ONE OF South Africa’s top performing SOC- Telkom, is calling for entrepreneurs in the ICT sector.
This is part of Telkom FutureMakers, a Township Innovation Incubator programme that calls for ICT students in townships to submit their applications and help solve matters such as hacking and power failure, amongst others.
The 18-month virtual entrepreneurship Programme was piloted in Soweto last year, where the final cohort included eleven technology social entrepreneurs chosen from over one hundred hopefuls.
Previous winner Technology Plumbing Solutions, a technological plumbing solutions company led by Thulani Khumalo from Soweto, is a good story to tell.
At the 2022 physical graduation held at SUD eatery Orlando (Vilakazi Street) Soweto last Friday, the minister of Small Business Development Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams said: “Small businesses are the engine of the township economy. Upscaling their skills through technology will go a long way in encouraging much-needed growth, which as a spin off, leads to the creation of employment.
As a department, we profoundly appreciate this endeavour by Telkom. We also offer our full support and will work to ensure that this partnership between the department and Telkom grows from strength to strength,” said the Minister.
The Telkom FutureMakers Enterprise and Supplier Development initiative seeks to invest and develop township-based, Black-owned SMMEs in the ICT sector.
Following a successful pilot and with the current cohort graduating this July, Telkom Township Innovation Incubator Program is now recruiting for the second intake of ICT entrepreneurs across the country.
“Congratulations to the first cohort who’ve completed our pilot, and who, through the programme, accessed funding to turn their business ideas into viable and commercially ready businesses,” says Mmathebe Zvobwo, The Enterprise and Supplier Development Executive at Telkom.
“ICT is globally recognised as one of the industries that can provide tangible opportunities for employment and, more importantly, youth employment.
Following a successful pilot, to assist young entrepreneurs seize their future, we are thrilled to embark on a national roll-out in townships around the country, “concludes, Zvobwo.
Telkom has invested close to R100m in the programme.
Applications now open and close on 15 September 2022. The Programme will kick off in 1 November 2022.
Image Supplied (Minister of Small Business Development Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams –white top- in the company of Telkom’s senior representatives and other cohorts at the graduation ceremony held at SUD eatery, Soweto last Friday).
