Project launched to support, grow women-owned transport enterprises  

20th October 2020

By: Irma Venter

Creamer Media Senior Deputy Editor

     

Font size: - +

The United Nations Women South Africa Multicountry Office, in partnership with the National Women Advancement Establishment, have launched a project to provide technical business support to women-owned enterprises in the transport sector in South Africa.

The aim of the programme is to stimulate opportunities for women entrepreneurs through affirmative procurement, investment and supply-chain policies. 

Local female black-owned consulting company Sincpoint has been selected to implement the project

 “We are excited at the opportunities this project offers,” says Sincpoint founder Lebo Letsoalo.

“It will provide women-owned businesses in the transport sector with much needed, tailormade technical support, in addition to coaching and mentorship. 

“The support will focus on strengthening the capacity of these women to sustain their businesses, access new opportunities and grow their businesses.”

Sincpoint will be working closely with local membership-based body, the African Women in Supply Chain Association (AWISCA), in the roll-out of the programme.

AWISCA, in turn, collaborates with a number of industry bodies including universities, training providers, industry associations, organised business, as well as private companies. 

The planned project implementation period is eight months. The programme will target and equip around 200 women-owned enterprises that are suppliers to, or can potentially become suppliers to, government and larger companies across the transport value-chain. 

The project is being rolled out in Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and Limpopo, with the aim of expanding this to other provinces over time.

“What makes this programme unique and particularly effective, is that the mentorship and coaching component will continue beyond the completion of the programme,” explains Letsoalo. 

“Through AWSICA, our women will have ongoing access to industry networks and knowledge through coaching circles, site visits, round table discussions, workshops and the many other opportunities for growth and new business that AWISCA facilitates.

“Although women are currently severely under-represented in transport, more and more women are making their way into this exciting sector,” adds Letsoalo. 

“Transport is a dynamic, fast-changing sector, ranging from rail and road transport, to shipping, aviation, import and export, cargo operations, domestic freight and containerisation, through to comprehensive, integrated door-to-door intermodal transport services. Each aspect requires skilled and competent people, and the women will have business opportunities at various levels within the industry.

“This project will assist in developing a much-needed pipeline of women who have the technical expertise and broader skills to thrive in this industry.”

Letsoalo urges established transport businesses to support women in the transport industry by making business opportunities available to them. 

 

Edited by Creamer Media Reporter

Comments

The content you are trying to access is only available to subscribers.

If you are already a subscriber, you can Login Here.

If you are not a subscriber, you can subscribe now, by selecting one of the below options.

For more information or assistance, please contact us at subscriptions@creamermedia.co.za.

Option 1 (equivalent of R125 a month):

Receive a weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine
(print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
Receive daily email newsletters
Access to full search results
Access archive of magazine back copies
Access to Projects in Progress
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format

Option 2 (equivalent of R375 a month):

All benefits from Option 1
PLUS
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports, in PDF format, on various industrial and mining sectors including Electricity; Water; Energy Transition; Hydrogen; Roads, Rail and Ports; Coal; Gold; Platinum; Battery Metals; etc.

Already a subscriber?

Forgotten your password?

MAGAZINE & ONLINE

SUBSCRIBE

RESEARCH CHANNEL AFRICA

SUBSCRIBE

CORPORATE PACKAGES

CLICK FOR A QUOTATION