The property market in South Africa remains unfavourable for real estate agents and sellers following years of low price growth and stagnant sales. However, this depressed market provides many opportunities for investors, provided that the properties are carefully chosen with thorough due diligence and a long-term investment plan in mind. This is according to Christo Botes, Executive Director at Business Partners Limited (BUSINESS/PARTNERS) who says that the depressed property landscape is the result of several factors, with the most significant being the overall anaemic state of the South African economy. “With household spending under stress, businesses under pressure, an overall unemployment rate of 27.7% and GDP growth of below 2%, investors with large deposits and financiers eager to extend property loans are scarce – especially following the recent downgrade of South Africa’s long-term foreign currency debt to BB from BB+ by S&P Global,” Botes says. He adds that real

BACKGROUND Mzansi Meals was launched at the back end of 2016 and has just recently moved into the franchising space. At Mzansi Meals they have made it their mission to feed the working class. While many establishments focus on creating meals that most of our country cannot afford, Mzansi Meals focuses on providing the working class with better meal options that will not break the bank. The focus is on local flavours-to-go, bringing the traditional African meals that the people have grown up with to their doorstep. In short, Mzansi Meals is attempting to formalise the informal food industry. Their vision is to provide business opportunities for members of the local communities to upskill and enrich themselves while providing the working class with quality meals. In addition to establishing a franchise footprint, Mzansi Meals is looking to partner with big building contractors, factories or companies/individuals hosting traditional weddings or funerals — in effect, anyone who has

By Chantalle Bell Kids need to be taught about the value and appreciation of money from an early age - how to do this and when to do this is often the question. Luckily children learn fast, as they are incredibly inquisitive and even more so when they start to see how to reap the benefits of their hard work and savings. “Introducing kids to money and how it works should begin at home. We want to avoid sending our youth out into the world without a good working knowledge of how finances function. Preparing them fully for the rigors of investing, credit, mortgages and all the other facets of our day to day living” says Craig Hutchison, CEO Engel & Völkers Southern Africa . Why kids should know about how to work with money It’s never too early to help your kids develop good financial habits and teach them to practice smart money management.Teaching children the fundamentals about earning and saving, and how to deal with money from an early age, will be extremely beneficial to

Khangelani Mfana with top student Siphokazi Zaku On a recent winter's afternoon the Thusong Community Center was filled with an excited bustle as 12 youngsters graduated from the Paarl franchise of Silulo Ulutho Technologies , where they had recently completed of an End User Computing course. The look of pride on each face spoke of the exciting possibilities that education promises. In an emotionally charged ceremony each person received their hard won certificates from Rev Maxwell Miselo, who recognised the effort and commitment they had made. He blessed their goals of reaching their true potential and creating a better future for their families and the community at large. It is no coincidence that the host of the event was Khangelani Mfana, whose own entrepreneurial journey started similarly. His path to entrepreneurship commenced in 2010 when he entered the local internet café as a polite customer needing to photocopy his identity document. He liked the way people treate

BACKGROUND Perfect Water was established as a joint venture between two independent brands, Perfect Water and Absolutely Water, to create a business model positioned at the top echelons of water purification and related equipment distribution in Africa. With an established footprint in South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe and Swaziland, Perfect Water is aggressively pursuing growth opportunities to extend its operations countrywide and into Africa. THE CONCEPT  The Perfect Water franchise opportunity comprises several business models defined as Perfect Water Agent, Perfect Water Shop, Perfect Ice add-on, Perfect Juice (which forms part of the shop), and Perfect Water Bar. In addition to supplying purified and/or prepared water to the public, Perfect Water is the sole distributor of the world-leading Pure-Pro water systems in sub-Saharan Africa. The Perfect Water Shop has the opportunity to set-up additional water bars in existing shops in their licensed franchise area. Per

One of the best ways to ensure your business develops and prospers, is to maximise the skills of everyone you employ. Whether that requires greater levels of technical skills right through to improved product knowledge, the Bosch Technical Training Programme has a training course from which you and your staff can benefit, covering key aspects of servicing, technical diagnosis and systems training, the Bosch courses have been constructed specifically to meet the needs of Vehicle Workshops. To succeed in today's aftermarket, the service specialist must meet the sophisticated requirements of advanced technologies and deliver a quality of service that satisfies the most demanding customers. The scope and quality of these services are ultimately dependent upon the skills and ability of the workshop technician, who is responsible for the application of information, skill and equipment to diagnose and resolve problems. The key to this process being achieved effectively is the underpin

The team from Pietermaritzburg Kim Broom and Africa Msimango took over the Cash Converters branch in Victoria Centre, Pietermaritzburg, on 1 November 2018 as part of the Kutana Group ’s corporate social development. “Kutana’s leadership is committed to BEE and sustainable growth through responsible investments,” says CEO Thoko Mokgosi-Mwantembe. “As a Pan-African investment company focused on delivering significant shareholder value while contributing to economic and social transformation, we see great development opportunities within the Cash Converters model for both Kim and Africa as well as ourselves.” This is the first experience of franchising for both Kim and Africa, who both come from marketing backgrounds. “We believe this franchise offers good products at great prices,” says Kim. “Taking over has been hectic and a huge learning curve for us but we have had wonderful support from the franchisor.” Africa sees this business opportunity as an important stepping s

