3. 02
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06
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Foreword
Tipping the scales
Martin reaches beyond his dreams
Solar power awakens Sinah’s aspirations
Food Garden buzzes and blooms with solar power
Spaza bikes give hawkers upward mobility
For the Love of Who We Are
Bringing kwasa to Daggafontein
Lebo makes a difference with debt counselling
FA starts carpenters off in business
Igniting entrepreneurship on the East Rand

4. Velile Nhlapo
W
hat began as a two man show by Fraser and Fred Alexander in the early 1900s has turned into a
business monolith, employing over 5000 people.
The story of the humble beginnings of Fraser Alexander resonates with that of many of the stories
featured in this publication. It affirms the notion that if we apply ourselves and continue to seek the
guidance of others, we are bound to remain hopeful of realising our dreams.
The incessant struggles of our daily lives are a mark of an embedded sense of Hope that
someday in the future, we will find a reward in both the journey towards our dreams as well
as in realising the dreams themselves.
It is from the lessons of the Fraser cousins’ narrative that Fraser Alexander has sought to replicate the journey of
pioneering entrepreneurship. Our publication features modern day entrepreneurs many of whom know what it is to
fail. The challenges they face today are the same challenges that were faced by the Fraser cousins.
Similarly, the answers to success found and applied by the Fraser cousins are the same
answers that, when applied, will make our beneficiary entrepreneurs attain success.
Having recently joined Fraser Alexander as CEO, I am really proud to be part of a team of people who have played
a midwifery and facilitating role in birthing and growing the enterprises featured here.
This is truly a feat that can only be achieved by people who have experienced and lived the journey.
Cherish Hope and keep on dreaming!
Velile Nhlapo
CEO, Fraser Alexander.
Foreword
What we can be, we must be!
SLIGHTLY MORE THAN A CENTURY AGO, A LONE FIGURE SET OUT
ON A QUEST TO CURVE A NICHE IN THE BURGEONING GOLD MINING
INDUSTRY IN THE WITWATERSRAND, DRIVEN BY A STRONG DESIRE
AND PASSION TO PIONEER THE ESTABLISHMENT OF AN OUTSOURCED
PROVIDER OF SERVICES TO THE MINING INDUSTRY.
02

5. O
ver a year ago, Fraser Alexander set out to capture the essence of its role as a caring organisation with its vision of
“Leaving a future behind”. In terms of this vision, the company’s aim is to play a meaningful role in creating a better
world for humankind; a world in which hope confers a myriad of possibilities.
In this second edition of the company’s Corporate Social Responsibility publication, FA wishes to share its
encounters with a number of extraordinary people whose passion and commitment to making a difference have spawned
incredible possibilities – both for themselves and for those touched by their efforts. We are proud to tell the stories of these
courageous, enterprising individuals, who live their passion by serving others or starting their own businesses.
The extraordinary feats of ordinary people inspire us by making us appreciate how much can be achieved with less. We
remain in awe of these individuals and honour both their tenacity and their capacity to explore, share, serve and proverbially
“put their money where their mouths are”.
It is always a challenge to improve on something as well received as our first Corporate Social Responsibility publication. We
are, however, humbled by the accolades of people who recognise and acknowledge the facilitation role that Fraser Alexander
plays in assisting beneficiaries to nurture and live their dreams.
For us, it is important to express our gratitude for being in a position to tip the scales in the lives of these beneficiaries, even
in small ways. We embrace the opportunity to serve with our hearts, bringing to life Guillaume Apollinaire’s maxim:
“ Come to the edge”, he said.
They said “We are afraid”.
“Come to the edge” he said
They came. He pushed them... And they flew!
Our heartfelt thanks to all the people who worked with us on the initiatives highlighted in this publication. This includes
our Fraser Alexander team, comprised of Kefilwe Rakgokong, Nthabiseng Pilane, Salomè Britz and Tshidiso Moetapele. Our
partners on this journey in the ED and SED space include the NYDA, Anglo Zimele, RBED, Transnet SED division, SEDA and
many others. Finally, we wish to thank Tessa Kruger and her team for putting this publication together.
Vusi Sibiya
Group human resources excecutive.
Tipping the scales
THERE IS NOTHING EXTRAORDINARY ABOUT REACHING OUT TO OTHER
PEOPLE. IT IS AN INVOLUNTARY RESPONSE TO THE NEED WE HAVE TO
IDENTIFY WITH OTHERS. CONFORMING TO THIS IDEAL CONNECTS US TO
HUMAN DESTINY AND PURPOSE.
Vusi Sibiya
Fraser Alexander’s Corporate Social Responsibility team members Salome Britz,
Tshidiso Moetapele and Nthabiseng Pilane (from left) with executive Vusi Sibiya (back).
03

6. Martin performs maintenance on the roof of one of the disadvantaged
homes that are benefiting from the solar power installations.
A
thinker, Martin chose the documentary as he is a keen observer of the world who noticed how the environment and climate has
been changing to our detriment. The film evoked thoughts on how he could contribute to the reduction of carbon emissions in him,
but he little dreamt that he would soon pioneer a business that does exactly this while helping the poor. “Contributing to reducing
carbon emissions is something that excites me a lot,” he reveals.
His company, DD Installations, has successfully completed the 2014 pilot phase of a far-reaching solar project together with Fraser
Alexander, the Royal Bafokeng Enterprise Development (RBED), and technology supplier Fortune CP. Initiated and conceptualised by Fraser
Alexander, the pilot project saw Martin and select unemployed young people from the area equipping 51 disadvantaged homes across 29
villages in the Royal Bafokeng area with solar power – ultimately giving them access to hot water inside the home and sharply reducing their
electricity costs.
Martin’s company was selected by the RBED as the small enterprise that would be empowered through the initiative, as the dedicated
attendee of RBED business workshops already had experience of installation work. After he completed SETA-accredited training in hot water
heating at Clean Heat, he went on to launch the pilot project, which he credits for “changing the lives of magogos who previously had to
choose between food and electricity”. His group rolled out the project with the support of Fraser Alexander and Fortune CP.
Martin speaks calmly and measuredly. He says he found the joint planning phase of the pilot to be very useful. Although he learnt about
planning in his film production days, he got to know a great deal more about this aspect of project management from Fraser Alexander. “Even
more interesting than the planning was seeing the plans unfolding…” he grins.
Martin reaches
beyond his dreams
A FEW YEARS AGO, MARTIN MOTUKU MANAGED A CINEMA IN THE HEARTLAND OF
THE ROYAL BAFOKENG NATION. ONE OF THE FILMS HE SCREENED FOR A GROUP OF
SCHOOL CHILDREN FROM THE REGION WAS AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH, THE ACCLAIMED
DOCUMENTARY ABOUT FORMER US VICE PRESIDENT AL GORE'S CAMPAIGN TO EDUCATE
PEOPLE ABOUT GLOBAL WARMING.
04

