The Centre Manager of the Seshego-based Limpopo Jewellery Business Incubator, Ms Tessa Ngobeni, whose business is one of the beneficiaries of the Workplace Challenge (WPC) Programme, says the programme improved their incubator and turned its fortunes around. Ngobeni was speaking at the WPC Programme workshop held y in Thohoyandou, Limpopo.
The programme, which is funded by the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (the dtic) is one of Productivity SA’s Business Transformation and Competitiveness Improvement flagship programmes. The objective of the programme is to improve the productivity and competitiveness of enterprises through improved value chain efficiencies, implementation of clusters for industrial competitiveness, and collaborative relations, amongst others.
According to Ngobeni, the WPC Programme had a positive impact on the incubator as problematic areas were easily resolved over time, resulting in improved production and efficiency.
“Since the implementation of the WPC Programme, we have witnessed some significant improvements in terms of performance and the accomplishment of key performance targets across all departments. The incubator has been able to increase its operational costs which can be rightfully interpreted as a sign of growth, moving from R4 million in the 2020/21 financial year to almost R6m in the next financial year,” said Ngobeni.
She added that the incubator has also increased its staff complement, moving from 13 staff members to 24. This includes the appointment of six technical coaches to facilitate the smooth running of the production department which oversees their learnership programme in jewellery design and manufacturing.
The Chief Executive Officer of Productivity SA, Mr Mothunye Mothiba said the three-year agreement that Productivity SA signed with the Limpopo Department of Economic Development, Environment and Tourism (LEDET), Limpopo Economic Development Agency (LEDA) and Small Enterprise Development Agency (SEDA) to promote productivity and development in Limpopo, has yielded significant results.
“In the past seven years, Productivity SA has trained 3 158 SMME and cooperatives, 1 092 of those being youth and 19 people with disabilities. Also, 124 companies, with a total of 1 677 employees, participated in the WPC Programme with the majority of the districts in the province represented,” said Mothiba.
He urged the Limpopo government to continuously work with them to improve the competitiveness and sustainability of their economies and enterprises, particularly SMMEs in both formal and informal sectors.
“Our innovative solution to transitioning our SMMEs from informal to the formal economy should include productivity, which is a key factor for competitiveness and sustainable growth, targeting those in the priority productive sectors, which intervention will also assist in resolving the high levels of informality, the consequence of which are high levels of unemployment, poverty, and inequality,” added Mothiba.
Enquiries:
Bongani Lukhele – Director: Media Relations
Tel: (012) 394 1643
Mobile: 079 5083 457
WhatsApp: 074 2998 512
E-mail: BLukhele@thedtic.gov.za
Issued by: The Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (the dtic)
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