Hope offices in Fountainbleu 

Smangele and Nthabiseng in Durban

Mantoa showing her best smile ever

Lehlomela plants a biokinetics seed in the hearts of black women

Lebogang Lehlomela has built a lucrative business for herself

Although LEBOGANG LEHLOMELA bemoans the fact that her high schools lacked certain sports amenities like swimming and tennis, she made it to become a sport science graduate and a biokinetic, a rare profession and feat for many black people in South Africa at the moment. Her ambition now, apart from making her practice the best in the country, is to pilot the career to black women. She tells Thembi Masser about her mother’s wish that she becomes an engineer and Virgin Active.   

  

Lebogang, 27, obtained her degree - sport science - at the Tshwane University of Technology (TUT). Sport science was not her first love, she reveals, but once she found herself on the lawns of TUT she, out of the blue, registered for the course. Even she chose to go to TUT just because they were the first to respond to her application to be their student. So it was while in her first year as a student the bug to be a biokenitist clawed its hooks in her. She was intrigued by her physiology lecturer’s exotic profession, biokinetics.

“I asked more questions about this biokinetics,” she enthuses. “I was intrigued, fascinated.  The more I asked, the more I fell in love with it.”  But she went on to finish her sport science degree.

She explains what entails the sport science course:  Sports science is about conditioning players and there are there are two components, fitness and health. In fitness, she says, it is about flexibility, agility, strength, body composition and reaction time. The health component encompasses cardio vascular fitness and body composition.

It was after completing her sport science degree that she enrolled to do a year of biokinetics study. What irks her even now was that out of a total of 12 attendees there were only 3 black students.Biokinetics is more about prevention and treatment of injuries as well as chronic deceases. For complete healing biokinetists prescribe exercising for chronic diseases unlike medical doctors who prescribe medication for diseases.   

“In my second year of study I joined Virgin Active as a life style consultant to augment both my sport knowledge and my purse.’

To date she has been in practice for 6 months as the owner of Lehlomela Bio. “But before this I worked at Greenstone Life style for a while to get my mojo on.”

Now that she is on her own her goal is to more Africans at public clinics practicing as biokinetics. “Public clinics are not as well endowed with a complete set of health personnel as your private health care, so it is my quest to see more Africans studying biokinetics and to teach the public about the wonders of biokinetics.” This is important, she says, because many people rely on medication most of the time instead of throwing exercise into the mix after injury or a diseases attack.   

Lebogang started her schooling at the ST John’s primary school in Actonville, Benoni and then proceeded to the nearby William Hills High schools. Her choice of subjects at school, unknown to her then, pointed the way to her future career. She liked biology (although she loathed the plant part of it) and maths the most above English, Afrikaans, physical science and computer studies.   

“At the time I did not know what I was going to do after grade 12. My teachers too did not help much. Again, at that time there was no career guidance classes at the school.” But her mom was interested in her future. ‘She insisted that her daughter must be an engineer.”

Lebogang was a shy, quiet learner. “I was a studious learner, but I could have done better if there were swimming and tennis facilities at high school. You know. The best facilities are always at private schools, which most of us do not afford.”  

Lebogang with her class at the Mokoka library in Vergenoeg, Daveyton, Benoni

The GDE arms learners at Phakamani High with smart tablets

The Gauteng education department took their smart education crusade to the Phakamani High School in Etwatwa in July. The school is now equipped with several smart classes where grade 12 learners will learn without paper and without a board and chalk.

The crusade is the dream of the incumbent Gauteng education MEC Panyaza Lesufi’s dream come true. Since he started office he stated that the paperless education in the province and eventually in the Republic was his number one priority. However, the initiative has been hampered by safety measurers where several learners have been robbed of their tablets and some schools broken into by robbers looking to steal the tablets.

For an educationist at the school the event is what education needed at this moment. Ngonidzase Chikwape said the smart education represented one thing: Smart-‘Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realist, Time oriented’. Her colleague, Simon Tsokota said smart education will change the mentality of the South African learners. “It will make them more interested in education because they are already using smart phones anyway, “he said. Like Chikwape, who presented a class before the mayor of Ekurhuleni Mondli Gungubele, Tsokota gave a presentation to a class in front of education district officials and the media.

For the president of the Student Representative Council (SRC) and a grade 11 learner, Felicia Mabuza, the impact of the smart education will be a life time experience. She said it will cultivate a positive mind-set for the learners towards education, especially the grade 12s. “They will also be relieved of carrying books day-in-day-out,” she chuckled.” Importantly, it will make education better and the pass rate for the matriculates will improve immensely.”

Below it is the principal’s, Arnold Letwaba and Gloria Shabalala's, a learner, speeches during the occasion.

