Special economic zone (SEZ) the Coega Development Corporation (CDC) has welcomed Mhlobiso Group subsidiary Mhlobiso Concrete to Zone 5 of the Coega SEZ.

Mhlobiso Concrete is supported by its sister companies, Mantishe Construction, Mhlobiso Plant Hire, Mhlobiso Asphalt, Mhlobiso Transport and Mhlobiso Properties, and will serve as a strategic fit in the existing group of businesses to deliver an integrated construction service to their customer base, says Mhlobiso Concrete owner and manager Tando Mhlobiso.

In 2009, Mhlobiso was a CDC small, medium-sized and microenterprise (SMME) Development Programme recipient.

“I registered Mantishe construction under the Coega SMME Development Programme in late 2009. Mantishe Construction is now grade 6CE and recently registered 6SB, which is classified as highly specialised works,” he says.

Mhlobiso started small, with a vision and a plan.

“It took me a good 16 years to get to where I am. I employ 150 employees across Mhlobiso Group. All our permanent employees have pension fund savings and medical aid allowance to secure their livelihoods in retirement including their health needs, this is something I’m deeply proud of,” he says.

The Coega SMME Development Programme assists SMMEs to become sustainable through raising awareness and encouraging BBBEE compliance; assisting BEE certificate attainment under the amended codes; and promoting the advancement of suppliers within the CDC’s supply chain.

“The SMME training was aggressive and at times stressful because the site was live and there were timeframes attached to the works, all these things I had to understand very quickly. When the project was done, I knew this was what I wanted to do, and I was ready take on the world, I was determined to make this work,” he notes.

Mhlobiso Concrete has already created 15 permanent jobs with indications of expansion in the future. and Mhlobiso also plans to introduce technical youth training programmes.

“Dreams without goals are just dreams. Without commitment, you’ll never start; without consistency, you’ll never finish. Sometimes, it takes certain things to fall apart for better things to fall into place and regardless of your circumstances, push to be the person you were meant to be. No one said it was going to be easy, but I promise, there is no greater satisfaction than turning nothing into something,” he says.