7. Martin Motuku has gained a range of new skills
through the solar pilot project.
Martin with beneficiary Sinah Kwinda who expresses
her appreciation of the solar system she has received.
Talking about the project fills Martin with energy and
enthusiasm: “I have never done any construction work before,
and this puts me right there in terms of powering buildings
and households. I never thought that I would do plumbing in
my life, and now I’m a plumber,” he smiles.
He recognises that developing his company into a solar-power supplier
could potentially be lucrative, but this is not his only motivation for
embarking on this road: “It is human beings that pollute the environment; we
drive cars and build industries. So we owe it to ourselves to do something
about the environment.
“Solar energy is clean, we are only harvesting from the sun...
that’s something that really makes a lot of sense in terms
of reducing carbon emissions.”
Martin talks with his hands, expressing his sincere and heartfelt feelings
about the project:“It was extremely rewarding, giving to people. Most people
have never had geysers in their homes before and were very grateful.
Actually, most people didn’t even know what solar is…it was amazing for
them to find out you can have this radiation from the sun and it can be
turned into energy.”
“I am truly grateful to Fraser Alexander for supporting me throughout the
project and giving me the opportunity to gain new skills. It has set me up for
more solar projects in future.”
“It was hectic, you know...we were working in 29 villages all over
the Bafokeng region. Because the houses were disadvantaged,
we sometimes had to buy more material and sometimes had
to wire the whole house, which was out of the scope of work.
And the plumbing work as well... we had to do more than we
bargained for... ja,” he conveys.
“It really opened my eyes in terms of planning properly, especially to define
the market and know who you are dealing with. Because if you are dealing
with disadvantaged people, you really need to plan more…plan for unexpected
events and circumstances.”
Martin and his trainees completed the installation of the solar-power systems
that were specifically designed for the village homes by Fortune CP over a
period of two months. The systems cost about R20 000 and are capable of
powering a geyser, lights, television and other small household appliances in a
home. Martin recalls that this phase, too, was a learning curve for him and his
team: they had to return to some of the homes to correct mistakes on a few
occasions.
“We installed a solar panel on top of the roof, an inverter, controller and plugs
in the house and a water geyser on top of the roof – obviously to harvest the
sun’s radiation.”
The greatest challenge he experienced during the implementation phase
was mastering all the technical aspects of the job and working with different
personalities. The young people Martin trained on the project were a mixed
bag – some were keen to learn, while others had to be motivated to throw their
weight behind the project. Martin overcame this hurdle by explaining solar’s
abundant opportunities to them.
05

8. Sinah Kwinda is elated about the fact that her household keeps
running on solar power during electric power cuts.
Solar power
awakens Sinah’s
aspirations
06

9. Sinah is joyous as she shows off her solar power connection that enables
her to alternate between solar and electric power in her home.
Fraser Alexander’s Tshidiso Moetapele’s interaction with Sinah Kwinda, her son and children
from the local community speaks of the company’s good relationship with the community.
T
here was load-shedding in the area from 6pm the previous evening until early in the
morning, but Sinah (40), her three children and their grandmother, who live in the
brown-beige house in the big yard are well-prepared for the day: the children had a
hot bath before school, happy that their homework is done as they had working lights
the previous evening. Sinah is hanging sparkling laundry on three long washing lines in the
backyard, while in the background, the television is still blaring in Granny’s room and Sinah’s cell
phone is charging.
“Since last week, we had load-shedding from 6pm until very late,” says
Sinah. “I am very grateful that we could use our solar power until now [this
morning]. Granny always watches television until very late.”
She leads us through the sparsely furnished kitchen, down a corridor running past the
bedrooms to her power connection fixed on a side wall. She adeptly explains that the blue panel
is the solar inverter and that the panel’s function is to indicate when the 375-watt solar battery is
fully charged. By merely flicking a switch on the wall, Sinah is able to alternate between electric
and solar power in her home.
“The problem before was that we had no lights…now I even have a charged cellphone,
television, radio, hot water. Every day there is a light in my house and we wash with warm
water!” The joy in her voice is audible.
The solar power installation is also relieving some of the financial pressure on the household
by reducing monthly electricity expenses from R350 to R100.
WE ARRIVE AT SINAH KWINDA'S HOUSE IN HOMEY
PHOKENG, JUST DOWN THE ROAD FROM THE ROYAL
BAFOKENG ADMINISTRATION, ON A SUNNY WINTER'S DAY.
“I’m so excited because my life has changed... I’m so happy because Phokeng
is a big village – Why have they given me, specifically, the solar power?
God is great!” Sinah exclaims. Her eyes widen as she raises her hands in
the air, as if giving praise.
The gift has also inspired Sinah to make plans of her own: “When I get a job, I am going to
use the solar geyser to build a proper bathroom inside the house. When I get a job, I am going to
get a hot-water sink in the kitchen.” The Kwindas currently use an outside tap to bath, cook and
wash their dishes.
Sinah returns to the line to check on the washing. Her daughter, Phenyo Kwinda (14), who is
in Grade 10 at the Bafokeng High School and loves reading, mills about the yard with a friend.
“I have always done well,” she says. “But things are just better now. I am up-to-date, there is
no complaining at school. Sometimes I am tired in the afternoon and don’t feel like doing my
homework; with the solar lights I can work at night.”
She gives a little skip: “I feel motivated.”
07