Arnold Letwaba

Programme Directors, Chief Director- Advocate Mali, District Director, Maureen Mthimunye, councilor(s) present, our ward councilor,  GDE officials, members of political parties, organised labour, School Governing Body Associations,  Members of the faith-based community, Principals, educators, parents, learners, comrades and friends.

It gives me great pleasure to stand before you in this grand occasion of the official opening ceremony of this “great” a school, Phakamani Secondary which is translated as “rise” and whose motto is “Arise and Shine”.

It is also with a sense of pride and joy that we gather this morning to officially open this learning institution which gives an opportunity to our children to receive comprehensive development.

Most of you will recall that this school was established as a result of serious overcrowding in the area of Etwatwa. The school started in 2009 with a learner population of 346 and nine educators. In 2010, the school experienced belated birth pains. We went for eight solid months without electricity. At this moment Chief Director, I want to pay tribute to my colleagues, who helped us with photocopying, faxing and receiving phone calls. As the saying says” tough times do not last but tough people do”. As we are about to complete 18 years as a liberated people, we cannot afford to neglect the intellectual and social development of our children.

Our children are entitled to access opportunities which were not available to them before 1994. This calls for commitment from all of us because this is not the sole responsibility of government. Parents, teachers, the community, including the religious sector, have a role to play in this regard. This is therefore a call to make a difference in the lives of our children.

The stage, at which our learners find themselves in, is very crucial in their intellectual and social development.  For us at Phakamani, 2013 presents us with great possibilities. We are excited because we will be presenting our first matric class. For us there is no choice. We simply have to succeed. We dare not fail.

For us the sky is not the limit. We want to make sky our home. Chief Director, we know that talk is very cheap. But we want to assure you that we are prepared to walk the talk. 

The investment that we commit in their development has long term implications on them as productive and responsible citizens. This development should never be reduced to children eating, playing and sometimes sleeping. Appropriate programs that prepare them for school should be part of their daily activities.

Intellectual stimulation and development of children is paramount, that is why our Department should ensure that they also receive health services that will enhance their development.

As teachers instill values and skills which will equip them for the future, as a community we are called upon to ensure that they do not fall through the cracks and graduate into victims of abuse, be it physical or sexual.

It is also our responsibility to ensure that they grow up being inquisitive and questioning learners/children in order to be productive citizens of South Africans.

As we say in our rich African culture, by lending a hand in nurturing and humanizing our children, you are also helping yourselves and your families. Indeed you are making it possible for all of us to live in a safe, caring, loving, democratic, value-based and prosperous society. This is precisely what we mean when we say: Motho ke motho ka batho, Umuntu ngumuntu ngabanye abantu. You are because we are.

In closing, we want to say this, particularly to our learners: This is your chance, your golden opportunity. Make the most of it or live to regret for the rest of your lives.

Working together we can improve the quality of basic education and make Phakamani Secondary School an object of our pride.

Gloria Shabalala

Allow me to pass my gratitude. Standing here before you today is Gloria Shabalala a grade 11 student that feels proud and honoured to be surrounded by officials from the district office of education. They are here because they have the children’s best interests in the depths of their hearts. As they say, I would like to pass greetings to the honourable headmaster Mr Arnold Letwaba and our school’s Governing Body Mr Morokong, Our guest the Mayor of Ekurhuleni Mr Mondli Gungubele, the district Director Mrs Morin Mthimunye and all our guests today.  You are all welcomed with peace and tranquility and you are kindly greeted.

Today we are grateful to celebrate the success of our education district; not only did they make a promise to better our educational environment, but they also kept it in the most amazing way.  They have given us a legacy that we the students of Phakamani and all the schools in the Gauteng will continue to appreciate.  We never thought that we, as Grade 11 students, will finish grade 12 in possession of drivers’ licenses and neither did we see it coming that our matriculants will be having smart boards, smart tablets and smart classes. Being in such an educational environment will ensure that the process of learning is continuous and that our matriculants produces results that are smart since everything they have start with ‘smart’.  Who would have thought that learning in a smart and paperless world is where neither textbooks nor exercise books are required?  It is a world where either black boards or chalk are used but rather a world where one uses vision and explores the world of touching and seeing.  After all blackboards and chalks where used by our mothers and grannies, why should we be called the ‘new generation’ if we still use the old tactics of learning?

Our MEC of education Mr Panyaza Lesufi has brought us change; he improved our world of learning.  They have installed extra security to keep our smart classes as safe and secured.  At least now ore mothers will have nothing to complain about when it concerns tax paying and voting. Matric student are expected to perform splendidly and produce results in such a manner that they stand to represent a token of appreciation to the district and their plan to improve and better our world of education.  As for former president who is now at rest once said, education is the most powerful weapon one can use to change the world.

