Butterfield scoops franchise awards

Brenda Macqueen, FASA's Chairperson, believes that the franchising sector has always played an important part in both the empowerment and the entrepreneurial future of our economy, but is calling for the franchise sector to do much more: "The country's positive outlook that has built up over the past 10 years, with sound governance and economic stability, is finally filtering through to the man in the street who is taking that first step towards entrepreneurship and self-employment.

"While obstacles to empowerment are often linked to financing, it is just as important to create an enabling environment. Firstly, we need to change people's perception from that of needing a job to one of needing to know how to earn a living, create businesses for themselves and jobs for others."

According to Kobus Oosthuizen, Vice Chairperson of FASA, the BEE guidelines for the small business sector will be crucial to the long-term growth of the SMME secto: "The franchise sector's BEE guidelines are in place and we await the dti's small business guidelines to finalise our own scorecard. We believe that the franchise business community is, without doubt, the leader in empowerment and has a long track record of encouraging entrepreneurship, in skills transfer and in job creation."

According to Vera Valasis, Executive Director of FASA, there were a record number of entries for the FASA Awards for Excellence in Franchising.

The winners were: