Eskom business investment

Besides launching support programmes that help sustain the growth of small businesses, Eskom provides major opportunities for these businesses to cross the next major hurdle in business development. This is the hurdle that involves gaining peer and general business recognition as well as an opportunity to build a client base.

Eskom supports these companies through its business investment programmes which consist of a business investment competition, a national business opportunity and franchise expo and a competition aimed at developing entrepreneurial skills in schools.

Eskom Business Investment Competition (2010)

The Eskom Business Investment Competition is an annual initiative which recognises the success of small and medium-sized black-owned businesses and rewards their achievements. Stringent judging criteria includes an assessment of the role the businesses have played in creating opportunities for previously disadvantaged individuals within their communities.

Winners from the agriculture, manufacturing and trade / services sector, each receive a cash prize of R100 000 to enhance their businesses, while the runners-up receive R25 000 to improve their enterprises. All finalists also get the opportunity to exhibit at the annual Business Opportunities and Franchise Expo.

In addition to this marketing opportunity, all the finalists receive energy efficiency products and the winners each qualify for energy efficiency audits and retrofits of their businesses.

The winners in 2010 were:

Ntinga Project Managers of East London in the Eastern Cape, owned by businesswoman Lungiswa Moko. The company, which won the trade / services category of the Eskom Business Investment Competition, provides project management for construction projects, from the planning phase right through to completion of projects. They also provide construction services, training and advice for emerging contractors to build capacity and strengthen their ability to compete in the highly competitive construction environment.

Na-Hu Farming in Mphahlele, in Limpopo, won the agricultural category and was represented by Ezekiel Madigoe. Na-Hu Farming specialises in planning and establishing agricultural projects; plant nutrition; harvesting; water quality management; pest control; food safety; production management; agri-business consulting and production management. The company also sells agricultural equipment, chemicals, seeds and fertilisers and is a leading supplier of fresh chickens to hospitals, restaurants, prisons and resellers.  Article - Farming SA