GrowSA News September

N E W S L E T T E R EDITION 6 | September 2020



Monthly GrowSA
Stakeholder Publication











“Agritourism is win-win in
all meanings of the word. ” INSIDETHEPAGES
Read more on Agritourism
Africa on page 3

Page2

How to overcome a crisis


Page4

Theworldofwomenin
agriculture

Page7


Alfreda Mars shares her secrets on Anewwaytoexperience
how to succeed in the world of agriculture
agriculture as a woman on page 4
Page8

AplatformtohelpSME’s
recover
Page9

Family-ownedbusinessin
perspective

Page11
Boplaas-oneoftheoldest
familybusiness’sinSA






Learn more about the Na�onal Youth Show
hosted by Agri-Expo on page 7





September | GROWSA MONTHLY NEWS 1

E D I T O R I A L
FACETHEMUSIC

Celebra�ng our past, looking into the future You can no longer pretend that the crisis is just a bad dream, a nightmare you will
wake up from. You know that you and your business are in trouble – what now?
September, being the month in which we celebrate In the words (from Alice in Wonderland), ‘You can only over-come the
our heritage, I looked at quotes on the topic. It was Jabberwocky by looking it in the eye.”
interes�ng to see how many of the quotes related
to respect, trees, and soil – exactly the themes we You will only overcome the crisis by facing it and star�ng to take ac�on. One of
cover in this edi�on of the GrowSA News.
the primary reasons why people get depressed and burned-out is because they
do not acknowledge the situa�on they find themselves in, nor do they start
The Irish have a proverb that says, “People without
knowledge of their past is like a tree without roots,” addressing it.
and an anonymous thinker said, “To forget the
genera�ons that came before you, is like a river You will only overcome the crisis by facing it and start taking ac�on. Here are a
forge�ng its source and a tree forge�ng its roots.” few steps you can take to overcome the crisis:
Our own Madiba said, “I dream of the vast deserts, 1. The first thing to do is to accept the reality. Acknowledge the fact that your
the forests, and all of the wilderness of our
con�nent, wild places that we should protect as a business is in trouble and the consequences might be dire. Stop wallowing
precious heritage for our children and our children’s in your misery - you did not make a mistake and that the customer is not
children.” going to pay. In fact, non of this ma�ers now - stop was�ng �me and energy
on that, it might sound harsh, but that is the best thing you can do. Know
In this edi�on, we cover the principles of sustaining you are not the only one that is going through this at the moment.
a family business for the future, and we also tell
the story of Boplaas – the oldest family business in 2. Strange as it might sound, you should immediately start planning your
South Africa. The core of both these ar�cles is that financial recovery. However, if you plan a journey in unchartered territory
strong posi�ve values will build and sustain your
family business. you need to plan properly. For many entrepreneurs the situa�on caused by
COVID is unchartered territory. You need to plan, and plan well, because you
The ar�cle on argi-tourism, on agri-expos, and do not have the luxury of �me.
being a female farmer also brought me under the
impression of the importance that we must protect 3. Be open, share the reality with your staff and your family. It will not be nice,
our farms and create opportuni�es for people who but the sooner you do that, the sooner your stress will be under control and
do not have the privilege of staying in a rural area you can get to work. If you have to close your business and retrench your
to experience farms and nature, and in the words staff, work with a labour consultant to ensure that you follow the right
of Jacqui – to dirty our feet.
processes. Be honest with your family, make them part of the solu�on.
I want to leave you with a beau�ful quote, in line
with the quote from Madiba, I got from a book on 4. Make a list of all your remaining assets, your debt, what you can definitely
the philosophy of the Na�ve Americans. “…we expect to come in, how much money you and your family need just to
always have to keep in mind the Seventh survive and what is your credit ra�ng. You will need this informa�on for
Genera�on to come. It’s our job to see that the future conversa�ons.
people coming ahead, the genera�ons s�ll unborn,
have a world no worse than ours. When we walk 5. Talk, but talk to the right people. Banks have financial and business advisors
upon Mother Earth, we must always plant our feet
carefully because we know the future of our future available to assist you to develop your recovery plan. Your insurance agent
genera�ons is looking up at us. We must never will also be a helpful resource. You may be amazed at where help will be
forget them.” available from.
6. Be disciplined and stay posi�ve. You will want to fall back into your state of
misery, but don’t – keep to the plan you and your advisors developed.
Closing your business is a journey you are on at the moment, keep your eyes
on this road.
7. Start a new plan. This might just be the opportunity you wished for to do
something totally different. And again, it will start with a plan…What is the
end-goal of your new journey…what do you need to get there and by when
do you plan to be there?

