Four new KickStart winners for SAB programme in KwaZulu-Natal

SAB KickStart KZN winner, Masibonge Mthethwa

Mthethwa says selling packs of fresh fruit and fresh and frozen vegetables is the core business of her business. "Fruit salad is our most popular product and we supply large quantities to caterers. We are also looking at the restaurant market and down the line plan to expand into to hospitals and boarding schools."

"SAB's East Coast Region is immensely proud of all 12 of the promising young business people and thrilled at the prospect of seeing their businesses take off," said SAB executive director of corporate affairs and transformation, Dr Vincent Maphai, at the awards evening in Durban, held on Monday 7 November 2011.

In second place, Lindukuthula Mkhize.

"They are smart, imaginative and driven and we have given them the tools with which they will successfully build their businesses. This programme delivers first-class results year after year and makes a tangible difference to the lives of thousands of people all over South Africa, from the entrepreneurs themselves to the people they employ and the customers they serve - not to mention the families of those who work for the sustainable businesses that are created."

Three others winners were announced. Lindukuthula Mkhize (32) of Beauty Zone in Richards Bay won the R100 000 second prize, Ntsoaki Phali (30) of Beyond Ability Talent Solutions also in Richards Bay was third, winning R90 000 and Ntokozo Ntuli (29) of NT Design Box in Pinetown won fourth prize of R50 000.

Ntsoaki Phali of Beyond Ability Talent Solutions also in Richards Bay in third place.

SAB launched the KickStart programme in 1995 as a poverty alleviation programme, but it has subsequently become a platform to stimulate sustainable enterprise development. Specifically, it promotes business awareness through training, supplying grants as start-up capital and providing post-training mentorship and assistance during the setting up phase of the business.

Nationally the programme has since its inception supported more than 22 800 young entrepreneurs handing out grants worth R67 million which has resulted in the creation or growth of 3 200 business each employing an average of around seven people.

Ntokozo Ntuli in fourth place.

More than 83% of its entrepreneurs have reported that their businesses are growing - the turnover of KickStart businesses has increased by an average of 375%. Almost one-third supply goods and services to SAB, with many of these enterprises having grown into multi-million rand organisations employing a significant amount of people.