Two of the biggest entrepreneurs in the world are south africans?

[pmbguy]

I was one of the top students is psychology in Africa. My goal was to follow an academic career. For 2 years I volunteered 2 half days a week at UNISA’s counselling department. Twice a year I also worked under contract as a student counsellor during registration. I was ambitious and wanted to work my way to the top of academia. I was seeking permanent employment at UNISA and eventual professorship within the psychology research department.

Over time I realised, though many long conversations with management and department heads, that I have no chance because I am white. I was told that I will find the same obstacles at other universities and I won’t get promoted, or get stuck as a token promotion with no further prospect of advancement.

It was heartbreaking to turn my back on academia... and I continued with my business I was running at the time with the purpose to pay for my studies. I have had some sort of business going since I was 6 so I have always been an entrepreneur.

Since then, 2 years ago, I slowly grew my business with much difficulty and some success. Now I am starting to lose some of the clients I made in the last 5 years because they are using, in some cases forced to use, black businesses. I visit these same previous clients from time to time and you would be shocked at what I have found. The “technicians” are not capable of repairing even the smallest fault. Often a simple paper jam renders a machine out of commission for months. In most cases they paid inflated prices, often 3 or 4 times the worth of the machines, same goes for toners. Often the reason behind this is kickbacks.

By no means am I giving up or playing victim. I work hard and I will carve out success no matter what or where... so will my daughter one day... But I must admit that I have now come to the point where the “where” might not be South Africa anymore.

My daughter deserves to live with relative safely in a country where she is not discriminated against because of her race, where she is rewarded for her hard work and talents.

[Justloadit]

The “technicians” are not capable of repairing even the smallest fault. Often a simple paper jam renders a machine out of commission for months. In most cases they paid inflated prices, often 3 or 4 times the worth of the machines, same goes for toners. Often the reason behind this is kickbacks.

What I have noticed is that as money is drying up very quickly due to the no value added expenses, companies are beginning to look for better deals, irrespective of who is delivering, and this generally seeks SMEs. So there may be light at the end of the tunnel.

[pmbguy]

I agree with you and I anticipate that some of these lost clients will return to me, that is why I pop in and visit them. But it’s not that simple or positive. They know that when renewal of contracts comes around that they, the decision makers (procurement officers), will get huge personal kickbacks. Saying no to that easy money because it’s bad for the business as a whole is not African and TIA

[adrianh]

Here are a couple of photographs that I took a couple of years ago in Zambia....or shall I say South Africa in a couple of years.


Standard wiring inside most of the buildings we visited


Notice the telephone and network cables hanging outside the building. Don't forget the tress growing out the top of the building.


The main road north. We had a hard time negotiating the pot hols with a 4x4.


There is no telephone or computer network to speak of. 99% of communication is done via microwave at really low speeds.


Many cars have their number plate numbers riveted into the body. Seems like this is their way to stop their cars from getting stolen.


....eish...

[wynn]

I was appointed the contracted supplier of certain materials to a small municipality for a year and never received an order?

The companies you mentioned can award the maintenance contract to a BBBEE company or individual but that does not mean they have to use them, tell them to give you the machines that require service and repair on an ad hoc basis and BOB (Mugabe) is your uncle!

[pmbguy]

Not that simple. They will then effectively be paying 2 service contracts for one machine... cant happen. For machines not on contract I can do ad hoc and half bob there's your uncle

[pmbguy]

Adrian - at least Zambia is much safer than SA, lots of good fishing too. What were you doing there?

[Blurock]

Over time I realised, though many long conversations with management and department heads, that I have no chance because I am white. I was told that I will find the same obstacles at other universities and I won’t get promoted, or get stuck as a token promotion with no further prospect of advancement.

It was heartbreaking to turn my back on academia... and I continued with my business I was running at the time with the purpose to pay for my studies. I have had some sort of business going since I was 6 so I have always been an entrepreneur.

Since then, 2 years ago, I slowly grew my business with much difficulty and some success. Now I am starting to lose some of the clients I made in the last 5 years because they are using, in some cases forced to use, black businesses. I visit these same previous clients from time to time and you would be shocked at what I have found. The “technicians” are not capable of repairing even the smallest fault. Often a simple paper jam renders a machine out of commission for months. In most cases they paid inflated prices, often 3 or 4 times the worth of the machines, same goes for toners. Often the reason behind this is kickbacks.

By no means am I giving up or playing victim. I work hard and I will carve out success no matter what or where... so will my daughter one day... But I must admit that I have now come to the point where the “where” might not be South Africa anymore.

My daughter deserves to live with relative safely in a country where she is not discriminated against because of her race, where she is rewarded for her hard work and talents.

This is only one of the reasons why I will not support BEE or BBBEE or whatever you want to call your racist, discriminatory licence for corruption. I am all for equal opportunity. I will choose black candidates over whites as long as they are prepared to learn and are prepared to work. However, if the white candidate is better, he/she will get the job. The ANC's racist policies is costing the country billions of rands not only in lost production, but also the cost of the corruption that goes with it. Its only the fat cat, connected politicians who score.

There are so many examples of contracts taken away from white companies and given to BEE companies. The same BEE company that is not equipped to perform, will then approach the white company that had the contract before, to continue with the contract. The result is business as before, but at an additional cost to the consumer. This is an example of corruption, which has spiraled out of control under the Zuma government.

A 51% BEE partner in my business could mean more business for my company, but it empowers (entitles?) only one or two people. However, if I appoint and train black distributors all over the country, I am empowering many more people who can build their own businesses and employ people themselves. They can in turn employ their own black accountants, stationers, transport operators etc etc. Now that is empowerment, not BEE!

[reuphk]

But back to the question - I like the suggestion that we reach out to these South African born entrepreneurs and engage them to advise, invest in, develop, mentor or contribute in some manner to South Africa. Anyone know how to go about to get this on the table (and no, expecting T&I or any government department will not help).

Small start...
http://www.markshuttleworth.com/archives/1409

[pmbguy]

Why do you think they would want anything to do with South Africa with its corrupt BEE and grotesque affirmative action and general racist law, high taxes, extreme violence so common that we don't even talk about it any more. An ANC government publicly and privately doing everything in its power to grind down and oppress white people.

They have left and will never come back