On 21 August 2015, Sentech officially launched its Business Growth Programme, an initiative aligned to Sentech’s enterprise and supplier development strategy. Sentech have partnered with Raizcorp to develop a one-of-a-kind business growth programme that will accelerate the success of Sentech’s existing, as well as potential, suppliers.
The business growth programme is twofold, and aims to:
* Grow Sentech’s existing supplier base; and
* Attract new suppliers to form part of Sentech’s supply chain.
Sentech wants to invigorate its supply chain by actively investing, nurturing, upskilling, and developing its suppliers further. Sentech takes transformation seriously and has identified the urgency for this kind of business development, particularly for small black-owned businesses in the ICT sector.
Rudzani Rasikhinya, acting CEO at Sentech, says: “Sentech is indeed pleased to be at the forefront of empowering small and medium enterprises within South Africa. We understand that entrepreneurs need to be supported in order to propel economic sustainability. Sentech would like to wish the beneficiaries of our Business Growth Programme success, and I trust that through this initiative we have demonstrated our commitment to your development and trust that the skills gained through this programme will bare testament that public and private partnerships like this one work.”
Ten black-owned businesses have been selected to join Sentech’s 12-month business growth programme, where they will receive access to markets, finance institutions, back office support, entrepreneurial learning, and business guidance from business guides (“coaches”), to name but a few. Once these businesses have completed the programme, they will then be incorporated back into Sentech’s supply chain, in order to not only increase, but strengthen Sentech’s supplier pool.
“Raizcorp is proud to be partnering with Sentech on delivering this important programme which is focused on building the business and personal skills of small, black-owned businesses,” says Alfie Naidoo, Chairman of Raizcorp. “Too often businesses fail, not because of a lack of funding but rather because business owners have the wrong business and mental models to be successful. We expect that the graduates of this programme will be in a much stronger position in creating wealth and growing our economy.”
Sentech believes that it is only through small business growth and development that a real difference can be experienced in the South African economy, and by actively supporting and encouraging these businesses, employment opportunities will be created which will positively impact our economic growth.