WCERA 2019: A hotbed of innovation and impact | Western Cape Government

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WCERA 2019: A hotbed of innovation and impact

29 November 2019

Now in its second year, the Western Cape Entrepreneurship Recognition Awards (WCERA) celebrates the hard work of entrepreneurs and their contribution to job creation and economic growth in the Western Cape.

This year, over 133 entries were received within the six categories, with the winners announced at an event held at Old Mutual Park in Cape Town on Thursday, 28 November.

Congratulations to all the WCERA winners:

Category

Company name

Owner

Youth-owned Business: Winner

Marimba Jam

Kiara Ramklass

Youth-owned Business: Runner-up

Inseco

Simon Hazell and Jack Chennels

Woman-owned Business: Winner

Empowerlink Services

Terine Lott-Cupido

Woman-owned Business: Runner-up

The Loudhailer Communications

Caithlin Nash and Jo Griffiths

Township Business: Winner

Ziyahlanjwa Laundry Services

Sivu and Justice Mongo

Township Business: Runner-up

4Roomed eKasi Culture

Abigail Mbalo

Social Enterprise: Winner

Kidz Positive

Beatrice Delpierre

Social Enterprise: Runner

The Joinery

Natalie and Kim Ellis

Most Innovative Business: Winner

Digemy

Kobus Louw

Most Innovative Business: Runner-up

TAB IT Solutions

Aneesa Cader and Mogamat Abrahams

Emerging Business: Winner

Kombucha Culture Lab

Amy Murray and Jacques van Zyl

Emerging Business: Runner-up

Get Ready Start

Verna and Craig Christian

 

Special congratulations to Sivu and Justice Mongo who won the title of “Business of the Year”. Their business, Ziyahlanjwa Laundry Services, started in 2010 as a home-based laundry service in Khayelitsha, but today employs 18 people, servicing clients such as Shosholoza Meyl and De Beers Marine. A well-deserved winner!

WCERA is an annual event that aims to celebrate and recognise those entrepreneurs who have been innovative, who have been brave, and who are making an impact in their communities.

We support and encourage these entrepreneurs, because the brave leap into the unknown, that is required to start a new business, often results in innovation, in competition, in the disruption of industries and in the new ideas that we need to grow the economy and create jobs in the Western Cape.

We have worked hard, harder than any other province, to create an enabling environment for the private sector, and for the markets, to drive economic growth and job creation, and to back business, especially small businesses, in the Western Cape.

We have a lot to be proud of, but there is still more work to do, and we are focused, even in this time were many people have lost hope, or who have lost trust in government, on actually “getting stuff done” in the Western Cape.

We will, going forward, back business by being responsive to business, by being open for the business, so that we can, together, continue to grow the economy and create jobs, and give hope to people, who do not have jobs, or who have given up looking for jobs, in the Western Cape.

For more information and to see more photos please visit: https://www.westerncape.gov.za/general-publication/western-cape-entrepreneurship-recognition-awards-2019

Media Enquiries: 

Francine Higham
Spokesperson for the Provincial Minister of Finance and Economic Opportunities
(Responsible for the Provincial Treasury and the Department of Economic Development and Tourism)
Tel: 021 483 4327
Cell: 071 087 5150
Email: francine.higham@westerncape.gov.za