Bon voyage!



EDITORIAL CONTACT DETAILS

BusinessDNA

+ (27) 76 966 9032
Dr. Amanda Hamilton-A�well,
Execu�ve Editor [email protected]
www.businessdna.co.za


September | GROWSA MONTHLY NEWS 2

I N D U S T R Y F E A T U R E

AGRITOURISM



SUSTAININGOURRURALCOMMUNITIESANDOURSOULS





























Jacqui Taylor, founder and CEO of the non-profit organisa�on Agritourism Africa
Agritourism is a win-win situa�on in all meanings According to Jacqui, the most important benefit of
of the word. Not only does it provide another agritourism is the fact that it sustains rural towns and
value stream for farms and the people that rural communi�es. Families who would have had to
move to ci�es in the hope of a job who do not stay on a
already live on the farm that is easy to embark on,
farm, can now remain in the rural town and offer
it also provides the city dwellers with
products and services to the tourists visi�ng the area.
opportuni�es to “get their feet dirty” in the words
of Jacqui Taylor, founder and CEO of the non-profit It thus provides addi�onal value streams to rural
organisa�on Agritourism Africa. communi�es, villages, and farmers. It furthermore
enables the sharing of our agricultural heritage and rural
Agritourism, says Jacqui, is a growing interna�onal
lifestyle with local and interna�onal visitors.
sustainable tourism experience. It refers to any tourist
ac�vity happening on an ac�ve farm and linked to the “We must sustain the sense of community, of
farm’s ac�vi�es. people caring for each other.”
This can include ac�vi�es such as milking cows at the
dairy, shearing wool, harves�ng crops, culling herds, COVID-19 influenced agritourism like it influenced all
using agricultural implements, tas�ng and buying farm businesses in South Africa. However, when the tourists
produce. Using the farm’s resources for game viewing, were not there to buy the produce, the food was handed
birding, biking, hiking and fishing are all part of out, and people did not go hungry, even though they did
Agritourism. Boarding and lodging on the farm is a bonus not have any income. And when the people could start
but not a necessity. moving within their provinces, they flocked to the farms

Agritourism Africa is the link between tourists interested in search of space, fresh air, and being close to nature.
in a South African farm experience and all the role Farmers and farming communi�es interested in ge�ng
players in Agritourism.
involved in agritourism should make Agritourism Africa
It serves as an informa�on hub highligh�ng tourism their first port of call. A�er star�ng Agritourism Africa
experiences on farms across Africa, and it is also a source four years ago as an NGO, Jacqui has gained a wealth of
of advice for farmers interested in crea�ng a farm knowledge. She will evaluate your business plan and help
experience for tourists. In this regard, it provides advice do the right things to ensure that your business is a
and guidance to their members, assists with marke�ng success. Jacqui is passionate about sustaining rural
and promo�ons, and represents Agritourism at communi�es, “we must sustain the sense of community,
governmental, tourism, and organized agricultural
of people caring for each other,” says Jacqui.
ins�tu�ons.
Interested in ge�ng involved in Agritourism? Go to September | GROWSA MONTHLY NEWS 3
their website www.agritourismafrica.com

I N D U S T R Y P E R S O N L A I T Y

SUCCEEDINGINAGRICULTUREASAWOMAN




































Alfreda Mars, grain and sheep farmer from Moorreesburg
“Success never comes easy, and for a single woman in farming it is an uphill ba�le, but
it is possible,” says Alfreda Mars, grain and sheep farmer from Moorreesburg.

