PRESS RELEASE – In a significant step towards fostering skills development among small business owners in low-income communities, Veolia Services SA, the private operator responsible for the operation and maintenance of Overstrand Municipality’s Water and Wastewater Treatment Works, has taken an important step to empower six local emerging businessesas part of its social responsibility commitment.
Veolia’s goal is to promote ecological change, and they work on economic, social, and environmental issues.
The project was implemented with the support and collaboration of the Overstrand Municipality Planning and Development Department (formerly LED). It began in 2023 with a thorough screening of business owners already listed and registered on the Municipal Small, Micro and Medium Enterprises (SMME) Database.
Coenie Loubser, Veolia Overstrand Operations Manager, explained that the selection criteria included the products or services each entrepreneur offers and their strengths in making the most of this opportunity.
“This approach not only ensures that participants are well-prepared for future collaboration and success, but also provides the support they need to get a foot in the door to offer their services to larger companies,” he said.
The six business owners who successfully completed the programme are Jacob Fortuin (electrician), Captain Setloboko (plot services), Isick Matthysen (plot services), Mavis Lose (vegetation and cleaning services), Lihle Peacemaker Mhlophe (ground maintenance) and Happy Tyalo (ground maintenance).
The training covered the development of essential skills such as laptop use, logo design, creating professional business cards and letterheads, invoicing, and honing marketing and presentation skills.
They also learned how to provide quotes, which further boosted their professionalism. Most importantly, the training included a ‘safety file’ to ensure they had the necessary credentials and health and safety clearances for when larger companies seek to utilise their services.
The participants also received tailored equipment and personal protective equipment (PPE) for their businesses. The value of this comprehensive support package, including both training and equipment, is in the region of half a million rand.
