This morning, the City of Johannesburg, in partnership with Discovery, opened a skills development Centre in Orange Farm, much to the delight of the youth in the area.
The event was attended by Netherlands Ambassador, Han Peters, Health and Social Development MMC, Cllr Mpho Phalatse, Discovery Chief People Officer, Mr Tswelo Kodisang, and Ward Councilor, Cllr Lucky Mbuso.
Orange Farm is a townships which has battled with high youth unemployment and increasing substance abuse. Through this joint initiative between Discovery and the City’s Department of Economic Development, the objective will be to directly tackle the triple challenges of youth unemployment, crime and substance abuse head on.
Speaking at the event, MMC Phalatse said the centre will assist ambitious youth with starting their businesses through the LEAN start-up program.
“Lean-start up is an incubation methodology that revolves around an initial business idea, which consequently gets developed into a prototype, this prototype gets tested by customers and through the feedback of the customers the product gets refined” said Phalatse.
She added that the centre will provide aspiring and existing entrepreneurs with training and a platform to enhance creativity, efficiency and growth whilst improve the lot of young women in Orange Farm by prioritizing their development. In his remarks at the event, Discovery Chief People Officer, Tswelo Kodisang, mentioned the importance of shared value.
“When businesses look at the society they need to ready to solve social problems, as that will mark true impact and sustainable development,” he said.
Netherlands Ambassador, Hans Peters, said it is important to place technology in the hands of young people with ideas to help them build capacity in order to tackle the world.
Ward Councilor, Cllr Mbuso, warned about the use of drugs and called on the youth take this opportunity and make use of the centre to change their lives for the better.
The intervention aims to provide support and mentorship to strengthen the leadership of 100 small enterprises and entrepreneurs, to improve the sustainability and employment creation potential of businesses. Today the first cohort of 20 young entrepreneurs were officially introduced at the event.
The centre will offer the following:
• Business and Finance training: training relating to New Venture Creation, operating an SMME, maths and bookkeeping for existing female entrepreneurs.
• Business incubation: will assist young women from the township with the start of their businesses.
• Preferential procurement: Youth and black owned businesses will get access to clients through our procurement department;
Access to funding: entrepreneurs with a solid business idea will get access to grass roots capital, in the form of interest free microloans, to kick-start their businesses;
• Business Support: Entrepreneurs will receive weekly one-on-one business support sessions. During these sessions, the entrepreneurs will be assisted with all business related and life skills.
The City will continue to work towards working to ensure that with create greater economic opportunities for the benefit of our residents.
Cllr Leah Ruth Knott
MMC for Economic Development
City of Joburg
Media Queries:
Office of the MMC: Cllr Leah Ruth Knott
Stakeholder Manager: Jabulile Buthelezi
Mobile: +27 67 028 9636
Email: JabulileBu@joburg.org.za
