Nelson Mandela Bay-based information and communication technology (ICT) incubator SNII appointed executive manager Phumza Mfenyana in July.

SNII is a joint initiative between the Small Enterprise Development Agency and the Nelson Mandela Bay municipality.

Mfenyana’s 20-year career spans across various management and leadership roles at private- and public-sector firms and, in particular, the last ten years of his career has been strongly orientated towards enterprise development, programmes of wealth creation for communities and innovation management. This experience stands him in good stead for his new leadership position at SNII.

In addition, he joins SNII after 11 years at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), where he was manager for enterprise creation development in the Eastern Cape, from 2009 to 2016. Prior to that, Mfenyana was an enterprise development specialist, from 2004 to 2008.

In both positions, he provided innovation in business development, project management, technology skills transfer programmes, stakeholder relations, transdisciplinary research and community capacity building.

Mfenyana also led and worked on various rural poverty alleviation projects and small, medium-sized and microenterprise marketing programmes during his tenure at the CSIR.

He also held various positions in management at several multinational firms, including SABMiller and Nestlé South Africa, between 1996 and 2004.

He holds a Bachelor of Administration degree, majoring in development studies and business management, and a BA (Hons) degree specialising in development studies from the University of South Africa.

SNII board chairperson Thando Gwintsa says Mfenyana’s appointment brings the company a skills set and leadership that is strategically aligned with the incubator’s own journey of growth and development. “Fertilising small businesses and creating an environment for creativity and entrepreneurship to flourish is a winning recipe for economic growth, and Mfenyana has already worked extensively in applicable situations, with relevant programmes and with employers that understand the importance of these dynamics.”

Further, he says Mfenyana and his team will further “evolve” SNII against the backdrop of national, provincial and local economic development planning to ensure that the incubator plays a meaningful development role as it aims to alleviate poverty, empower women and implement government’s nine-point growth plan.

“The incubator remains deeply committed to empowerment, transformation and development through its world-class incubation programme,” says Gwintsa, adding that SNII is focused on maintaining its position as the centre of technological innovation for the Nelson Mandela Bay region. “We exist to serve the private sector and authorities in Nelson Mandela Bay in terms of local economic development.”

Technology-based innovation remains a unique and more sustainable resource that benefits citizens and communities, he says. “We are confident that Mfenyana and the team will be at the forefront of developing these resources and industries for the metro through emerging entrepreneurs and small business in the technology and ICT fields,” Gwintsa concludes.