Making a mindset change from being a small-scale farmer who just farms to provide for your family to
being a commercial farmer, running the farm as a business, was the turning point for Alfreda, who farms
on Middelpos 946. She acquired the land in 2013 as part of the PLAS-program. The farm is 226 ha, and
she cul�vates 70% with grain and 30% with sheep. Since she acquired the farm, the grain produc�on
increased from 1,1 ton/ha to 2,9ton/ha, and the percentage of lambs increased from 89% to 112%.

“Training and prac�cal experience are extremely important if you want to be succesful, and one should
use the resources at your disposal,” says Alfreda.

In addi�on to this, advisors are of cri�cal importance. A hands-on advisor would assist the farmer in
addressing the challenges experienced in their unique environment. She also feels that farmers in the
same area should act as accountability partners to one another, and especially the new small farmer
since they are acquainted with the agricultural environment in the area.

Alfreda is the only women of colour who is a grain commercial farmer in the Western Cape. She
advocates for land and credit opportuni�es to be made more easily accessible for women in agriculture.
Access to finance is a par�cular challenge for single women as the qualifying criteria do not cater for
them, and if they are married, the standing of their partner might disqualify them. To overcome this,
Alfreda feels, “the proof is in the pudding, build your reputa�on to prove your capabili�es to financial
ins�tu�ons.”

Alfreda is an execu�ve team member of Grain SA, and she is part of a team that is crea�ng a pla�orm to
support women of colour in agriculture specifically.


WOULD YOU LIKE TO ADVERTISE?
September | GROWSA MONTHLY NEWS 4
GrowSA News will be published monthly in an electronic format by BusinessDNA, the communica�on partner of
GrowSA. To place your adver�sement, contact Kamilla Venter at + (27) 76 966 9032 or [email protected].

Presents




SurvivingRetrenchment







OneDayOn-LineSummit










































Registernowforyoursponsored

accessticket









September | GROWSA MONTHLY NEWS 5

G R O W S A P A R T N E R

WITHMENTALILLNESSONTHERISE,DISSABILITY

INSURANCEISALIFELINE

The mental health fallout of COVID-19 has hit
working adults hard, leaving them – and their
loved ones – financially vulnerable. A new kind
of disability insurance from Old Mutual offers to
reduce financial anxiety when you can’t earn so
you can focus on ge�ng be�er.

As evidence of a sharp spike in mental illness
con�nues to mount, there is li�le doubt that
we’re living through a profound global trauma.
The full extent of the crisis is yet to become
clear, but we do know that more and more
people are unable to work due to stress,
anxiety, depression and other mental disorders.

According to Karabo Ramookho, Old Mutual’s
Strategic Retail Marke�ng Manager, mental
illnesses were already on the rise, even before
Covid-19, and she predicts further increases in
2020.

“Knowing you have good disability Old Mutual’s 2019 personal cover claim sta�s�cs
show that the insurer has paid out 59% more in
insurance can reduce some of the psychiatric disorder claims under disability

anxiety of not being able to provide income cover, since 2016.
83% of the claimants were between 30 and 50
for your family – which, in turn, can years old, with major depression cited in 62% of
only be good for your mental health,” the psychiatric claims. There can be no doubt
that the significant pressures of 2020 will take
says Ramookho. its toll on this already emba�led group.

When you suffer a major mental health setback,
good disability insurance can make all the
difference when it comes to recovery. Old
Mutual’s Disability Income Cover is part of a
ground-breaking new range of personal cover
that responds to your individual needs and
budget. It provides up to 24 monthly payments
if you are impaired, unable to work or can’t take
care of yourself due to an illness (including
mental illness) or injury. This benefit means you
can con�nue to take care of your dependents
and meet your financial commitments.