It’s our responsibility to make sure that we sage guard, protect and nurture these improvements because they are aimed at helping us realise our dreams.

To our Ekurhuleni District community we are honoured to be under your leadership and we shall forever show gratitude by making sure that the legacy continues to reach the next generation.

We are powerful beyond measure and with the department of education we are shining bright.

Phakamani High is now shinning and we are definitely shining.

District Director, Maureen Mthimunye with some of the learners

Felicia Mabuza

Chief District officer Alison Bengton-Mali, district director  Maureen Mthimunye, SGB chairperson SM Khumalo and the school principal Arnold Letwaba with Felicia Mabuza 

Manku Ethel Mmotong is an entrepreneur in a dilemma

Manku Ethel Mmotong

The budding African Bling Bling is talented bead worker who was inspired by a shop at the Lakeside Mall in Benoni to beads. But her parents do not recognise art work as a profitable business enterprise. They want her to go back to school to study for a job.

Manku, 28, already has an administration diploma from Ekurhuleni East College in Benoni and presently she is studying with Unisa for an education degree. “Finance is another obstacle to my ambitions,” she continues. At home, when her creative juices are flowing and she must work her beads, she has to hide in order not to hurt her parents’ hearts.

Her vision is to develop young people to realise their dreams and to achieve the impossible. She also wants to be a successful entrepreneur. “It all started when she was principal chorographer for a  community group called Happy Stars back in Maserumule Park in Limpopo.

 “I was in grade 7 then. I was an administrator, principal, event organiser and everything else,” she remembers. But it was when she passed the Bead Work shop at the mall that her passion was stoked into life. “Finally I bought some material and these visions to create products came to me in the form of dreams. That is how I create products, dreams lead me.” 

Hence at the moment money means nothing to her. Beside beads she also recycles plastic to use as a base for her material. Manku also recycles fabric rags that she collects from dress makers in the area. But she concedes that apart from her parents’ attitude and the lack of finance, business knowledge is imperative if she is to move to dizzy heights. Because she works alone, she says, she is unable to enter exhibitions because she cannot make enough pieces to satisfy the organisers. Another obstacle is to find people who share the same passion as her, people with enough drive. “I really need to do a business management course to tune me up,” she remarks.

Back home she already has organised a fashion show which Monnakoma  Motshana, the owner of MonteCarlo Tavern was gracious to sponsor. Manku invited dress makers, caterers, performers, make-up artists, hair stylists, and designers to showcase their creations and work. A few models came forth but were not up to “Jo’burg standards,” she quips. “But I tell you, I still owe myself a big show. The show back home was just a rehearsal of the big things that are coming my way. My motto is, life is an X+X+X+X which stands for YESTERDAY was an Xperience, TODAY is an Xperiment and TOMORROW an Xpectation. So use your experience to in your experiment to achieve your expectations.” 

Some of her exciting designs

STUDENT EXPO in Johannesburg at the Greenstone Mall

marketing@student-expo.co.za	Jul 9 (4 days ago)
to marketing

Good day,

Could you please confirm which Grade you will be bringing and how many school kids? Many Thank

We would like to invite your kids to our Student Expo in Johannesburg at the Greenstone Mall on the 23-25^th of July.

Entrance FREE & come meet influential leaders at our High Flyers Power Hour!

"The Student Expo” is South Africa’s only exhibition that is designed to provide both current and prospective students with the necessary tools to succeed in tertiary education and beyond. From Student Loans, Accommodation, Transport, Tertiary’s, bursaries and job opportunities

Save these STUDENT EXPO dates:

Johannesburg: Greenstone Mall

23-25^th of July 2015

Busses can be organised for R 1700 per bus for 60 people – R 30 pp return within 30km.Please let us know if you need a bus?

Below you find the High Flyers power hour schedule, please circulate it to all parents if you can’t take a school group and it would be great if you could put it on the D6 Communicator

High Flyers Power Hour starts at 9:00 AM and ends at 3:00PM Everyone gets to speak for 10 minutes to represent their products to the different schools

9:00	Universities
9:30	Agricultural , FMCG, Hospitality studies
10:00	Décor & design, technical , engineering
10:30	Bookkeeping,  Secretarial, Accountancy, Business; Law & Economics
11:00	Health Science, Medical; Nursing Sport & Fitness
11:30	Pluming , Welding, Carpentry, Electrical
12:00	Computer & project management Studies
12:30	Management Studies; Human resources; Childcare studies
13:30	Teaching, Art, fashion, Creative Studies
14:30	Media, Journalism , Event management ; wedding planning

Please let us know how many people you will be bringing to the expo & if you need a Bus?

Kind Regards

Lizz Howard

Student Expo Ltd

Tel: 086 122 2241

Fax: 086 771 4281

Reg No:  2012/132747/07