SME’s scoop big prizes at Eskom competition

 

Tears of joy and ecstasy reigned supreme at a recent Eskom Business Investment Competition gala evening at the Indaba Hotel in Fourways, Johannesburg as small and medium enterprises (SME’s) walked away with grand prizes for their indefatigable business  work.

 

The evening was a brainchild of Eskom Development Foundation’ Business Investment Competition (BIC) meant to honour astute and finest small and medium black-owned South African  enterprises (SMEs) making a difference with limited resources.

 

R1.3 million worth of prizes was at stake, the businesses slugged it out for top honours in three categories; manufacturing, trade and services as well as engineering and construction.

 

The BIC, is now in its tenth year and is an initiative of the Eskom Development Foundation aimed at recognising and rewarding small businesses that are contributing towards building the economy by creating jobs and fighting poverty.

 

This year’s overall winner of the competition is Prodeliver Group, who took a prize of R300 000.

The Sandton based company,  provides logistics and mining services including transportation of commodities and palletized materials.

Prodeliver was started in 2014 by Nyadzeni Makhado, who used to work in gold mines before going into business.

 

On his way to and from work, Makhado used to travel behind the trucks transporting materials from mines to gold plants. He had always wanted something that could make him passive income and he thought that was it. He and his partners bought a truck as a start, but while running the business they soon discovered that doing it part time was difficult as they would be underground most of the time and out of reach for their clients. They then decided to quit their jobs and focus on their business on a full time basis.

 

Six employees and four trucks later, the business is still growing and they are targeting even more expansion. They want to open their own depot and to ultimately have three depots in the country as well as their own warehouse. They would also like to explore drone transportation in future.

 

Makhado said he was totally amazed when his company’s name was called.

“The level of competition was tough and I thought maybe if I’m lucky I’d win my category or be a runner-up, I just didn’t expect to be the overall winner of such a big competition. The prize money will be reinvested back into the business. We’ll use some of it for operational costs as we work on scaling and growing,” said Makhado.

 

Chairman of the Eskom Development Foundation, Mr Chose Choeu, said the BIC is one of the foundation’s leading enterprise development initiatives.

 

“This year is particularly special as the BIC celebrates its tenth anniversary. It has been 10 solid years of contributing to economic development by propelling small businesses to higher levels of operation. This is a huge milestone and a sign that we are doing something right,” enthused Choeu.

 

Cecil Ramonetsi, Eskom Development Foundation’s CEO told the audience that fortune favours the brave.

“This is a shining example of people using their businesses to empower themselves. Small business is the key to open up the economy.”

 

Winners per category:

 

Manufacturing

• Winner – Emilio’s Gourmet Foods (Johannesburg, Gauteng)
• First runner-up – Maiktronix (Kuruman, Northern Cape)
• Second runner-up – Sew Happy Primary Corporation (George, Western Cape)

 

Trade and Services

• Winner – Southside Plumbing and Construction (Eldorado Park, Gauteng)
• First runner-up – Machine and Mfusi (Klerksdorp, North West)
• Second runner-up – ATA Consulting (Ethekwini, KwaZulu-Natal)

 

Engineering and Construction

• Winner – Blessing.Connect (Boksburg, Gauteng)

• Runner-up – Phakama Services Group (Johannesburg, Gauteng)

 

Category winners scooped R125 000 each, first runners-up, R75 000 each while second runners-up each received R50 000.

 

Did you know?

 

• The Eskom Development Foundation is tasked with implementing Eskom’s CSI strategy in sectors including enterprise development, education, healthcare, social and community development.

 

 

Caption: This year’s overall winner of the 2018 Eskom Business Investment Competition (BIC) is Prodeliver Group, who took a prize of R300 000. The company, which is based in Rivonia, Sandton, provides logistics and mining services including transportation of commodities and palletised materials. Prodeliver was started in 2014 by Nyadzeni Makhado, who used to work in gold mines before going into business.

 

 

Caption: The finest black-owned South African small and medium enterprises (SMEs) that competed in the 2018 Eskom Business Investment Competition (BIC), were awarded great prizes at an awards function held on Tuesday, September 4 at the Indaba Hotel in Fourways, Johannesburg. With R1.3 million worth of prizes at stake, the businesses slugged it out for top honours in three categories; manufacturing, trade and services as well as engineering and construction (full list of winners above)