10. Food Garden buzzes
and blooms with
solar power
The 67-year old, visually impaired Mama Ntebo
makes a difference in the community of Phokeng.
MAMA NTEBO SEDIKWE, A WELL-LOVED FIGURE IN PHOKENG,
RUSTENBURG, IDENTIFIES THE TEAM VISITING THE CHANGENG FOOD
GARDEN FOR THE BLIND AS SOON AS WE EXCHANGE GREETINGS.
T
he visually impaired, slight 67-year-old founder of the Chaneng Food Garden for the Blind does not
recognise us by our appearances, but by our voices — despite the fact that we have only met with her
on two occasions.
Having established who we are, she readily shares her inner feelings about her fate: “I could ask
myself, ‘Why me, God, why me?’ But I am very proud, I am very happy. Together with blind people, I have
changed the lives of people who ‘have eyes’.”
Mama Ntebo has partial sight and runs the Food Garden with a group of visually impaired elderly people.
She reveals from the project’s neat, brick administration building that she was inspired to make a difference
in her needy community by another blind woman. They both attended the Optima School in Pretoria in 2004
and after completing courses in braille and computer skills, Mama Ntebo’s fellow student challenged her to do
something for other people.
“She said: ‘Go and make a difference, and never give up,’” Mama Ntebo relates.
“I will never give up in my life. My aim is to work and do what I can for myself and others.” Her voice is
compelling, suggesting she speaks from the heart.
Mama Ntebo and seven other visually impaired members have spent their time and energy at the Chaneng
Food Garden since its inception in 2004. Their determined spirit and dedication inspired Fraser Alexander to
support the initiative on an ongoing basis.
The company first became involved in the Garden in July 2009, when it granted the group a two-year
sponsorship of R310 500. This was used for garden tools and equipment, plant material, a 10 000l water tank, a
booster pump to improve irrigation and a highly rated training workshop and permaculture design course.
08

11. Mama Ntebo, elderly members of the Chaneng Food Garden and
volunteers amidst spinach crops growing under the shade net.
Arios Sekonyela, one of the faithful stalwarts of the Garden.
The solar power installation in the background is boosting the
dedicated efforts of the members of the Chaneng Food Garden.
The contribution fully equipped the elderly but willing group to
cultivate a thriving, buzzing food garden on 60 000 square metres
of fertile land. The garden boasted fruit trees, spinach, onion,
beetroot, lettuce, cabbage, Chinese cabbage, parsley, pumpkin
and carrots, interplanted with bright red chillies, lemon verbena
and green medicinal herbs.
This wonder of Phokeng stood in full splendour in
2010 and 2011, — every plant and tree in the
garden blooming to its utmost. During this period,
the project also started regularly supplying the
nearby Sun City with fresh produce, and there
was food aplenty for disabled members to take home
to eat.
The Garden took a dip in 2013, due to a prolonged platinum
strike in the Rustenburg area. But we discover that large new
crops are sprouting again under the big shade nets put up by
Fraser Alexander and another mining group.
The dedicated efforts of the Chaneng group is being bolstered
by two groups of labourers from the Department of Agriculture and
the Royal Bafokeng municipality. They work vigorously alongside
two volunteers from the community and the goodhearted stalwart
of Chaneng, Arios Sekonyela, to produce a bumper harvest.
What is more, the food garden’s administration building is now
powered by solar. As one of the beneficiaries of Fraser Alexander’s
solar power pilot project it has been equipped with a solar power
system, which reduces its electricity consumption. For the first
time ever, the group also has the use of a hot-water tap.
“Things are easier, things are easier,” Mama Ntebo says joyfully.
“We use solar power for lights, computers and hot
water. It is easier to wash the cups with hot water...
previously we struggled as we had to use the kettle
[for hot water]. At least we get it from an open tap
now.”
Her 31-year old daughter is updating the project’s administration
and finances on a laptop. She is seated at metal desk in the middle
of the room lined with black office chairs.
Mama Ntebo continues enthusiastically: “Nowadays, we are not
struggling any more; we save R500 on our electricity bill. We used
a big amount of our revenue for electricity – this R500 has already
changed our expenses.
“We are going to buy seeds with that R500.”
The grandmother joins the Chaneng gardeners under the green
shade net. They are preparing to plant a variety of vegetables,
including spinach, onion, beetroot, green peppers and cabbage.
Mama Ntebo digs around in a spinach pot with long fingers: “This
one is dying…I can sense it because I am close to it. I can feel that
it’s not the same as this one…” She touches the lush, green leaves of
the plant next to it — one of many spinach plants thriving in a long
row of blue buckets.
Indications are that the expanded project is being restored and
revived to its former glory. Meanwhile, Mama Ntebo and the other
members of the project are looking forward to Fraser Alexander’s
additional solar power installation for its water pump, which will
further reduce their monthly expenses.
Mama Ntebo indicates this gift goes a long way to inspire
the group. She asserts with characteristic passion:“With Fraser
Alexander on board, we have new hope of doing something for
ourselves and helping others in the community.”
09

12. Tshepo Thobejane
Spaza bikes give
hawkers upward
mobility
NTHABISENG PILANE, ONE OF OUR PASSIONATE ENTERPRISE
DEVELOPMENT STAFF MEMBERS BASED IN THE SEMI-RURAL AREA OF
PHOKENG, RUSTENBURG, HAS FOND MEMORIES OF BUYING DAILY
NECESSITIES FROM INDUSTRIOUS HAWKERS SELLING DOOR-TO-DOOR
IN HER CHILDHOOD VILLAGE.
S
he recalls how her family, who lived in a simple house, happily bought everything from soap to
vegetables to cooking oil from the small business people who were well-known and loved for the
service they rendered.
The authentic way of life she experienced while growing up has filled her with great enthusiasm for
the Spaza Bicycle initiative that benefits hawkers and residents of several villages in the Rustenburg area.
Fraser Alexander is rolling out the initiative in collaboration with a number of partners, including a local
small enterprise, owned by the Thobejane brothers. Tshepo (27) and Dimakatso (24) proved themselves true
entrepreneurs from a very young age.
About 10 hawkers who are already trading successfully from permanent spaza shops near the Royal
Bafokeng Sports Palace in Phokeng were recently handed the first set of spaza bicycles, which will likely boost
their businesses and prospects in life.
“We have selected hawker beneficiaries that are already in business,” says
Nthabiseng confidently. “They are people who have demonstrated that they want to
take their businesses to the next level. “Most people have big ideas about what they
want to do, but they don’t always have the means and know-how to realise them,” she
adds.
The ingenious spaza bicycle is the brainchild of Fraser Alexander’s enterprise development team. Inspired
to produce the concept by the Welkom bakery, which the company supported in 2012, the team took the idea
to the Thobejane brothers. The Thobejanes had already designed a tricycle and the parties put their heads
together to produce a conceptual design.
Fraser Alexander commissioned them to design and construct a prototype mobile spaza, which it paid for.
After a few rounds of design changes, the company was delighted with the prototype. It commissioned Tshepo
and Dimakatso to manufacture 15 more units and helped them to procure the materials for the work.
Our team is rolling out the initiative in a holistic way. After it selected the beneficiaries, Fraser Alexander
trained them in the various aspects of running their own businesses, including using the bike as advertising
space. The National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) supported this effort.
10

