Company Announcement - Tsogo Sun’s far-reaching enterprise and supplier development programme has taken a significant step forward with the formation of a partnership with the City of Joburg – Department of Economic Development and the incorporation of a new supplier development cluster situated within the successful Tsogo Sun Entrepreneurs programme.

The Tsogo Sun Entrepreneurs programme was extended earlier this year to support a range of small, medium and micro enterprises within various clusters connected to the value chain of Tsogo Sun and those that serve the broader South African tourism industry.  The clusters comprise 100 guesthouse owners, 23 independent operators of Sun1 hotels, and 10 individual housekeeping businesses.

The programme’s new supplier development cluster was launched last week, when a cross-section of 126 promising suppliers were invited to attend the Tsogo Sun Entrepreneurs Competitive Supplier-Buyer Matchmaking session held at Gold Reef City Theme Park Hotel.  The session was hosted by Tsogo Sun in partnership with the City of Joburg – Department of Economic Development, and sought to provide market and development access to these businesses.

“Our entrepreneurial support and development system has evolved strategically over 10 years, having started in Soweto, developing, mentoring and coaching accommodation establishments that displayed the potential to become sustainable enterprises,” says Candy Tothill, Tsogo Sun’s General Manager: Corporate Affairs. “The Tsogo Sun Entrepreneurs is now a comprehensive programme that can be adapted for different business types, providing an over-arching and practical range of offerings that have proven to contribute to growth within emerging businesses.”

Tsogo Sun Entrepreneurs incorporates a one-year training course, after which the entrepreneurs are assessed and go on to become alumni, or are given further individualised training according to their level of achievement. Alumni continue to receive benefits and support on the basis of continued adherence to excellence. “Our success in entrepreneur development as well as the ever-present need for job creation in South Africa were drivers in this decision to expand our programme to include more beneficiaries and offer a higher level of support, benefits, and services to them,” explains Tothill, adding that enterprise and supplier development needs to be undertaken in a manner that really makes a change to the economic landscape in South Africa. “It is through partnerships such as the one that we have had the pleasure of forming with the City of Johannesburg – Department of Economic Development that will ultimately enable meaningful, permanent results.”