Kurt Loggenberg The advantages of owning a franchise for the first-time entrepreneur While many tout the franchise model as an excellent way for an enthusiastic entrepreneur to dip their toes in the business arena, finding the right franchise can be complicated. The Bed Shop franchise model offers franchisees the opportunity to bring their own distinct qualities to the business, while still receiving the full support of the company. The Bed Shop franchise concept was created to provide a dedicated, nationwide distribution network. Today, with 100 franchise outlets and agencies, Dynamic Bedding is the biggest factory-to-market bedding specialist franchise in South Africa. What can you expect when buying into The Bed Shop franchise of? One of their biggest advantages is the low capital insets required from the franchisee when setting up shop. The set-up cost is averaged at R500 000, which also includes the initial franchisee fee. The stores turnover is estimated to be at around

It is the hottest event on the South African business calendar, with over 250 exhibitors and 100 sessions and seminars. Now, the largest event in Africa for anyone starting or growing a business, the NSBC Summit presents an unmissable opportunity for anyone looking to kick-start their own business, or to take the next step to growth and success. “As we enter our 10th year, we anticipate an excellent turnout of delegates, all of which will benefit from hundreds of exhibitors, seminars and sessions. It’s why the NSBC Summit is the much-anticipated entrepreneurial event and the most successful show of its kind in Africa. It’s the place to be, to learn and how to get ahead,” says Mike Anderson, NSBC Founder and CEO. The NSBC Summit takes place on 21 and 22 February 2018 at the Gallagher Convention Centre, Johannesburg. Anderson says that each interactive exhibit, event, seminar, panel discussion and presentation is an ideal platform to gain valuable, practical insights to grow, learn,

Rudolph du Toit and his team Rudolph du Toit became so enthusiastic about shopping at Cash Converters that he bought a franchise, opening the first shop in the group in Hermanus on 8 December 2017. “I love second-hand goods and I thought it would be great to have my own shop,” he says. “I love the Cash Converters franchise model. I believe it is a perfect match for me.” Rudolph is originally from Paarl. Having qualified as a winemaker, he has since spent his working life so far in marketing with SFW and Distell. He moved to Onrus in November. “I am keen to put down new, long-term roots in Hermanus,” Du Toit says. “I have been coming to Hermanus for years on holiday and I already know that this is where I should like to retire.” Before that happens, Du Toit is keen to build his franchise and already plans to expand his start-up staff from seven to 10 in the New Year. “I feel the potential for a Cash Converters is definitely here and so is the mix of customers,” he says. “I lov

BACKGROUND It was their shared appreciation for the classic and quality things in life that inspired husband and wife team Mark and Melissa to create a brand that champions these values. Driven by popular demand, the business has expanded into 19 stores nationwide with more national stores in the pipeline. Today, Mark and Melissa continue to be involved in driving all aspects of this multi-faceted business. The company has entered a very exciting phase of growth driven by new franchised stores, an extensive wholesale division supplying franchised stores and over 300 national retailers, as well as an e-commerce platform. Additional business units include exports, corporate gifting and hospitality. THE CONCEPT  Melissa’s offers a unique café and retail experience for discerning customers with an eye for quality and an appreciation for the finer details. The company is continually researching, developing and evolving their offering to ensure that the brand remains ahead of the cur

Khanya Okumu By Khanya Okumu, Enterprise and Supplier Development Specialist at Old Mutual I think we can all agree that the funding of small businesses is only part of the solution. What is possibly more important (as an enabler) is the initial assessment of the level and adequacy of skills existing within new or developing enterprises and to evaluate what further skills development or training is required to ensure a firm business foundation and sustainable growth is achieved. A study by StatsSA which surveyed households and obtained evidence relating to skills development and unemployment between 1994 and 2014 showed the following: During this time frame across the South African working population of households there was an increase in skilled labour (21% to 25%), with a shift away from semi and low-skilled labour. What is interesting to note in the growth of skilled labour is the disparity within the different race groups. *For the purpose of this analysis, the occupat

Kobus Engelbrecht Key elements of a business to review in preparation for the New Year 2017 has, to say the least, been a volatile year for the small business community. But as the year draws to a close and many businesses start to wind down, entrepreneurs should be encouraged to review the year that was and analyse how the business performed as this can be the driving force behind any new developments or goals that should be set for 2018. Kobus Engelbrecht, spokesperson for the 2017 Entrepreneur of the Year® competition sponsored by Sanlam and BUSINESS/PARTNERS , says that many entrepreneurs have had to battle against a number of economic headwinds this year which could have either brought challenges or opportunities for their business. “The economy slipped in and out of a technical recession, South Africa experienced multiple downgrades amid political turmoil, consumer confidence declined and disposable income among business’ customer bases likely experienced strain as a r

BACKGROUND Nkukhu Box is a home-grown concept that embraces African township culture and speaks to the now Kasi generation. The Nkukhu Box philosophy is to offer service on par with international standards, essentially ‘bringing the world’s best to our own’. Assembled from specially designed shipping containers, Nkukhu Box offers franchisees a reduced set-up cost and a business model that circumvents long-term binding lease contracts with expensive rentals and reduces operational expenses. THE CONCEPT  The Nkukhu Box competitive advantage lies in the fact that they prepare familiar, local food using state-of-the-art equipment and carefully engineered sauces and flavours. Product quality is ensured through a frequent food testing and continual investment in the company’s central distribution kitchens and training centres. In addition to quality meals, Nkukhu Box provides a township lifestyle eating experience while delivering international standards. Grilled chicken, which is