Ship building, and repair and associated marine industries demand a wide range of specialised skills. Damen Shipyards Cape Town (DSCT) is helping to hone these skills locally through its enterprise development programme which focuses on empowering entrepreneurs with marine based business.
Oceans and coastal resources in South Africa are vital for local coastal communities many of whom live in poverty and South Africa’s Ocean Economy holds great potential for socio-economic development. The Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries’ Operation Phakisa focuses on unlocking the economic potential of South Africa’s oceans, which could contribute up to R177 billion to the GDP by 2033 and between 800 000 and 1 million direct jobs.
Enterprise development programmes that focus on the maritime industry can go a long way in helping government realise our oceans’ economic potential says Sefale Montsi, Director at Damen Shipyards Cape Town.
“Our aim is to provide our ED partners with the necessary skills to grow their business. These businesses are important sources of employment and economic activity in their communities. Also, by empowering these businesses we are contributing to the South African government’s efforts to strengthen our ocean economy through Operation Phakisa,” says Montsi.
The nine beneficiaries that are part of the programme were chosen from 32 applicants. Each of them is taken through a detailed process aimed at helping to strengthen their business based on the diagnostic assessment they undergo. This includes business development support interventions such as training, mentorship and coaching, grants, equipment hiring, rental for facilities, and industry compliance assistance.
Once the beneficiaries have completed the programme, they are tasked with developing key performance indicators which are monitored by DSCT to ensure that the programme milestones are met.
On November 23rd DSCT hosted its enterprise development partners to celebrate some of the successes from the programme.
Speaking on the day of the event Timothy Jacobs CEO and owner of Bayside Marine said that being part of the ED programme gives businesses like his a competitive advantage.
“We see this opportunity as that first step where we can show potential clients that we have the necessary experience, and that we have been trading. We were on the programme to improve capacity, human capital, and skills development and to gather the necessary information to make sure that whatever we do and whatever clients we meet that we produce a product that is quality.”
Also at the event was Simone Temmers Director at False Bay Shipwright.
“Damen has provided a great opportunity for us to grow and while we are growing, we are busy learning so many new things. By expanding our minds, we are also expanding our businesses,” Temmers said.
Said Montsi: “We are confident that the programme will grow from strength to strength and that it will have a long-lasting impact on the beneficiaries and the communities in which they operate. South Africa’s Ocean Economy presents immense opportunity for growth. The businesses we have partnered with for development – and others like them – will be integral to realising that potential in the future.”
The nine beneficiaries are:
- False Bay Shipwright was established to deliver shipwright services in Cape Town, South Africa. The company’s team of skilled artisans can repair vessels of any size. Its goal is to expand its client base so that it can continue to empower the community, better develop its business, and provide exceptionally bespoke shipwright services.
- Electra Tech is a private Emerging Micro Enterprise which is 51% black owned. The company works in the utility, industry, transport, and infrastructure sectors in South Africa, in Saldanha Bay and the greater Western Cape.
- Bayside Marine is a company based in Hout Bay, Cape Town. The company is 100% Black owned and offer ship repairs and maintenance services.
- Impendulo Fire Services is the very first black female owned Fire Prevention Company with a 135% BBBEE compliance. It is part of Impendulo SA, which supplies safety and environmental personnel and disposes of hazardous substances. Impendulo Fire Services was established in 2020 and operates in the marine sector.
- African Pulse Engineering is 100% black owned and offers the design, manufacture, and installation of piping on vessels and commercial buildings, electrical installation and commissioning, ship repair and maintenance, and the design, and installation of wet services such as sprinklers, black and grey water, and freshwater systems.
- Khayelitsha based Eyapele Molaodi Projects provides ship repairs and maintenance services, mainly focused on ship corrosion protection and maintenance coatings and sacrificial anode.
- BLAST 24/7 has been providing shot blasting and coating services to a broad scope of engineering and marine companies since 2006. The business has broadened its competitive repertoire to include ship cleaning and spray-painting services and has also ventured into the field of internal tanks, hot water vessels, UHP cleaning.
- AR Refrigeration & Air Conditioning specialises in the installation, maintenance, and servicing of all models of refrigeration and air conditioning units and focuses on providing services to commercial enterprises as well as to domestic households. Recent development in the energy sector have resulted in the expansion of the business to provide their commercial clients with energy efficient solutions.
- 5 Walls Pty Ltd is a 100% women-owned and managed company. The company offers marine food supplies, bunkering, cabin /deck supplies and marine fuel supplies.
