While Freedom Day, which is commemorated annually on 27 April, is arguably the most universally and fondly celebrated of all the South African public holidays, there is one community for whom the day has an especially profound resonance – South Africa’s entrepreneurs.
There are several reasons why many business owners feel a deep connection with Freedom Day, says Kevan Govender, Regional Investment Manager at Business Partners Limited. The first Freedom Day in 1994 marked the moment when whole industries, business districts, markets and opportunities opened up for all South African citizens. For the first time in the history of South Africa a wave of peace and optimism swept over the nation, creating an environment where all businesses could flourish.
But more important than that, says Kevan, is the fact that the career of almost all business owners is a reflection of the story of South Africa and its struggle for freedom. Building a business is a very hard, slow struggle, and someone who chooses that path can identify with the generation who fought against apartheid and colonialism. They recognise the kind of resilience shown by the struggle generation when the odds were stacked against them. Much like South Africa’s journey up to 1994, every entrepreneur strives for freedom, autonomy, and for choosing their own destiny.
Throughout his years at Business Partners Limited and even today, Kevan has witnessed the relentless struggle of countless South Africans who bravely chose the path of entrepreneurship. Many would have launched their businesses much earlier, but the constraints of apartheid policies forced them to work for someone else. The freedom gained in 1994 saw a wave of teachers, nurses and ordinary workers leave their employ to set out on their own.
Tuletu Kobo is one such entrepreneur. She became a lecturer in tourism studies in East London where she lived and channelled her entrepreneurial spirit into participating in the national struggle for freedom, Kevan recalls.
It was only after freedom was won that Tuletu dared to pursue her dream of building her own business. She found herself in a situation familiar to thousands of previously disadvantaged entrepreneurs – brimming with talent, energy, ideas and dreams, but with very few resources and facing formidable barriers to the world of business.
However, like many entrepreneurs, she adapted and innovated. Instead of competing in the luxury market, she started with a single, small guest house offering affordable stays. Gradually, she expanded by adding more rooms and buildings, turning her dream into a thriving reality.
She found in Business Partners Limited one of the few institutions that was willing to back emerging entrepreneurs based on their talent, the viability of their business plans and the track record, even if it was limited.
Finance from Business Partners Limited helped her acquire more properties to add to her portfolio, and her bright yellow buildings soon became a welcoming beacon for travelling business people and tourists. Her fastidious habit of pouring her profits back into building her business makes her a shining example of a pioneering entrepreneur, says Kevan. He says few things are more satisfying to the Investment Officers at Business Partners Limited than helping a business owner rejected by banks and seeing them succeed.
Shainil Doorjan, along with his father and brother, was on the verge of building their own hot-dip galvanizing plant in Pinetown, Durban, when disaster struck. Hurricane Katrina ravaged the south-eastern United States, where vast quantities of the world’s zinc resources are stored. As a result, the value of the metal that they needed to buy shot up from R2 million to R7 million. Their banking financiers pulled out, but Business Partners Limited was willing to finance Pinetown Galvanizing.
Normally, Business Partners Limited would want to see some business track record before approving a loan, but even though Pinetown Galvanizing only existed on paper, it was clear that the family knew what they were doing. They had lots of management experience in the industry, and their business plan was meticulously thought through. The risk Business Partners Limited took in the business paid off. Pinetown Galvanizing caught the construction wave of the 2010 FIFA World Cup and never looked back.
A major reason why entrepreneurs make such powerful Freedom Day stories is the incredible progress that some of them have made since liberation. An example, says Kevan, is Sammen Govender, who started Messenger King Couriers without any vehicles. Starting with public transport deliveries for four legal practices in Durban, Messenger King Couriers has grown into a same-day delivery service for over 800 legal practices and numerous corporate clients.
With support from Business Partners Limited, Sammen purchased his head office building. Now, he is passing the business to his son, continuing the legacy of empowerment and dignity of Freedom Day.
About the Author: Kevan Govender