13. Fraser Alexander staff Nthabiseng Pilane (seated) and Kefilwe
Rakgokong work alongside the Thobejane brothers.
One of Tshedime trading and projects’ boilermakers
welds a fork for a spaza bike.
Nthabiseng animatedly describes the spaza bicycles as mobile tuck shops owned by
the hawkers. “The intention is that they move to different areas to grow their businesses
and deliver a service to the community.” She smiles at the thought of restoring this
element of community life she had known as a child.
“The hawkers don’t get much business at the open spaza plaza –
there is not a lot of traffic there. But with the spaza bikes, they
can drive to the mines and sell their goods outside the gates to the
shift workers that come and go. There are existing designated areas
where they can park their bikes,” she enthuses.
The hawkers benefiting from this initiative currently travel by taxi from Phokeng to
Rustenburg’s central business district to stock up on goods. This is quite a difficult task
as they have to lug the goods between the various points of sale and back to the taxi.
To lighten their load, Fraser Alexander plans to establish a goods distribution centre in
Phokeng when critical mass is reached.
On the spaza bicycle manufacturing site, a large premises in Rustenburg, Tshepo and
Daniel are overseeing the work of two of their adept boilermakers. One of their tradesmen
is skilfully welding the fork of a spaza bike-in-the-making outside a warehouse, while they
relate how their first initiative led them here.
Tshepo and Dimakatso started a successful gardening services business in Limpopo,
aged 13 and 10 respectively, to help support their family financially.
“We started with a lawnmower and made R100 on the first day,” says
the outgoing, dynamic Tshepo. “Within a week, we made more than
R1 000.” He offers a broad, warm smile.
As young schoolboys, the Thobejanes rapidly expanded their gardening services
business by employing a number of their peers and using some of their business profits
to buy additional garden implements. When Tshepo matriculated from the Kopano
Secondary School, they set up a boilermaking business.
“The money we made from garden services, we used to start our boiler-
making business,” says Tshepo. “We invested in machinery (for the
business), but also paid school fees and assisted at home.”
The new enterpise, Tshedime trading and projects, started off manufacturing burglar
bars and doors and continued to trade while Tshepo completed a national higher diploma
in mining engineering through UNISA. It funded Dimakatso’s full-time studies in BSc
Mining at the University of the Witwatersrand and developed to the point where it
employed two boilermakers.
“We were not bursary students so, in the absence of employment, entrepreneurship
prevailed,” reveals Dimakatso in his gentle way. “We are making space for others to be
employed and creating employment in turn.”
Tshepo hops onto one of the bikes and starts cycling around the premises: “The
commission to manufacture the spaza bikes is a boost to our business. Any business
needs capital to grow bigger. It helps us to take it to the next level,” he says.
Dimakatso reveals they have learnt many new boilermaking skills by going through the
engineering cycle of manufacturing the bicycle. “It is a very strong bike,” he affirms.
The spaza bicycle is fitted with steel shelves on the back as well as a solid side
panel which could be used for advertising space. Wholly impressed with the first batch
developed and manufactured by Tshedime trading and projects, Nhtabiseng points out
that the shelves can even be removed and replaced by a cooler.
The Thobejanes are delighted that Fraser Alexander has already ordered 12 spaza bikes
from them and that more orders are likely to follow.
Tshepo’s face lights up at the mention of the possiblity: “We hope so…..we want to go
big in the boilermaking industry…invest in more machines. We want to do boilermaking
for the mining sector and steelwork.”
He cycles confidently towards the entrance of the property as the sun sets between
large, imposing, old trees. Glancing back over his shoulder, he grins: “We started at a
young age. We still have the energy to explore more in business….”
11

14. For the Love of Who We Are
EVERY YEAR, THOUSANDS OF THEATRE ENTHUSIASTS POUR INTO THE LITTLE
UNIVERSITY TOWN OF GRAHAMSTOWN, THE HOME OF THE NATIONAL ARTS
FESTIVAL. FROM ONCE-OFF BUSKERS TO SEASONED PERFORMERS, LOCAL AND
INTERNATIONAL ACTS, PUPPETEERS, MUSICIANS, ACTORS, DANCERS, ACROBATS,
WRITERS, DIRECTORS AND TELEVISION PERSONALITIES, THE FESTIVAL IS AN
ANNUAL MELTING POT FOR ARTISTS OF EVERY CALIBRE.
T
here they gain diverse audiences on a national platform and are exposed to other work in their field through watching
shows and attending industry-specific workshops.
For the Bafokeng Arts Theatre, a humble group of artists from Phokeng village dedicated to preserving Tswana dance
and culture, the National Arts Festival is a precious lifeline.
“The first time we went to Grahamstown was in 2012. We took a musical theatre piece called Moriba wa Setswana [Rhythm
of Tswana]. This piece had been on paper for 10 years until we finally got funding from Fraser Alexander to realise it,” says Tumi
Mokgatle, scriptwriter and director.
Moriba wa Setswana featured 25 performers, including actors, dancers and narrators, as well as a stage manager and the two
co-directors, Thabo Kgaje and Tumi Mokgatle.
12