What’s more, you can add the Income Extender
Benefit to extend these monthly payments, as
recovering from a mental illness can take �me.
Find out more at www.oldmutual.co.za/personal-cover or
speak to your financial adviser.
September | GROWSA MONTHLY NEWS 6

I I N D U S T R Y P A R T N E R
AGRI-EXPO ANEWWAYTOEXPERIENCEAGRICULTURE




The Cape of Good Hope Agricultural Society was “The pandemic is a reality with dire consequences.
established in 1831 when a group of farmers came We just need to manage these challenges because
together to showcase their products, award prizes, and it creates endless opportuni�es,” states Johan.
socialise. This was soon followed by the first wine show in
1833 and in 1834 when the first Dairy Championships Collabora�on is extremely important to Agri-Expo. In
was presented. addi�on to the close coopera�on they have with various
agricultural organisa�ons, they also have excellent
In 1996, a�er they sold the Goodwood Showgrounds, the rela�onships with local and provincial governments such
Cape of Good Hope Agricultural Society registered Agri- as the Western Cape Department of Agriculture.This
Expo as a trademark and bought Sandringham Farm, collabora�ve business approach resulted in, amongst
Stellenbosch, with vineyards, guava orchards, and open others, the South African Cheese Fes�val that was
space for exhibi�ons. established in 2002.

















What started as an event with 3000 people grew to the
largest culinary event in, Africa with an audience of
30 000, also one of the first outdoor events that took the
decision to limit the number of daily visitors. This year,
the SA Cheese Fes�val as a virtual event was just as big a
success.
Johan Ehlers, CEO of Agri-Expo
When a few agricultural socie�es iden�fied the need to
Today, Agri-Expo is a professional promo�on and involve the youth in ac�vi�es to cul�vate an affinity for
marke�ng organisa�on for the agriculture sector, agriculture, the Na�onal Youth Show was founded in
focussing on exhibi�ons and public rela�ons ini�a�ves. 1998, with Agri-Expo as one of the founding partners.
Sandringham is the home of the SA Cheese Fes�val, Agri- Youth Shows are now hosted in all nine provinces and in
Expo Livestock, Die Groot Plaasproe, and several other the Western Cape, Agri-Expo is s�ll a partner and avid
agricultural and related shows and expos. supporter of the Western Cape Youth Show movement.
“The COVID-19 pandemic and the lockdown of the When asked what advice he would give to new entrants
country also had a huge impact on Agri-Expo’s to the agriculture market, he was adamant that the first
ac�vi�es, as with all other industries, but it created thing they need is to get a mentor and surround
new opportuni�es. themselves with people with knowledge and experience.
He also believes in the magic of networks, and more
The Agri-Expo Qualité Awards Func�on of the networks, and then some more networking!
South African Dairy Championships was scheduled
Johan also advises young people in the industry to take
th
for the 26 of March 2020, and within 7 days, Agri-
well-calculated risks and make the most of all the
Expo created their first ever online event and s�ll
resources available.
kept to the original date,” says Johan Ehlers, CEO of
Agri-Expo. A�er the success of the Qualité Awards, the And his last bit of advice is: “Start small, but dream big
South African Cheese Fes�val also went virtual. and put yourself out there.”
Johan Ehlers, CEO Agri-Expo


September | GROWSA MONTHLY NEWS 7

SME go








APLATFORMTOHELPSME’SRECOVER




“Through streamlining the
“SMEgo was initially designed to be an online, process, SMEgo not only
centralised funding application platform for SME’s. facilitates the growth of our
But by increasing access to finance and simplifying struggling SMMEs but also
the application process, SMEgo became a bridge
between funders and SMME owners”, says Rowan assists in reviving South
Spazolli, a lecturer at UCT and founding team member Africa's economy at a much
of SMEgo. needed, speedier pace,”
Spazzoli states.
President Cyril Ramaphosa’s call to strengthen SMMEs in South
Africa inspired Rowan and his team to launch a fintech platform Spazolli, also the spokesperson
to streamline the funding application process for SMMEs to for the initiative expresses his
recover from the pandemic. “Running a business in these times gratitude to a wonderful team
is difficult enough, finding support in the form of funding to get
SMMEs back on their feet shouldn’t be. contributing valuable assets to
the project, Wessel Venter, our
SMEs in South Africa:
very own GrowSA Chamber
• Represent more than 98% of business; Liaison Member, among others.
• Employ between 50%-60% of the country’s workforce
across all sectors; and
• Are responsible for a quarter of job growth in the private
sector;
but

• 73% did not operate during April 2020.
• 75% might close their doors.
• 68% of SMMEs were unsuccessful in their application for
COVID-19 relief funding.
• 71% needed it to operate after lockdown.
(According to McKinsey & Company, the CombatCovid SMME
Survey and Heavy Chef)

How the platform works

The business owner
1. Complete a high-level 10 question form providing SMEgo
with their company particulars.
2. Documents required are indicated – highlighting outstanding
information.

