Cape Town, 7925     27638993975

We Do Business For Impact

Author: Samukelo

Home » Archives for Samukelo
Sep 30 2025
Off

Building Bridges: How We Do Services is Empowering Small Businesses Across South Africa

By Samukelo

In just under a year, We Do Services has had the privilege of working with over 30 small businesses across South Africa from fledgling startups in rural communities to semi-urban businesses ready to scale. Our work has been a journey of learning, growth, and collaboration, shaped by deep engagement with entrepreneurs and communities across different regions. What sets us apart is not just the services we provide but the hands-on, human approach we take. For us, consulting isn’t about sending reports; it’s about walking alongside the businesses we serve and partner with, learning their realities, and solving problems together. Immersing Ourselves in Rural Business Operations In the past year, I have been fully immersed in understanding rural business ecosystems spending over a month in MaQumbi, KwaMaphumulo, located in the iLembe District of Northern KZN. During this time, I worked closely with SDD CropLife, supporting them with funding applications as they prepared to scale operations. This wasn’t just advisory work it meant integrating into their daily business operations and understanding their agricultural processes firsthand. From there, I had the opportunity to engage with the well-established Malenje Sugar Estate in Stanger, learning about sugarcane farming and processing from plantations to final processing. Alongside this, I visited supplier stakeholders near Ballito to gain insights into the broader value chain. I also learned from the Umshukangubo Association for the Elderly, a thriving organization operating in MaQumbi. They are proof that with the right people and the right skills, sustainable businesses can thrive even in deeply rural areas. My conversations with them highlighted both the challenges and the vast untapped potential that exists in these communities. Equally inspiring was my time spent with youth leaders from the region who are doing incredible work through various community programs. Their energy and commitment revealed just how much raw talent and entrepreneurial spirit lies within South Africa’s rural youth. Launching the Youth in Farming Indaba In Southern KZN where I am proudly from, under the Johannes Phumani Phungula Municipality (JPP), we launched the Youth in Farming Indaba a pilot program aimed at helping young people in agriculture formalize their operations, acquire the necessary compliance documents, and access funding opportunities. Due to logistical limitations, we have so far reached one ward, but the response has been overwhelming. Community business committees from other wards and even beyond JPP have shown immense interest in expanding the program. Our approach is built around physical presence: Many of the businesses we serve are owned by elders and youth with limited access to formal business education. This means we must break down complex business concepts into simple, relatable steps, ensuring entrepreneurs not only understand but are empowered to apply this knowledge in their daily operations. These sessions have been hosted in venues arranged by community business committees, creating safe spaces for collaboration, learning, and shared growth. Urban and Semi-Urban Collaborations Our work is not limited to rural areas. We also collaborate with semi-urban and urban businesses that have the knowledge and capacity but face operational challenges due to limited time or resources. In these cases, We Do Services acts as a partner, taking on essential functions such as process flow optimization, marketing, and compliance support. One of our most inspiring success stories is Lwandle Tombstones, a business operating under the Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma Municipality but serving clients across KZN.Since launching operations in April this year, they have generated over R50,000 in sales through our tailored business support services. We also work with clients in Phoenix, Durban; Pretoria; Bloemfontein, and are expanding into student-led startups in the Western Cape proving that our affordable, hands-on approach resonates across diverse markets. Our Long-Term Vision Our long-term goal is to establish and formalize a clear business ecosystem in rural areas. Currently, there is no structured road-to-market system.For example: By integrating rural and township businesses into formal market systems, we can transform these isolated efforts into sustainable, collaborative ecosystems. Ultimately, we envision partnerships between rural and urban economies, fostered through summits, joint engagements, and collaboration across our growing client base. This integration will unlock economic potential while preserving the authenticity and cultural richness of rural communities. Our Invitation We Do Services is still young and we are learners at heart.We are constantly curious, always striving to understand how things are done and how we can solve any problem that our clients face. We invite: Together, we can build business ecosystems where no great idea or product remains hidden, and every entrepreneur whether in a city, township, or rural village has a clear path to growth.

Sep 29 2025
Off

Inadequacy of Proper Business Systems in Thriving Rural and Township Business Landscapes: A Practitioner’s Perspective