15. Bafokeng Arts Theatre director and scriptwriter Tumi Mokgatle.
Fundraiser and all-rounder Neo Kgaje.
“When they heard about Grahamstown, people started taking the
rehearsal times more seriously. For many of them, it was the first
time they had left Rustenburg. Now, every year, people look forward
to the festival.”
The Bafokeng Arts Theatre has successfully performed at the
festival for two years running and in 2014 the group attended
workshops on various aspects of theatre-making.
“We had workshops for writing and directing in Grahamstown that
helped develop our skills as a group. Before that, we performed at
City Hall and the reception was beautiful. People didn’t expect the
kind of performance we were giving. The Cue [festival newspaper]
got two or three articles out of our work, and we were thrilled by
that. We made posters to advertise our show, and we even filmed it
and produced a DVD.”
The group is grateful to Fraser Alexander for recognising the
importance of arts and culture in building identity and well-being in
the community. They also appreciate the fact that the opportunity to
participate in the festival has raised their profile in the arts fraternity.
Mokgatle relates an anecdote where a member of the cast spotted
a very well-known TV personality in the audience during one of
their performances at City Hall. The sighting caused a huge stir
backstage, and it is still a source of motivation and inspiration for the
cast that they had the chance to be seen and appreciated by their
own role models.
“Before we started, we didn’t have a Tswana dance
group in the Bafokeng area. It was mainly to say,
let us be proud of our culture and our heritage and
preserve it. It also helps us to combat the social ills
that are there, like youth unemployment. People have
pride in the group and it motivates them.”
The Phokeng community supports the group by offering them a
rehearsal space at a local secondary school. One of the women in
the village offers space at her home, as well as food and blankets
and moral support for the performers.
“She is our fairy godmother,” describes fundraiser Neo Kgaje.
“She just wants to see us go far.”
Despite their successes and value in the community, Bafokeng
Arts Theatre faces the challenge of sustainability, common in the
arts world. Funding is a constant obstacle to regular rehearsals
and performances and the Phokeng community cannot always
afford to support the group. Often struggling to make ends meet for
themselves and their families, the performers are sometimes unable
to attend gigs, or do so at the risk of losing their jobs.
“We try to perform at any large function in the community, such
as weddings and municipal functions. But as soon as we submit an
invoice, we find that people don’t want to pay. So we have to try
to convince the artists to perform for the love of the art,” clarifies
Mokgatle.
This is problematic for Bafokeng Arts Theatre, since the traditional
performances that they choreograph require talent, skill and practice.
Dancers need to be agile, to sing as well as dance, and to have a
propensity for performance. In addition to raw talent, performers
need to be able to rehearse regularly to achieve precision, fitness
and the coordination of clapping and music that is required in
Tswana dance.
“Sometimes we do short dramas and musicals, but mainly it
is dance. Back in 2003, we had about 40 members, but without
regular funding, the numbers have been dramatically reduced. There
are also other incredible singers and dancers in the community who
can’t join the group because of finances. At the moment, the only
regular funding that we have is to go to Grahamstown.
“It used to be marvellous to watch. There was that euphoria of
watching 40 performers. Now we struggle to achieve the pulsating
rhythm of the dance that can put the audience into a trance. With
15 performers, it is a more artistic and detailed exercise, to try to
communicate the same passion and emotion that we used to have,”
says Mokgatle.
But Neo Kgaje, who was born in Phokeng and has lived there for
the 26 years of his life, maintains that it is still a great opportunity
for local artists to be able to perform in and perpetuate their own
culture and dance style in their own village, instead of having to
leave for the cities.
“The arts have been our passion. As Africans, one has to have a
close connection to your roots. We have aimed to change Gauteng
and make the arts more holistic. It shouldn’t be that you can only
practice the arts if you are in a certain place. We are doing culture,
dance, poetry, drama. Everything is possible here because of this
group.
“I feel that I would do anything for the group to
prosper. I don’t hang on to one portfolio. I look for
funding, I am a stage designer, I do anything that
is necessary from me. This is more than a job. It is
a passion. I become me when I am part of the arts. I
reach deep inside and find myself. I don’t think about
any other thing. I have tried to work in other fields,
but there is always something in me that says, ‘You
don’t belong here.’ The arts are my field of work.”
The Bafokeng Arts Theatre hopes to found a theatre and arts
centre in Phokeng one day, which could house a resident company
and be the home and incubator of Tswana arts and culture.
13

16. Fraser Alexander staff who worked on the dam stayed in the informal settlement.
“At that stage, there was no electricity, waterborne sewage or proper roads,” she relates,
“There still isn’t.”
Sharron pledged to become involved in education, as there were many children in the
area who were not attending school.
“There were no schools, creches or Early Childhood Development centres
close by. The closest township is KwaThema, but that is at least eight
to ten kilometres away, and there was no way for the children to get
there,” explains Sharron.
Kwasa Pre-Primary was opened in 2006, with some experienced teachers volunteering
their services and others recruited from the settlement. Those who wanted to teach in
early childhood development were sent for training and given a job.
“I am proud of the fact that most of the teachers have been here for a long time, some
since the very beginning. I think that says something about our ethos, and the atmosphere
here.”
This year, there are 124 children in the pre-primary school, and a teaching staff of seven,
including the principal. The school also employs a cook, who prepares breakfast and lunch
for the children, as well as two cleaning ladies and a gardener.
Morning assembly at Kwasa is a mass of wriggling pupils in brightly coloured tracksuits
singing, dancing and praying. After assembly, they walk out of their simple but cheerful
classrooms, singing of elephants, bees and butterflies.
In the last class, the children are slightly older and wear school uniforms. As they file
out, Sharron stops a boy to tuck his shirt in. This is the first group of Grade One learners at
Kwasa. They have been incorporated into the school, thanks to the addition of a new wing
in 2013, with two classrooms and a reception area.
The new wing was built with funding from Fraser Alexander and a number of other
sponsors.
Dinnie explains: “It’s been an absolute life-giver for us, as building costs are incredibly
high. The result is the new Grade One class, as well as the fact that classes are no longer
in containers, but in proper buildings.”
Her vision is to build a few classrooms every year, until Kwasa College can offer all
grades, including matric.
“The pre-primary school is now registered with the Department of Social Development,
so I get some funding from them, which is great,” notes Sharron, “but our biggest
challenge is finding money to stay true to our vision. I am not prepared to compromise on
standards, both in respect of the new buildings and the staff we appoint.
What strikes me during my visit to Kwasa College is the happy, loving atmosphere, as
Bringing
kwasa to
Daggafontein
I
am greeted by the sounds of counting, rhymes and singing coming from the classrooms
as we walk along the school corridor. In front of one classroom, three children stand
around a bucket of water and wash their hands. They share a towel to dry them.
“I have heard the expression kwasa when we have a thunderstorm here on the
Highveld. It is dark, rain falls and there is lightning and thunder. Then when the rain stops
and the clouds break through and the sun shines, our people say kwasa, which can be
translated as ‘the light is coming’. That described what I wanted Kwasa College to be for
the children. A place where light and hope could come into their lives,” says Sharron.
Rector of the Anglican church’s Parish of St. Peter and St. Paul in Springs, and founder
of Kwasa College, Sharron Dinnie was approached for help by the Daggafontein residents
in 2002. The informal settlement has an estimated 12 000 inhabitants, most of whom are
unemployed and live in shacks. Next to the informal settlement is a large tailings dam that
Fraser Alexander operated and managed until its closure in the mid 2000’s. Most of the
The informal settlement of Daggafontein situated next
to a tailings dam that Fraser Alexander operated.
SHARRON DINNIE, AN ENERGETIC, MATURE WOMAN WITH
STRIKING SHORT BLONDE HAIR, SHOWS ME AROUND
KWASA COLLEGE ON A WINTRY WEDNESDAY MORNING
IN DAGGAFONTEIN, SPRINGS.
14

