Enterprise development
Overview of suppliers
Developing strong and sustainable suppliers
We work hard to continuously improve, develop and manage a strong and sustainable local supplier base.
Gibela shares PRASA’s views on enterprise development. We have an important role to play in transforming the South African economy by developing and supporting other businesses working in our field. As a result, we are committed to working with small black-owned businesses, especially those owned by black women, whenever we can, and to helping them become sustainable.
Our enterprise-development initiatives range from business incubator programmes to information-sharing days held with local entrepreneurs. These efforts not only help local entrepreneurs understand who we are and what we need, they also give us the opportunity to understand what businesses are available to us in our immediate surroundings. By connecting and collaborating, we are able to share important skills and valuable experience and, in return, they are able to give us the products and services we need.
By constantly looking for, training and working with new, up-and-coming businesses, we believe we can develop a strong and sustainable group of South African suppliers that will help the country’s rail sector to thrive.
If you are not currently a supplier, please fill in the supplier registration form.
The company’s spend on supplier and enterprise development across 42 independent entities amounts to R81-million from 2014 to date, comprising financial support, incubation support and technical support.
Building skills, improving futures.
Suppliers for small businesses
Our business incubator with Raizcorp
Gibela runs an enterprise development programme to help new and established businesses in South Africa’s rail sector to grow and create jobs. This project is part of our drive to use as many local companies as possible for the raw materials and components we need for our trains.
Gibela has been working with business incubator Raizcorp to source and develop these local suppliers. Raizcorp has an excellent track record of helping companies like ours to create a chain of excellent and efficient suppliers.
Businesses who join this programme are invited to attend entrepreneurial learning sessions, gain access to specialists and are assigned teams of business guides. They are also provided with technical training on specific products, if necessary.
Here, some of the suppliers describe their experiences of working with Gibela:
Area: KwaThema
Role: Carpentry
BEE: 100% black- and youth-owned and 70% black women-owned
“Gipres currently has eight employees and, although we are already 70% owned by women, we hope to train and employ even more female carpenters from the local community. This is a major part of our growth strategy. I want to drive a more inclusive carpentry industry in my community and beyond. I urge more female entrepreneurs to look into the construction industry. I have had a positive experience learning from Gibela – working with them has been amazing and I would like to be a part of their future projects”. – Precious Nompilo Ximba, manager and director
Area: Tsakane
Role: Painting
BEE: 100% black-owned
“Gibela has provided resources through mentorship and training to make sure that we can grow and work on further projects. Even though the time taken to start working on site seemed drawn out at first, Gibela was taking the necessary steps by providing us with health and safety training to keep the site injury-free. I look forward to seeing Mandlethu Holdings continue a positive working relationship with Gibela.” – Jerry Tsumi, director
Zakhele B Civil and Construction
Area: KwaThema
Role: Tiling
BEE: 100% black-owned and 40% black women-owned
“Working with Gibela has made our entrepreneurship dream come true. This is a not-to-be-missed opportunity for our employees and for the future prospects for the betterment of the community of KwaThema.” – Samson Hlongwane, supervisor.
Real Soft Pooke Construction
Area: Duduza
Role: Plastering
BEE: 100% black-owned and youth-owned
“This has had a positive effect on the community of Duduza, as well as our company. The procurement process for local SMMEs was insightful and, as a young entrepreneur, I found it invaluable for my personal growth. Real Soft Pooke Construction is committed to the project and is optimistic about future opportunities available at Gibela.” – Gerald Pooke, director
Gibela Youth Training
Between March and May 2018, Gibela ran a series of workshops as part of an entrepreneurship training programme and a work-readiness training programme.
Both programmes were run in collaboration with our training implementation partner, ITS Education and Training Institute, and made available to unemployed youth and entrepreneurs from Alrapark, Duduza, KwaThema, Tsakane and MacKenzieville, Nigel.
The entrepreneurship training programme was all about helping people who wanted to start, operate, manage and grow a new small to medium-sized business. The work-readiness programme, on the other hand, helped to develop participants’ workplace-related attitudes, values, knowledge and skills so that they could find work, earn money and become independent. Applicants only needed a matric certificate in order to apply.
Enterprise development fund
Gibela has set up an Enterprise Development Fund that will invest in SMEs, helping them to grow and succeed. The project’s first tranche will be R125-million, and we plan to contribute additional funds in future years towards the fund and incubation.
The company’s spend on supplier and enterprise development across 42 independent entities amounts to R81-million from 2014 to date, comprising financial support, incubation support and technical support.