Ramarumo Malika, who hails from the mining town of Welkom in the Free State, chose the life of entrepreneurship instead of joining his mates who were driving around in fancy cars from proceeds of illegal mining and zama zamas.
The 28-year-old father of two says he does not regret his choice. “Being in business is hard. It’s a lonely road and there are so many obstacles in our path. South Africans were not raised to become entrepreneurs. When you tell your family you are not going to wake up early and go to town to look for a job, they think you’re crazy.
“Fortunately, places like the Opportunity Centres recently opened by the City of Joburg have ensured that we have a partner to navigate the slippery streets of business. Although not all the services are available yet, the people who work at the Marshall Street Centre have made my life as an entrepreneur a bit easier and my confidence levels have improved,” says Malika outside his flat in Kerk Street in the Joburg CBD.
He is referring to the first centre that was opened three months ago, which was christened the Khoebo Opportunity Centre at 88 Marshall Street, Marshalltown, Samancor Building on the 9th floor. It was followed up by Isiqalo Opportunity Centre at the Roodepoort Civic Centre last month.
The City of Joburg’s goal is to establish at least two Opportunity Centres for each of its seven regions in the next two years to replace the old SMME Hubs.
Member of the Mayoral Committee for Economic Development, Cllr Leah Knott, says the City of Johannesburg believes that the development and support of SMMEs and entrepreneurs will be key to putting the City on the path towards achieving the 5% economic growth target by 2021 with sustainable SMMEs contributing to a reduction in unemployment.
“We wanted the City to offer more proficient and relevant services to entrepreneurs and decided to relook at the previous SMME Hubs as we realised that they were not providing what business needed. We took the initiative in 2017 and engaged entrepreneurs at a symposium which was how we developed the new model for centres across the City,” says MMC Knott.
After failing to lend tenders to build low-cost housing, Malika decided to get into distribution and retail in January 2018. He has been supplying businesses around the Joburg CBD with freshly slaughtered cow heads, hearts and meat cuts.
“I don’t want to go back to Welkom and get lured into the life of the zama zamas. Some of my childhood friends are buried in those disused mine shafts and their families don’t have closure. I don’t want that, my brother. So I’m surviving with my partner by supplying vendors around the city. At least I can get money for rent and to pay for my child’s crèche,” says Malika and adds that the workshops he has been attending at Khoebo Centre have been an eye opener.
Malika says he has been constantly updating his business plan so that he can apply for finance to get a bakkie. “It’s hard to go get stock using taxis and remember this is a six-day operation. So the business needs a bakkie so that we can move stock a lot quicker for our customers. But my partner and I are exploring other forms of transport such as scooters and bicycles.”
The journey into self-employment has been a little easier for Braamfischerville-based Palesa Ditlhake. “I grew up in a household of entrepreneurs. My grandfather sold coal in our area. My mother sells kotas. They both supported me when I ventured into the aluminum frames business. It’s been 16 months of hard knocks but I have solid support from my family and now Isiqalo Centre will help me craft a marketing plan to get more corporate clients,” says a bubbly Ditlhake.
MMC Knott says the centres will allow everyone access to the necessary support they need to advance an entrepreneurial culture, particularly for individuals who are keen on being self- employed.
Once all the partners have signed legal agreements, multiple skills programmes facilitated by the City’s corporate partners, who include SARS, CIPC, Innovation Hub, Productivity SA, SEDA, South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA), ABSA, TUHF, GenAfrica, Discovery, Umastandi and Smart Procurement World will be offered at these centres for free.
All centres will soon include a procurement desk and a Job Seekers as well as an Innovation desk, a very first in South Africa.
Ditlhake and Malika are firm in their belief that entrepreneurship will solve problems of joblessness and poverty in Joburg and the rest of the country. They are both determined to carve out a niche for themselves in the tough and unfriendly world of business and showing others the rope.
“We’re not doing this in order for us to drive the latest Mercs. We’re creating a legacy for our children,” says Malika as he swats a fly buzzing away from a cow’s head he is preparing to deliver near Park Station.