17. well as the good manners of the children.
“I think it comes from the top down,” Sharron remarks. “Part of our ethos is being
excited about learning, and about the children and their futures.”
A number of learners are HIV positive, and are given HIV/Aids education as well as
assistance in getting treatment. Some are orphans, and others come from homes where
they are exposed to risks such as substance abuse.
“We hope to help them break the cycle of poverty and put them on the path to
realising their potential,” she explains.
The school feeds into two primary schools in Springs, with 88 children from
Daggafontein attending on full bursaries.
“Their fees are paid through Kwasa. They are transported to school with our vehicle,
and they get their stationery and their school uniforms from us. In the afternoons, our
pre-primary kids are collected and brought here for lunch, and volunteers assist with their
homework and reading.”
It is story hour in Johannes Mahlangu’s Grade R class. I sit in a tiny chair while he
reads from a book titled Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type. He keeps the children
involved by asking questions, making appropriate noises and doing funny voices. The
children at the back stand on their knees for a better look at the pictures in the book and
their teacher.
“I am the teacher who has been here the longest,” Mahlangu tells me proudly during
his lunch hour. He is originally from Mpumalanga, but was doing garden work before
becoming a teacher at Kwasa.
“Teaching is a gift, it’s not something I just like to do. It is nice to do something that
you love and enjoy. You will do it properly because you enjoy it,” he asserts.
The opportunity to work at Kwasa has transformed his life.
“Kwasa is a place I can call home,” says Mahlangu. “I am the only one in my family
with a job and I support six people. My youngest brother is in matric, and I am trying to
send him to technikon next year.”
Mahlangu believes strongly that the school makes a difference in the community.
“Some of the children don’t have things to eat at home, and they
don’t have clothes. Kwasa has taken them out of the settlement. We
are looking after them and they are getting an education.”
Mahlangu is amazed at how far Kwasa College has come since its inception: “When
I started here, there were no ceilings, no electricity, no furniture. We grouped different
grades together in one class. It was very difficult to teach, and we were all volunteers
who were not getting paid. Our first new classes were the containers – it was very hot in
summer. Now it has changed. Kwasa is bringing light.”
True to its aspirations of giving hope to others, Fraser Alexander feels privileged to
support the community of Daggafontein which supplied it with a workforce to operate the
local tailings dam in the past.
Sharon Dinnie and her staff show true
care for the children of Daggafontein.
Grade One learners in the new wing of Kwasa College
sponsored by Fraser Alexander and other companies.
15

18. Kelebogile Mooketsi, founder of Good Life Debt
Counsellors, now helps others manage their money.
“
As an employee, I got into debt and simply did not know how to find a solution,” she says. “Nobody had ever
spoken to me or any of my peers about financial planning.”
The founder of Good Life Debt Counsellors radiates positive energy when we meet in her office in Brooklyn,
Pretoria. Resplendent in red, she smiles often and clearly loves helping others with financial wellness and money
management. Because she learnt the hard way, her desire is to shorten the learning curve for others.
Kelebogile – or Lebo, as she prefers to be called – comes from a humble background, and today she is the epitome of
elegant professionalism. Her mother worked as a cleaner at the P H Moeketsi Agricultural High School in Taung in the
North West. She begged the principal to accept her daughter as a student, despite that she could not afford the school
fees. The principal agreed and the young Lebo threw herself into her studies, determined to succeed. She ultimately
excelled and received one of the North West Education MEC’s Outstanding Matriculant Awards.
Lebo moved to Pretoria to study marketing, with an emphasis on tourism, but because she could not find a job or
afford to study further, she applied for a bursary to do a course in meteorology. In 2007, she was one of the few students
in Africa (not more than 20) to complete her studies in Statistics in Applied Climatology, and the only meteorological
technician in South Africa to have obtained this qualification.
“I loved learning about the weather and became a meteorological technician with the University of Pretoria, later
working as an intern and then an employee at the SA Weather Service,” she says with enthusiasm.
“However, during the seven years I worked there, I realised two things: I did not want to sit
at a computer all day, having little interaction with people; and I was not really living my true
purpose in life.”
Lebo makes a
difference with
debt counselling
WHEN KELEBOGILE MOOKETSI SPEAKS ABOUT DEBT, THERE IS NOTHING
DRY OR ACADEMIC ABOUT HER APPROACH: THE BUBBLY 34-YEAR-OLD
HAS FIRST-HAND EXPERIENCE OF WHAT IT IS LIKE TO BE UNABLE TO
PAY CREDITORS.
16