The system
1. The system determines which of the listed funding
opportunities are suitable for the SMME.
2. The information can be used for a once-off or for multiple
applications.

The funders
1. List funding opportunities on a single platform and manage
the application process online.
2. Have access to information about the SMME from a single
dashboard.
3. Communicate their decision whether to fund or not by
updating the application status.
4. Receive completed application forms, thus reducing their
administrative burden.


Visit www.smego.co.za for more informa�on September | GROWSA MONTHLY NEWS 8

I N D U S T R Y P A R T N E R

FAMILY-OWNED BUSINESS IN PERSPECTIVE



The ensure food produc�on, the United Na�ons declared With this in mind, you realise how astonishing it is that
2019 to 2028 the decade of family farming. Boplaas is now in its 10 genera�on and Kongo Gumi,
th
Japanese temple builders, was founded in 508 AC and
“Before I stumbled on the concept of survived for 51 genera�ons. The golden thread through
all these years, according to the current leaders, is that
family-owned businesses, I did not really
they stayed true to their original values.
know what it was and that it is
the backbone of the economy of most “It is all about balancing the interest of the family with
the interest of the business, which is why an outside
countries in the world,” André Diederichs, advisory council and a family council should be
Chief Convener of FABASA, states when he appointed,” says André.
talks about this unintended career change
he made.


In 2000, he was the Na�onal Marke�ng Manager for SMEs The success of family-owned
for Old Mutual and as part of his role, he was sent to a businesses can be summarised
conference in Puerto Rico, where 60 countries came
together to discuss business development. Family-owned into three concepts:
businesses was a dominant theme and opened his mind to
the importance of this business format.
1. Planning: First, “if you fail to plan, then you

Back home, he inves�gated the situa�on regarding family- plan to fail,” André quotes
owned businesses. He soon realised that even though there when emphasising the importance of
were many family-owned businesses, too many were not planning. A�er comple�on of the Family
well-structured, and that there was li�le assistance to help Business Cons�tu�on, the most important
families to sustain and grow their businesses for future
genera�ons. plan is the succession plan, and it should be
done earlier rather than later. Do not wait
Hence, the Family Business Associa�on of South Africa un�l re�rement! Expose the successor to
(FABASA) was established with Old Mutual as the founding the business from an early age.
sponsor and André, as the captain of the ship, has now been 2. Selec�on: The oldest child or the oldest son
involved in this industry for over 20 years.
Three criteria define family-owned business might not be the best choice for a
successor. It is important that the successor
interna�onally, i.e.
must be selected through a proper process
and not on sen�ment or tradi�on. If a
The family must:
competent and willing successor cannot be
1. Control most shares in the business;
found in the family, a successor can be
2. Control the board | business strategy and;
3. Have the inten�on to safeguard the business recruited from outside, but this person will
s�ll be accountable to the family.
for the next genera�on.
3. Stewardship: In the words
To ensure that the criteria is met, a family business of Carl van der Merwe from Boplaas, “We
cons�tu�on must be in place to connect the exis�ng are borrowing the farm from the next
genera�on with the incoming genera�on and to ensure genera�on (children), and each genera�on
that the future is determined through a set of rules in the
cons�tu�on. should treat their responsibility as such.”

The lack of a cons�tu�on and/or proper succession plan
is reflected in the scary sta�s�cs that only 30% of family-
owned businesses move successfully from the first to the
second genera�on and only 14% will be passed on Go to www.fabasa.co.za for more informa�on.
successfully to the third genera�on.



