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Dr Ethel Zulu is a remarkable small farmer on the rise.

She uses her in-depth understanding of nutrition and years of experience to produce organic chickens and vegetables on her farm with the aim of empowering other women to become commercial farmers.

Dr Zulu (48), who holds a doctorate in nutrition, owns a 23-hectare farm in Cullinan outside Pretoria, where she produces and agro-processes organic veggies and chickens that she supplies to several supermarkets.

When Lesedi Ledwaba (33) took over her family’s brick and stepping stone manufacturing business from her father in 2011, she didn’t anticipate that she would love the construction industry.

Ledwaba, who holds a public relations diploma from Varsity College in Pretoria, is the owner and chief executive officer of 16eTona Sand and Bricks in Garankuwa, Gauteng.

She says her journey started in her early 20s, when her father taught her entrepreneurship.

The future looks bright for Pretty Khumalo (29) from Mpumalanga, who recently qualified as a bricklayer.

Khumalo saw an advert on social media and grabbed the opportunity to make her dream of becoming a qualified bricklayer come true.

She started a learnership as part of the Artisan Development Programme, which covers trades including electrical, bricklaying and plumbing.

The programme is part of the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure’s Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP).

Sapper Nomonde Nomtsheke (28) has become the first woman to qualify as a paratrooper in the South African Engineer Corps, a division of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF).

 A paratrooper is a military parachutist who is trained to parachute during military operations and functions as part of an airborne force.

After a two-year mechanic contract ended, Tiyani Maluleke from Soweto dusted himself off and is now on the road to building a food-on-wheels empire.

The food enthusiast says he started the business after losing a car-servicing contract along with another failed business venture in manufacturing.

After four months with no income, he was dejected and ready to pack his bags and relocate to the North West when his friends convinced him otherwise.

Lisbeth Makgoro and Sonia Mashego, both 28, are well on their way to making a mark in the entertainment and events industry in their hometown of Groblersdal, Limpopo.

In 2018, the two entrepreneurs founded LSD Flexi, an events company that offers services such as party décor and jumping castles, and caters to community members, schools and church events. 

Makgoro and Mashego started the business after being unemployed for more than a year.

Suren Gopi (51), the sole owner of filtration supplier Zululand Filters, is giving more established companies a run for their money after securing two big contracts.

After an unprofitable start, Gopi approached the Small Business Enterprise Agency (SEDA) and was given the support he needed to turn his business around. Zululand Filters is now doing so well that it recently secured long-term contracts with two big Richards Bay companies, South 32 and Rio Tinto subsidiary Richards Bay Minerals. The company also provides emission services to Tongaat Huletts and Mondi.

Twenty entrepreneurs who have come up with new technologies that will help the tourism sector grow and create jobs will be given the wings they need to fly, thanks to the recently launched Tourism Technology Grassroots Innovation Incubator Programme.

The programme is run by the Department of Tourism in collaboration with the Technology Innovation Agency (TIA), an entity of the Department of Science and Innovation.

Various government programmes offer funding and guidance to help young people start or grow their businesses.

State institutions, such as the National Empowerment Fund (NEF), the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) and the Small Enterprise Development Agency (SEDA), exist to promote small business development.

They shared more about their youth-focused products during the recent Youth in Industries: Enterprise Development Support and Access to Markets webinar hosted by the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition.

NEF