19. Lebo Mooketsi has grown into a fully-fledged business woman offering
debt counselling services with the support of Fraser Alexander.
Lebo set about working on an exit strategy. She completed her UNISA marketing
studies as well as a Management Advancement Programme at the Wits Business
School, knowing the education would prove useful in the long-term. Her vocation
came to her quite by accident when she got into debt and set about finding out how
to solve her money problems.
“As I learnt how to do this, I shared my newfound knowledge with
others and they were soon taking my advice. I realised that I loved
to help others and I felt I could use my knowledge and skills to
forge a new career,” she says with a smile.
Lebo first heard about debt counselling in 2008, three years after the new
National Credit Act introduced the concept of debt counselling as a consumer right
– something that would assist consumers who were over-indebted and did not know
where to turn. She registered as a National Credit Regulator Debt Counsellor in
2008.
“I decided to set up my own debt counselling business part-time, just to see if
it would work,” she recalls. “Unfortunately, I battled with cash-flow issues and
the office had to close down at times. I had to consider whether I wanted to be a
‘necessity entrepreneur’ – someone forced to start a business out of necessity – or a
businesswoman prepared to make real sacrifices.”
In 2011, Lebo approached Shanduka Black Umbrellas, a non-profit company
that supports emerging black businesses through enterprise development. She was
accepted into their coveted business incubation programme.
“I was only the second woman to be accepted,” Lebo says with
pride. “But the regional director asked me to show my commitment
by resigning from my job and putting heart and soul into
developing my business.”
The aspirant businesswoman quickly learnt that there is much more to running a
business than interacting with clients.
“Shanduka provided me with office infrastructure and training but I had to learn
about administration, bookkeeping, compliance – there was so much I did not know. I
worked with determination and towards early 2012, my business started picking up; I
got a contract with North-West Star Bus Services and things took off from there.”
Lebo graduated from the programme in February 2014, garnering three Shanduka
Business Awards in the process and being named 2013 Regional Shanduka
Ambassador in recognition of the fact that her business was playing a positive role in
the community.
In 2014, she was runner-up ambassador and also won an award for most jobs
created. She was fortunate enough to meet Fraser Alexander’s HR director, Vusi
Sibiya, at one of Shanduka’s procurements events.
“I approached Vusi with a view to doing business together,” she
recalls. “I told him, ‘I believe I have something unique to offer and I
want to help people. How can Fraser Alexander assist?’”
Fraser Alexander saw the value of what Lebo had to offer and set up a pilot project
that had her reaching out to mineworkers and members of the Royal Bafokeng
nation in Phokeng, Rustenburg with her financial wellbeing training and debt
counselling services.
“Working with the community, in conjunction with Fraser Alexander’s facilitator
Tshidiso Moetapele, was a wonderful experience,” says Lebo. “I was able to address
some real financial issues without using intimidating terminology. I asked permission
to ‘tell it like it is’, as many members are older than me – fortunately, everyone was
open to advice.”
Lebo explains that one of the underlying reasons for the prolonged miners’ strike
in Rustenburg was the fact that miners and members of the community had found
themselves in crippling debt.
“Unscrupulous lenders found it easy to take advantage of them as they were not
fully aware of their consumer rights. Fraser Alexander showed great leadership by
reaching out to the community to assist them and I found it rewarding to collaborate
with the company. It certainly opened doors for me and I was able to really make a
difference.”
Lebo adds that Vusi has been able to link her up with various partners, giving her
an additional platform from which to grow her business.
“Fraser Alexander believed in my dream and saw that I had
ambition,” she says with a smile. “They gave me even more reasons
to continue doing what I love.”
Lebo currently has approximately 200 clients in her database and has shared
her financial wellbeing training with companies like Sparta, EVS, Chevra Kadisha,
Katannuta Wellness and Fisha Wellness Partners. Through her debt and financial
wellbeing outreach campaigns, she has collaborated with various organisations
like the Department of Health, the Independent Complaints Directorate, Tshwane
University of Technology, Rethusitswe Secondary School, Norcrossa and the
Alexander Baptist Church. She has also assisted entrepreneurs with personal finance
coaching through Shanduka Black Umbrellas and Enablis.
She aims to show people that being in debt is not the end of one’s life – and one
does not need to borrow to get out of debt.
“Educating and empowering others is part of what I want to do,”
she says with passion.
Lebo is also training staff, allowing her to focus on facilitation, marketing and
customer care, as well as partnering with other companies specialising in the
administration of debt counselling.
“We have introduced a unique service at no cost to clients – each client receives
the personal assistance of a relationship manager who can help them if, for example,
a creditor comes calling; and in addition we have an online debt counselling portal
that allows clients to see exactly where they are in the process and what their
balance is – it is very transparent,” she explains.
She has high praise for the support she has received from Fraser Alexander.
“Vusi has brought other stakeholders on board, allowing me to take my message
to other entrepreneurs and SMMEs,” she says. “My dream is to see ordinary people
taking control of their money without believing they need to earn more to make
their finances work. Ultimately, it is not about how much you earn, but how well you
manage your money.”
The passion-driven entrepreneur – the first in her family to graduate – is proud
to be a pillar of strength in her community and is grateful to have had the support
necessary to take her business to the next level.
17

20. Daniel Sere feeds wood through the new sander which smooths it in turn.
Ouma Malokwane gives her full attention to the
sewing of a beautiful, plush pegs bag.
FA starts carpenters
off in business
“
I want a big workshop and a bakkie,” Eric declares from Furniture
Hub’s crowded workshop, originally a classroom of a now defunct
primary school. “If I get a big tender, I am going to buy a small bakkie;
I want a big workshop and a trailer,” he stresses.
Casually dressed in a denim, T-shirt and takkies, Eric reveals his dreams
as he shows off the workshop. The dynamic young man, his 25-year-old
brother Daniel, and the 45-year-old Ouma Malokwane are partners in the
business that crafts elegant furniture, quirky household items and smoothly
finished to-order coffins for community members and a local store.
Eric and Daniel have been practising carpentry, which they first learnt
in school, since 2010, and Ouma made wedding gowns from home before
she joined the concern.
Furniture Hub was conceived when the Royal Bafokeng Enterprise
Development (RBED) first noticed Eric and Daniel’s passion and skill. The
pair were plying their trade from their uncle’s home in Luka in 2010. The
following year, RBED sent them on a six-month carpentry and upholstery
skills development course at a skills development centre in Roodepoort,
and on completion, helped them produce a colourful brochure of their
offering.
The brothers distributed the brochures in Luka, Chaneng and Phokeng,
which could easily be reached on foot. They did not own a vehicle and
ERIC SERE (27) IS A SLENDER YOUNG MAN WITH GREAT AMBITION. THE CARPENTER AND UPHOLSTERER
WANTS HIS FURNITURE-MAKING BUSINESS IN THE CHARMING LUKA VILLAGE OF THE ROYAL BAFOKENG
"TO GROW BIG", SO HE CAN EMPLOY POOR PEOPLE FROM THE AREA AND "PRODUCE MORE FURNITURE".
therefore targeted these villages, populated by a mixture of large, modern
brick houses and more modest homes.
Shortly before they opened their doors for formal trade, Fraser Alexander
gave the new business a vital boost by donating a range of furniture-making
equipment, including an electrical multi-purpose woodworking machine,
belt sander, band saw, compressor and an industrial sewing machine. These
high-value equipment reduced manufacturing times enormously.
“Fraser Alexander came through with its support in
2012. Then we moved in here [to the current premises]
and started a business. We make a small table, a chest
of drawers, a wooden tray... we make all kinds of wooden
things.” Eric becomes animated as he talks about their
work, revealing a deep passion for the trade.
“It takes us three or four days to make an L-shaped kitchen unit, [which]
takes five days with a hand tool. With the machines Fraser gave us, we can
cut the wood faster.”
18

