| The Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry, Ms Nomalungelo Gina has hailed the Founder and Executive Chairman of the Masingita Group of Companies, Mr Mike Nkuna as a visionary and inspirational business leader who defied all the odds to succeed in his property development business ventures. Gina was delivering a keynote speech at the official opening of the Makhado Crossing Mall in Limpopo today. The mall was built by the Masingita Group of Companies at a cost of R500 million.
Gina said it was companies such as the Masingita Group of Companies that should be hoisted high in the public domain in order to inspire other black businesspeople and show them that the zeal, hard work, resilience and determination breed success.
“For you to establish a successful business in the 1980s against all the odds stacked against black people who ventured into business during that trying period confirms your zeal, resilience and determination. You belong to the prestigious league of those pioneering and celebrated entrepreneurs such as Richard Maponya, Don Mkhwanazi Herman Mashaba, Sam Motseunyane and Lydia Mzoneli. Their businesses were restricted into townships and rural areas with no prospects for real growth. But many of them survived because of hard work and resilience. With that, we want to salute you Mr Mike Nkuna, you are an inspiration to the many prospective black African corporate citizens,” said Gina
She added that the 32 000 square metre mall, which will house 83 stores including Checkers, Pick ‘n Pay, Woolworths and Dischem, was strategically located on the trade route that connects South Africa and other African countries in the north.
Gina said she was glad that companies that have occupied space in the mall would be contributing in creating employment for the people of Makhado and surrounding areas. More than 1 500 direct and indirect jobs are expected to be created during the mall’s full operation.
“However, I challenge owners of the supermarkets that are operating in the mall to contribute in growing the agro-businesses of Makhado in a sustainable way by procuring agricultural products from local producers instead of sourcing them from faraway places and transporting them to their Makhado-based shops,” said Gina.
The Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry, Ms Nomalungelo Gina and the Executive Chairman of the Masingita Group of Companies, Mr Mike Nkuna during the opening of the Makhado Crossing Mall.
Enquiries:
Sidwell Medupe-Departmental Spokesperson
Tel: (012) 394 1650
Mobile: 079 492 1774
E-mail: MSMedupe@thedti.gov.za
Issued by: The Department of Trade and Industry
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