May 2022.
A De Aar based youth-owned construction company, Nyeshe and Khanzi Construction, is the most recent beneficiary of De Aar Solar Power’s Enterprise Development programme, which offers training and support to create viable small businesses and assist budding entrepreneurs in the Pixley Ka Seme district’s rural towns of Britstown, Hanover, Philipstown and De Aar, as financial support is often not adequate, without the necessary mentoring.
“The support received, in the form of a vehicle, will help increase our turnover as we will no longer need to hire vehicles to transport our staff, tools, equipment and material. It will also save us time and we will be more productive as we will be able to complete projects faster and more efficiently,” said Fungile Nyeshe, co-owner of Nyeshe and Khanzi Construction.
Since 2019, a total of ten small enterprises have been supported, as part of De Aar Solar Power’s Enterprise Development Programme, which looks to drive local economic development to help ensure growth and sustainability.
“Nyeshe and Khanzi are one of five small enterprises based in the De Aar area that we are supporting this year. We are committed to help ensure the longevity, sustainability and success of these SMMEs, by offering additional mentoring and training over the year,” commented Zuki Ndlela, Economic Development Specialist for De Aar Solar Power.
Nyeshe and Khanzi started their business back in 2016, doing maintenance work at local schools and it was only in 2020 that they formally registered their business. The business already employs six construction workers from within the local community and has plans to enlarge the workforce, when additional contracts are secured. They service De Aar and the surrounding areas in the Emthanjeni District and have plans to provide their services to the entire Pixley Ka Seme region, in time.
In closing, Nyeshe added, “We will now be able to expand the areas that we service and with the new vehicle which is branded, we’ll be able to market our services too.”
