Work place challenge programme changed fortunes for a Limpopo jewellery incubator

The Centre Manager of Limpopo Jewellery Business Incubator, Ms Tessa Ngobeni whose jewellery business is one of the beneficiaries for the Workplace Challenge (WPC) programme through the Kaizen competitive business strategy, says the programme changed and improved their Jewellery Business Incubator and turned its fortunes around. Ngobeni was speaking at the WPC programme workshop held today 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, which aims to improve the Productivity and Competitiveness of Enterprises through improved value chain efficiencies, implementation of clusters for industrial competitiveness, collaborative relations, continuous improvement and establishment of model companies to disseminate processes and lessons.

According to Ngobeni, the Kaizen strategy has had a positive impact in their organisation and problematic areas that were identified previously were easily resolved over time.

“Since the implementation of the Kaizen Programme, we have witnessed some significant improvements in terms of performance and the accomplishment of key performance Indicators 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 129 639.00 in the 2020/21 financial year to R5 905 035.00 in the next financial year,” said Ngobeni.

Ngobeni added that the incubator has also increased its staff complement, moving from 13 staff members to 24 this includes the appointment of 6 technical coaches to facilitate the smooth running of the production department which oversees our Learnership Programme in Jewellery Design and Manufacturing.
“With regard to funds sourced to sustain or maintain the incubator, particularly its two key programmes the Small, Medium and Micro Enterprise (SMME) Development, and a Learnership Programme in Jewellery Design and Manufacturing, the incubator managed to raise R4 373 776.00 in the 2020/21 financial year and increased to R6 093 113.00 in the next financial year,” she added.

The Chief Executive Officer of Productivity SA, Mr Mothunye Mothiba said the three-year agreement Productivity SA signed with 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 Province, has really yielded significant results.

“In the past seven years, Productivity SA has implemented and trained 3158 SMME and cooperatives, 1092 of those being youth and 19 people with disabilities. Also, 124 companies, with a total of 1677 employees participated in the WPC programme with majority of districts in the province represented,” said Mothiba.

Mothiba urged 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 operating in the priority productive sectors.

“Our innovative solution to transitioning our SMMEs from informality 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,” he said.

Speaking at the same event, The Director for Incentives at the dtic, Mr Donald Mabusela encouraged entrepreneurs to access incentives that can create capacity and innovation aimed at growing their business.

Mabusela highlighted the success of Aquaculture Development and Enhancement Programme, Support Programme for Industrial Innovation and Technology and Human Resource for Industry Programme in the province that have already assisted entrepreneurs in farming and manufacturing.

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