21. The passionate Eric planes wood with the electrical
woodworking machine sponsored by Fraser Alexander.
The young carpenter brothers who have big dreams for their business. The tender to repair school desk chairs could lead Furniture Hub to greater things.
Eric puts on his safety glasses and a white face-mask. His concentration is fierce as he leans forward and
feeds a piece of yellow wood through the sander. When the wood emerges on the other side, he glides his hand
over it: “It is too much smooth.”
Daniel eagerly demonstrates the next step in the tray manufacturing process – using a compressor to spray
varnish onto the wood in the rectangular, ventilated backroom of the workshop, filled with equipment and
machinery. “The job takes a lot of concentration – the work is dangerous,” says Eric, standing by.
Inside the workshop, a finished pine headboard, newly covered ottomans, a swanky
six-piece lounge set and an engraved coffin await delivery. Showing off their handiwork,
Eric says proudly: “It is nice to make many beautiful things. I am proud of what I
make.”
“When I do a coffin, it is a big job. We make lots of coffins from super-wood, each with its own pattern, for a
nice price.” Furniture Hub sells coffins for R12 500.
Ouma sits behind her sewing machine. “I like to make many things with my hands,” she says. “Pegs-bags,
curtains, bedding, cushions, chair covers; upholstery for couches, ottomans and sofas.”
Ouma is engrossed in her work, sewing a lacey frill onto a square of velvet material. Ceremonially, she lifts up
the luxurious pegs-bag and demonstrates how it folds to contain the pegs.
The passionate, talented trio feel that the business is making a difference in their lives and those of their
families, as they each take about R2 500 home at the end of the month. But they still experience economic
hardship and want to grow the business for this reason.
“It is a good start,” remarks Daniel casually. “I can go home and buy something like
bread, jeans and All Stars.” He rolls back on his heels to show off his trendy shoes.
Ouma conveys that the regular income she earns from the business helped her and her family through the
extended platinum-sector strike. Her husband is an underground mine worker for a platinum mine in the area,
which halted operations during the strike. She, too, wants to develop the business.
Outside the workshop, large heaps of broken, “bubblegum” school desk chairs of all colours lie waiting for
the partners. This may be the path to prosperity for Furniture Hub, who recently won a local government tender
to repair the small chairs for use by primary schools in the region — with the help of Fraser Alexander’s local
enterprise development team, which assisted them with the onerous paperwork.
To Eric, this signals an opportunity to realise his high ideals for the young business: it paves the way for
winning those coveted “big tenders” in the future.
19

22. The Business Place CEO Shaun Govender proudly
supports the small business sector.
A business advisor (left) advises an entrepreneur on her company’s Black
Economic Empowerment (BEE) credentials.
T
hese challenging facts have caused many people to turn to entrepreneurship to survive, but not all “survivalist
entrepreneurs” have the necessary skills and network to be successful in business.
Within this context, The Ekurhuleni Business Facilitation Network (EBFN), which is located on the corner of
Voortrekker and Monument streets in Kempton Park, provides a lifeline to entrepreneurs and to the city. It is a
one-stop-shop that helps entrepreneurs on the East Rand to set up new businesses, from registering companies for tax
compliance to drafting a business plan and funding. Its networking events and tender office also assist entrepreneurs to
expand new and existing businesses.
Modern and sophisticated, the R20 million centre was launched in January this year with the support of the City of
Ekurhuleni, as well as donations from Emperors Palace and Fraser Alexander. It bustles with business activity throughout the
day, which indicates that Ekurhuleni might soon boast a stronger business sector.
The EBFN targets small and medium-sized businesses but also taxi associations, co-operatives, and business chambers
with members from the heart of the local townships. The skills of township entrepreneurs are reputed to be low, so practical
training is given in key business principles such as legal compliance, cash-flow management, costing, and innovation.
Some township entrepreneurs identify great opportunities, however, such as the businessman who supplies livestock and
cattle for African funerals, and the centre’s mission is to help them unlock these opportunities as well as the value thereof.
“It is very exciting to show people the benefits of running their own businesses; helping them
achieve success and wealth,” says CEO of The Business Place, the implementing partner of the
EBFN, Shaun Govender.
In 2014, the EBFN concentrated on forming the correct strategic partnerships. It brought the Sefa, IDC, Seda, Anglo
American Zimele and Absa on board and on site as finance partners, with the result that customers can consult these
institutions about financial and non financial business support immediately after they have consulted a business advisor
about administrative and strategic matters.
The role of the trained and evidently compassionate business advisors is to assess entrepreneurs and aspiring
entrepreneurs when they arrive on the centre’s doorstep with their ambitious business concepts and plans. They identify any
deficiencies in their knowledge and skills before referring them to one or more of a range of workshops and programmes on
offer. What follows is the monitoring and electronic capturing of the business people’s progress.
Entrepreneurs also gain access to sorely needed business opportunities through the hub’s tender advice centre, which links
them to opportunities and assists them with completing and submitting tenders. In addition, they are free to attend business
networking events hosted by the EBFN, where large corporates present procurement opportunities.
In its first eight months of operating, EBFN reached and empowered 2 600 entrepreneurs
through training, workshops, and outreach programmes. And by the end of 2014, it is expecting
Igniting
entrepreneurship
on the East Rand
THE CITY OF EKURHULENI IS REPORTED TO HAVE AN UNEMPLOYMENT RATE
OF 28.8%. IT IS ALSO HOME TO 1.1 MILLION PEOPLE WITHOUT A KNOWN
SOURCE OF INCOME, OF WHICH 60% IS UNDER THE AGE OF 34.
an even bigger influx of people as a result of a strong
marketing drive in Katlehong, Daveyton, Tembisa and Nigel.
Govender is proud of the fact that the centre provides a solution to the
fragmentation in the small business support sector and that it eliminates the
usual time lag between the registration of a company and start of trade.
His claim that EBFN is a good solution for bringing unemployed and poor
people into the economy rings true. Although a first-class facility, the centre is
not intimidating; it is multi-lingual and offers practical advice and training based
on a micro MBA.
Govender envisions satellite branches of EBFN in all six regions of Ekurhuleni
that will focus on stimulating economic growth in townships. One of the
anticipated spin-offs of this initiative will be the development of a credible
pipeline of small businesses that could supply and deliver support services to
significant developments taking place in Ekurhuleni.
Therefore, the Ekurhuleni OR Tambo Aerotropolis Project Office is based at
EBFN. The project represents an economic development strategy that leverages
the access that air travel and air freight afford global business and could present
good business opportunities to budding businesses.
“Everything is set to help people carve out their own destiny:
more and more people are turning to entrepreneurship and we
are providing an environment conducive to that,” Govender
asserts.
Fraser Alexander’s support of The Business Place will soon come full circle
when it starts tapping into the centre’s infrastructure to identify deserving small,
medium and micro enterprises for support and development.
20

23. Produced by Different Angles
Design and layout by Canned Creative • Photography by Ryan Roux

24. Tel: +27 11 929 3600 • Telefax: +27 11 397 4607 • Email: fainfo@fraseralexander.co.za
1 Marlin Road, Jet Park, Boksburg, South Africa