AfriSam recently successfully opened its Supplier Development Centre in support of the company’s Enterprise Development Programme which has been implemented as part of a transformation drive in the country, especially in areas where the company operates.

The aim of the Supplier Development Programme is to identify black-owned Small, Medium and Micro Enterprises close to the company’s operations and provide these entrepreneurs with the necessary support and development for them to grow their business and ultimately be included in AfriSam’s database of registered vendors. To date, AfriSam’s Enterprise Development team has held SMME campaigns and open days with communities around the company’s Lichtenburg, Roodekrans, Roodepoort and Eikenhof operations. More communities will be included as the programme is rolled-out to other provinces in the future.

Situated on a property adjacent to AfriSam’s Roodepoort Cement operation, the Business Development Centre will also provide SMMEs with a facility where they will have access to computers that have already been set up with an accounting package that will enable them to manage their statements and invoices to their customers. The Centre for Supplier Development, a company focusing on SMME development, has been appointed to provide entrepreneurs from identified communities with training and development that will capacitate them to a level where they can do business with AfriSam and other companies.

In Lichtenburg, Motswiri Consulting has been appointed to a similar task of identifying and developing entrepreneurs from local communities around the Dudfield operations, and up skill them to a level where they operate efficient and sustainable businesses. Of the entrepreneurs that will be identified and developed in Gauteng and Lichtenburg, a short list of suppliers will be enrolled in an accelerated development programme, with the aim of ensuring that they are ready to do business with AfriSam.

“This is a wonderful example of how AfriSam lives its values of People and Planet and making a sustainable difference to the communities where we operate. Well done to the Enterprise Development team for making this happen and AfriSam looks forward to contributing towards the sustainable growth of these businesses”, says Calie Ehrke, AfriSam’s supply chain manager.