September | GROWSA MONTHLY NEWS 9

96%



of businesses in the agricultural

sphere are family-owned
businesses


87%



of commercial farms globally are
family owned


80% André Diederichs



André is a renowned business expert, public
speaker, author, and media personality. With
of business in South eight published books and his ninth book
published in October 2020, over 2 000 published
Africa are family- ar�cles, and a regular voice on radio and TV talk

owned businesses shows, it is no surprise that he is our personality
of the month.

André holds a Master’s in Strategic Marke�ng
from the Tshwane University of Technology. He
completed a Marke�ng Strategy Programme
through the University of Cape Town, and he is
Family Business Consul�ng Accredited by Nelson
Mandela Metropolitan University.

He says that he is blessed to do what he truly
loves: business and family, and his work enables
him to combine them into one. He is grateful
that he can serve people and enable them to
build a be�er future for themselves.


His life philosophy is that he is here to
serve and not to be served.

He is the father of two sons, Wiehan and Dieter,
following in their father’s footsteps and pursuing
the art of crea�ng and entrepreneurship.






DO YOU HAVE A STORY TO TELL?


The GrowSA editorial team would like to hear from our readers, how they overcame their
challenges and what they did to grow their Business. If you have a story to tell, send an
email to [email protected] and we shall contact you for more informa�on.
September | GROWSA MONTHLY NEWS 10

I N D U S T R Y F E A T U R E
BOPLAAS -ABUSINESS BUILT ON FAMILY, SUSTAINABILITYAND

INNOVATION


































Fanie van der Merwe, Boplaas MD, showcasing the floa�ng solar plant

The oldest family business in South Boplaas’s focus was redirected towards the health

Africa, Boplaas 1743 Landgoed, root of the land, sustainable water solu�ons and the
reduc�on of air pollu�on and chemicals released.
their success in their values by With the new floa�ng solar plant, first of its kind

proving that family branches further in Africa, they have managed to save 609 000kg
CO2 emission, which is equivalent to 18 200
than blood, sustainability should be trees.

the main produce with innova�on as
This also resulted in the crea�on of constant
your main pruning tool. electricity supply, with no cost increases foreseen
in the next 15 years.
The family and business realized the importance of
viewing one’s employees as your biggest asset, which is About Boplaas MD: Fanie van der Merwe
why they provide development and training
opportuni�es to their employees and they share a The Boplaas farm truly bursts with Agritourism
percentage of their net profit with their employees. poten�al and they hope to cul�vate this more
a�er the Pandemic. They currently have a
They are in the process of teaching their employees beau�ful four-star guesthouse and Fanie
about profit sharing and equipping them with concepts personally leads tours on their original farm
such as produc�vity, responsibility, discipline, trust and Boplaas in the “Koue-Bokkeveld”, where
ownership. everything started.

Sustainability, which is a concept engraved in the
purpose of family business, is the golden thread to all For more informa�on on Boplaas visit:
Boplaas ini�a�ves. Just like business should be www.boplaas1743.co.za
sustainable, so should the natural environment be that
surrounds it. The farm’s slogan is also adapted to
“Volhoubaar Groen” which is translated as Sustainably
Green.

September | GROWSA MONTHLY NEWS 11

I N D U S T R Y F E A T U R E
BOPLAAS -ABUSINESS BUILT ON FAMILY, SUSTAINABILITYAND

INNOVATION CONTINUED...

Fanie describes the farm as a cultural treasure in
South Africa. The tradi�onal farmyard is s�ll in its
original condi�on, with all its original
infrastructure (the old watermill, soap house,
wagon house, main house and the bake house in
its Cape Dutch design) which dates back +/- 1780.


Fanie van der Merwe is the current Managing
Director of Boplaas 1743 Landgoed. The Van Der
Merwe family has been cul�va�ng the land since
th
1743, with the 10 genera�on in management
th
posi�ons and the 11 genera�on already born.
Fanie entered the family business at a young age.
Over the course of 38 years, his role has changed
from Financial Director to Marke�ng Manager and
Managing Director. His eldest son joined the
company in 2011 and his three brothers followed
later – all cul�va�ng different roles. He shares a
home with his beau�ful wife of 35 years, she is
their CEO, which stands for Chief Emo�onal
Operator.

