The Centre for Social Entrepreneurship Rapid Incubator (CSERI) at the Durban University of Technology (DUT) recently celebrated the graduation of Small Medium Micro Enterprises (SMME) at the Durban Botanical Gardens
The graduation ceremony was a great success, honouring the remarkable achievements of Small, Medium, and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs) who demonstrated exceptional dedication and perseverance throughout CSERI’s comprehensive training and incubation programme.
The programme was facilitated by Snelisiwe Hlongwane, Marketing Officer at CSERI, who emphasised that the success of the entrepreneurs was a testament to the effectiveness of the CSERI programme and the dedication of its participants.
The Director of CSERI, Mr Solomon Nyamurima began by congratulating the graduates and warmly welcoming esteemed guests and stakeholders who attended the celebration. He expressed his excitement, noting that CSERI would soon turn 10 years old, having been established in 2015. Furthermore, he highlighted that this group of graduates had outperformed expectations.
“There were 56 SMMEs who had enrolled at the beginning of the 12-month journey, but eight had dropped out before completing the programme. The reasons for dropping out included relocation, medical reasons, and socio-economic pressure, accounting for 14.29% of the initial enrollment,” he explained.
He further announced that 48 SMMEs were graduating, representing an 85.71% success rate. He highlighted that more than 45 jobs had been created, over 300 jobs had been sustained, and more than five SMMEs were generating an annual turnover of over R1 million while employing more than five employees.
According to Nyamurima, the accumulated group annual turnover exceeded R75 million. He also reported that women-owned businesses accounted for over 50% of the graduates, with 24 out of 48 being women-owned. He also shared that youth-owned businesses made up more than 62.5% of the graduates, with 30 out of 48 being youth-owned. Additionally, he mentioned that differently abled individuals accounted for more than 4.17% of the graduates, with two out of 48 being differently abled.
“The graduating group represented a diverse mix of sectors, including construction, clothing and textiles, retail, events and décor, arts and crafts, hospitality, bakery, real estate, food and beverage, chemical manufacturing, printing and advertising, the beauty industry, creative arts, agriculture and agro-processing, ICT, hygiene, education, and manufacturing,” Nyamurima added.
The event was graced by the presence of Dr Pinkie Ntola, Interim Director of Technology Transfer and Innovation, and Ms Nontokozo Ngcobo, Innobiz DUT Centre Manager. Both esteemed guests congratulated the SMME graduates on their outstanding achievements and offered words of encouragement, urging them to remain focused and committed to driving their businesses forward.
DUT SMMEs alumnus, Siphelele Fanteso, from Siks Electrical and Security Systems, extended his warmest congratulations to the entrepreneurs on their significant milestone. He said that their dedication and perseverance had finally paid off. Fanteso noted that witnessing the new cohort’s graduation filled him with hope, as it signifies the creation of job opportunities in a country struggling with high unemployment rates.
The Business Development Officer, Brightness Nyawose, proudly revealed the top 10 entrepreneurs who excelled in their pitching who had showcased outstanding pitching skills, earning their spot among the top 10.
They were:
- G Khula Trading
- Ozel Trading
- Uthando Glow Skincare
- Handpicked Retro
- Sozigidi Trading
- Optomly
- Nokusho Events
- Favor Protection Services
- Ndlunkulu The Queen
- iTorho Technologies
Cebo Gcabashe, founder of G Khula Cleaning Services, was overjoyed to be ranked number one among the top pitchers and to be part of the prestigious Top 20 Bambelela Business Award.
“I was thrilled to receive R40,000, and I am grateful to have shared this honour with fellow awardees Cake Siphosh, June D Cakes, and Sibocali Foods. I will always appreciate the opportunities provided by DUT,” he said.
Nyawose expressed her heartfelt gratitude to the DUT for their unwavering support. She also congratulated the graduates on their outstanding success.
Nyawose also encouraged the entrepreneurs to continue excelling in their businesses as they venture into the outside world. She concluded by acknowledging the vital role of the DUT staff, saying that the support they receive from the staff makes it simple for them to work effectively. Additionally, she extended her gratitude to the Durban Botanical Gardens for continually hosting their events.
Pictured: CSERI Director, Mr. Solomon Nyamurima, Marketing Officer Snelisiwe Hlongwane, Business Development Officer Miss Brightness Nyawose, and SEDFA Representative Ms. Lulama Peter, proudly posing with the top 10 SMME graduates who excelled in their business pitching.
Phiwayinkosi Sibiya