By Samukelo

Abstract South Africa’s small business sector is central to employment and local livelihoods, yet many enterprises particularly in rural and township areas face structural barriers that prevent sustainable growth. This article combines national evidence with a first-hand account of how systemic fragmentation and limited access to business systems constrain opportunity, and outlines practical pathways to integrate rural producers into broader markets. 1. National context and key indicators Recent national surveys and analyses indicate severe strain in the small business environment. A survey of more than 1 600 small businesses found that over half of respondents believe they may not survive the next 12 months under current conditions, pointing to systemic vulnerability in the sector. The Small Business Growth Index classifies the environment for small firms as “vulnerable,” with rising operational costs listed as a primary pressure. Business Report Smaller enterprises continue to make a measurable contribution to the economy. Statistics South Africa reports that small businesses generated approximately 21% of turnover in recent national accounts, demonstrating their economic weight despite persistent constraints. Statistics South Africa The informal sector remains a significant part of South Africa’s business landscape; patterns show that informal trade remains sizeable and diversified, although its composition has shifted over time. These informal activities are critical for livelihoods in townships and rural settlements but frequently do not translate into formal market access or scaled value capture. Statistics South Africa+1 At the same time, adoption of modern digital tools and artificial intelligence among small and medium enterprises remains limited, particularly among resource-constrained businesses. Research indicates that AI and advanced digital adoption for SMEs is low, which restricts innovation and productivity gains that could otherwise support scaling. SSBFNET+1 2. Structural barriers in rural and township contexts Based on the national evidence above and on field observation, the primary constraints can be grouped as follows: 2.1 Access to markets and value captureRural and township producers frequently sell locally and miss formal procurement, retail, and export channels. High-end retailers often market “heritage” or “organic” products sourced or replicated from rural traditions; however, rural producers rarely capture the value premium associated with these markets. 2.2 Limited business systems and workflowsMany businesses operate without standardized processes, adequate record keeping, or basic compliance (tax registration, company registration, B-BBEE where relevant). This absence of systems constrains growth, weakens bargaining power, and increases vulnerability to disruption. 2.3 Skills and digital exclusionA shortage of business literacy, digital skills and access to scalable technology creates a ceiling for many producers. Even where demand exists, the inability to package, brand, price, and market products at scale prevents entry into higher-value channels. 2.4 Financial and operational fragilityVolatile cash flows, limited access to credit, and rising operational costs impede investment in quality upgrades, certification, or packaging needed to enter formal supply chains. 3. Lived experience: practitioner insight I was born in Ixopo in the KwaZulu-Natal midlands and spent my school years in a township close to Kwa-Mashu (Quarry Heights). My professional path led me through academia and now into practice in Cape Town. This trajectory has provided repeated opportunities to observe how rural creativity and knowledge remain largely disconnected from the formal economy. A simple example from home illustrates the structural gap. My family’s stand of avocado trees produces organic fruit throughout the year. Locally the fruit feeds families and is sold within the immediate community. Yet the same qualities: organic, endemic, heirloom are marketable at higher value in urban and international markets. The impediment is not product quality; it is the absence of systems that translate local production into formal market opportunities: packaging, consistent supply, compliance documentation, pricing strategy, market channels and logistics. This pattern is common. Older producers possess deep technical knowledge craft, seed knowledge, medicinal processing that embodies local comparative advantage. However, without accessible business education and hands-on guidance in the local language and context, those advantages remain underexploited. 4. A practical framework to move from ceiling to scale Bridging this divide requires targeted interventions that combine systems design, skills transfer and market access: 4.1 System simplification and local learningDesign training and processes that translate complex business concepts into simple, actionable steps. Use local languages, practical demonstrations, and repeated in-field mentoring so producers can grasp pricing, record-keeping, and basic compliance. 4.2 Low-barrier formalisation pathwaysEnable affordable registration, tax clearance and certificate assistance so producers can participate in tenders, aggregate purchasing, and formal retail pipelines. Lower the costs of entry by tailoring service bundles to small producers’ realities. 4.3 Aggregation and cooperative market accessSupport aggregation models or cooperatives that can coordinate supply, meet volume requirements, and achieve consistent quality approaches that reduce logistical burdens and improve negotiating power. 4.4 Digital enablement at scaleIntroduce appropriate, low-cost digital tools to manage orders, inventory and marketing. Where possible, pilot context-appropriate AI or automation tools to improve demand forecasting, pricing suggestions and simple bookkeeping always accompanied by training and support. 4.5 Cultural integrity and value retentionEnsure that scaling does not commodify or extract cultural assets without benefit to creators. Contracts, IP awareness, and fair-trade practices must protect community ownership and revenue share. 5. Implementation in practice: what a local program looks like A realistic program prioritises accessibility and trust: mobile outreach, workshops in local languages, small-group mentorship, and a phased product-to-market approach (local market → regional aggregator → urban retail → export). Initial interventions can be low cost but must be consistent and locally present. This hands-on model reduces drop-out and builds capability rather than creating dependency. We Do Services has begun implementing this model in pilot activities within Johannes Phumani Phungula Municipality (KZN), running community meetings, mapping local products, and structuring services that are deliberately priced below industry averages to reflect local affordability while maintaining provider sustainability. 6. Conclusion: evidence plus presence The national evidence demonstrates a sector under pressure and an economy in which small businesses make meaningful contributions but remain vulnerable. At the same time, rural and township communities hold unique cultural and product advantages that if supported through appropriate systems, education and market linkages can be sources of inclusive growth.…