“Through targeted training and coaching, we provide the impetus, effectively an extra push, to assist our clients (government and the private sector) in growing their businesses, plus get new ideas off the ground,” Abera (African business economic recovery agency) founder Nancy Booi said.
“Small businesses, which are our main concern, often have partnerships with large service providers.
“These relationships are governed by contracts and service levels, which may have some impact on the short-term performance, but do not do much for either organisation’s long-term strategic gain.”
Abera works hand-in-hand with small businesses, with the aim of cementing business relationships, between the government or the private sector.
She said that successful partnerships, which Abera assists in building, can support the government's vision of the economy, and result in massive job creation.
“From around 2016, there was a gradual rift in government and business working relationships.”
However, last week’s announcement by President Cyril Ramaphosa, during Business Unity SA’s recent AGM, was the light at the end of a dark tunnel.
He said that the “most critical task now is to build an inclusive economy that generates sustainable growth, creates jobs and eradicates poverty. We are equally clear that this effort requires collaboration with all social partners.”
Congress of Traditional Leaders of SA (Contralesa) chair in the Buffalo City Metro region, Nkosi Mthuthuzeli Makinana, commended Booi for choosing the partnership route that would link established businesses with smaller start-ups.
He said: “This is the ideal approach, which many emerging organisations are taking, allowing cross pollination of ideas, expertise and various forms of support services.”
Booi feels that this promise of an extended collaboration will provide a perfect growth opportunity for Abera.
Ramaphosa said that “with our far-reaching reforms gaining momentum, the second phase of our partnership with business requires a firm focus on employment creation. This is where we need to strengthen the partnership. This means supporting SMMEs and ensuring equitable access to opportunities. It is also an opportunity to create new industries and jobs while preserving our resources for future generations.”
He also called for a skilled workforce that will be the backbone of a thriving economy and appealed to business to scale up its support for this effort by providing more training, learnerships, internships, work placements and on the job training.
Booi said: “We assist in training companies to formulate their workplace skills plan, which outlines any skills gaps in a company and puts a solution in place. It forms the basis for a training plan and the training initiatives, as well as the annual training report document.”
Abera’s goal is assisting its clients, big and small, in building and consolidating relationships with a shared understanding of each organisation’s strategy and values, clarifying how the partnerships can produce solutions that yield mutually beneficial rewards.
Essential, she believes, is a well-crafted agreement on goals which will drive improvements in customer service and operational excellence within the partnerships.
“Nothing succeeds as well in accelerating speed to market than mutual goals agreements, followed by a clear way forward associated with each strategic objective.”
Partners that do not have a history must develop a formal governance and management structure that encourages regular and open communications to assist in building trust in a joint venture, she said.
“This doesn’t happen by chance; it takes a lot of training and coaching, and this is Abera’s role, and we are evaluated on its success.
“We also assist collaboration between our clients by providing assistance, through workshops and training.
“We have established a working team of retired professionals, from many sectors, who assist with the training.
“Towards the end of September, we are holding training sessions (in East London) with our experienced strategic team that has years of combined experience in training business strategy, unearthing talent and introducing proven business methods that succeed.
“The programmes will be sponsored by Absa and Old Mutual.”
Booi was born in East London, schooled at East London Technical College, studied construction at Border Technikon SA and did a skills development diploma at the Sector Education and Training Authority (Seta) in Pretoria.
She was employed by the Transkei Development Corporation in its agriculture section.
For more information on Abera training go to www.abera.co.za or info@abera.co.za.
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