He quotes Nike when he says that his mo�o is to
‘just do it’. He advises that you need to center
yourself in a network of posi�ve people. Believe in
your capabili�es and start each morning with the
inten�on to make a difference.


Fanie shares his knowledge and experience and
recently spoke at PWC’s Next Gen webinar where
he spoke about succession planning, family owned
business and governing regula�ons. He was also a
speaker at the virtual conference of Nampo.


The Boplaas MD says that his grain is s�ll green
and you never depart from the learning phase but
if he was to give advice to other family owned
businesses, he would suggest that one should
understand all the terms and regula�ons as
thoroughly as possible. Create your cons�tu�on
and succession plan as quick as possible and revise
annually. Strategy follows structure. Implement
policies. Most importantly, grace is all around us
and never forget that!

FABASA is a great pla�orm to speak to experts and
to make sure that all the above is in place to
ensure the survival of your family business.




September | GROWSA MONTHLY NEWS 12

F E M A L E L E A D E R S H I P


LOVEAND PASSION NEVER FAILS



When asked about her membership of CCBC, Stella’s
“Love never fails! Anything done in love
response was an immediate posi�ve response. She does
and passion provides for abundance in not doubt, that the value of being a member of CCBC,
all that you pursue,” says Stella adds to her business.
Mokwena, CEO of a pioneer cleaning Not only does the content of the webinars provide her
with new ideas and state of the art processes, but she
company Staza Cleaning. also has the opportunity to build her network of like-
minded people.



Sage advice from Stella




1. Ensure you have a vision that is
bigger than yourself, something that
you are passionate enough about to

fight for even during difficult �mes.
2. A�er calcula�ng your risks, just do
it! Do not wait un�l everything is
Stella Mokwena, CEO of a pioneer cleaning company Staza Cleaning perfect; adapt as you go along.
3. Build rela�onships with all
Stella founded Staza Cleaning in 2001 based on her passion
for customer services, for people, and the environment. stakeholders, intending to create
Her business model was to create employment and mutually beneficial partnerships.
development opportuni�es for people who wanted to
work but was le� vulnerable in life. 4. Always pursue the highest service
Staza started with one cleaning employee 19 years ago, but excellence.
now employs 450 people that provide a one-stop service 5. Learn from everyone and every
covering facility management, cleaning, hygiene, pest situa�on and use it to improve all
control and gardening.
you do.
Stella holds a BCom degree in Accoun�ng and Business
Management from UNISA. She also has a Total Quality 6. Do not miss any opportunity to grow
Management cer�ficate. your business, walk with your eyes
“There have been many ups and downs in the journey of open, and be present.
19 years,” says Stella.
7. Be financially smart; do not assume
Amongst her highlights of the 19 years are the people she
has met and who have shaped her into the person she is that turnover is profit. Have a
now. The nega�ve experiences that also shaped her were personal bank account, a salary, and
people that did not keep their commitments and le� her a business account and treat them
without money to pay her employees. For her, this was
devasta�ng because she employs vulnerable people who differently. Reinvest money into the
cannot be without an income. business.
Fortunately for Stella and her team, cleaning services were 8. Lastly, be resilient and never ever
rated as essen�al services in the COVID-19 locked-down
period, leaving them with more work than they ever had. give up!
To meet all the new requirements, Stella had to learn the
procedures quickly because her clients were anxious about More informa�on on our website at
cleaning their places. www.stazacleaning.co.za


September | GROWSA MONTHLY NEWS 13

Revolutionary Retail















Family-focused casual

convenience











Lifestyle residential with

a river through your
garden









Rainbow Junction is a 140ha premier, R12b mixed-use property, modern
lifestyle and business development located at the entrance of the City of
Tshwane, 6km north of the Pretoria CBD.


September | GROWSA MONTHLY NEWS 14
www.rainbowjunction.co.za