Telkom today announced an investment of over R100 million in enterprise
and supplier development with the launch of its FutureMakers programme.
FutureMakers focuses on driving innovation in the ICT sector by growing
access to technology and by offering long-term support to its beneficiaries.
“We want to enable, empower and inspire entrepreneurs to stretch their
ambitions and make their business visions a reality,” said Telkom CEO Sipho
Maseko. “By growing entrepreneurial opportunities within ICT, we can create
jobs, improve access to technology and develop a stable and competitive
supply chain. FutureMakers serves the national vision for broadband and
ICT development, while also supporting our own enterprise and supplier
development (ESD) objectives,” Maseko said.
Minister for Small Business Development, Lindiwe Zulu applauded Telkom
for this initiative. “We hope other corporates will emulate Telkom’s example
of giving practical expression to the national agenda of building strong
and sustainable small businesses and co-operatives that will be engines
of economic growth and job creation.”
Minister Zulu added: “To address the triple challenges confronting our
nation requires a collective effort. The need to support SMMEs and co-operatives
is a responsibility of both government and the private sector. Together,
we carry a responsibility to stimulate and support the growth and sustainability
of the co-operative and small business sector. Together, we can unlock
economic opportunities and thus achieve inclusive economic growth and sustainable
employment, particularly for women, youth and people with people with disabilities”.
FutureMakers supports small, medium and micro-enterprises (SMMEs) with
funding, business development and telecommunications services. It works
to identify and grow entrepreneurial opportunities across the ICT industry
and within Telkom’s supplier value chains. FutureMakers will leverage Telkom’s
own national footprint of products and services, resources, and assets,
by providing funding, business support, technology and mentoring.
ICT has been identified in the National Development Plan as a critical
enabler, providing opportunities for manufacturing, service provision and
job creation. South Africa’s National Broadband Policy calls for mechanisms
to share infrastructure, enabling low cost and high quality communication,
along with the promotion of research, innovation and entrepreneurship.
The FutureMakers programme has been designed to deliver practical and tangible
responses to these important national strategic objectives.
The FutureMakers programme comprises four pillars: FutureFund, FutureSource,
FutureHub and FutureProof.
Through the FutureFund, Telkom is making an initial investment of R100
million to extend financial support to SMMEs that supply Telkom or that
work within the broader ICT sector. This funding will be in the form of
working capital, loans and equity. Identity Development Fund managers have
been appointed to manage the fund on behalf of Telkom.
In parallel with financial support, Telkom is also investing in local
suppliers and partners as well as potential suppliers, third party distributors,
internet cafes, and innovative ICT start-ups by helping them to become
more competitive, through the FutureSource initiative. Entrepreneurs who
are part of the FutureSource initiative will receive business development
support and training from some of South Africa’s top SMME development providers.
Business incubation services – or FutureHubs – form an integral part of
the FutureMakers strategy. FutureHubs provide a platform for stimulating
innovation and technology uptake within small businesses. The hubs reduce
start-ups costs for new business and encouraging a support of collaborative
environment for developing enterprises. Telkom’s longstanding sponsorship
of the Bandwidth Barn in Cape Town will continue, along with a new programme
to source, develop and support high innovation businesses.
Telkom is also investing over R5 million in upgrading a co-working and
incubation space in Tshimologong Precinct, Braamfontein, which will be
ready in November this year. Tshimologong will be Gauteng’s first business
incubator for the ICT industry. It will provide Johannesburg ICT entrepreneurs
with access to broadband connectivity, mentoring and other incubation support.
Partnerships, in the form of the FutureProof initiative, form the fourth
pillar of the FutureMakers strategy.
By actively seeking out opportunities to collaborate with like-minded
partners focusing on ICT innovation, FutureMakers will be able to extend
its reach and effectiveness. The FutureProof initiative will not only benefit
SMMEs but will also stimulate demand for, and productive use of, ICT products
and services. By promoting entrepreneurial activity, Telkom is confident
South Africa can improve competitiveness and job creation, across the ICT
sector.
“We believe that real innovation and transformation within
the ICT sector demands a departure from the historically fragmented approaches
of the past, towards more inclusive and coordinated ventures. Through the
FutureMakers programme we are inviting members of the ICT community to
join us as we embark on this exciting journey of transformation,” said
Maseko.
As of 30 September 2015, we had approximately 3.3 million telephone access
lines in service and 1,030,441 ports connected via MSAN access. We offer
business, residential and payphone customers a wide range of services and
products, including:
Convergence is one of our key strategic initiatives in building a sustainable
future for Telkom. We will lead the provision of converged services
in South Africa in support of our mission statement: Seamlessly connecting
people to a better life.