CAPE TOWN - Western Cape entrepreneurs have been awarded for their contribution to creating jobs and growing the province's economy in a competition which attracted 133 entries.
The winners across categories including woman-owned business, youth-owned business and most innovative business, among others, were announced at an event hosted by the department of economic development and tourism.
Sivu Nobulali and Justice Mongo received the business of the year accolade for their enterprise, Ziyahlanjwa Laundry Services, which started in 2010 as a home-based service in Khayelitsha but now employs 18 people.
The annual awards aim to celebrate entrepreneurs who have been innovative, brave and 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,” the province's minister of finance and economic opportunities, David Maynier, said.
He said the Western Cape government had been working hard to create an enabling environment for the private sector to drive economic growth and job creation, and to back small businesses in particular.
“We have a lot to be proud of, but there is still more work to do, and we are focused, even in this time where many people have lost hope or have lost trust in government, on actually ‘getting stuff done’ in the Western Cape," said Maynier.
- African News Agency (ANA)
