These contracts created over thirty permanent and nearly 140 temporary jobs.  We interviewed OpEx’s Delsy Dludlu and Maxwell Nyamajiwa to find out how they are achieving this.

So what is the OpEx?  Delsy explains: “It’s a place where clients are linked into available opportunities from both private and public sectors.  Where they can attend information and networking sessions on specific sectors, and where they can interact and exchange opportunities amongst themselves”.

 A dedicated database allows Max and Delsy to assess each client and assist them with governance issues so that they achieve a basic level of compliance before trying to access government and private sector opportunities.  They are also encouraged to attend various training sessions specific to their sector to ensure they have sufficient knowledge to run professionally.  Getting a contract is just the first step, it is equally important to be able to deliver on time and in budget and to get subsequent business after each contract ends.

Delsy spends a lot of time sourcing opportunities from companies and Government who are often desperate to employ a certain percentage of small businesses but don’t know how to contact reliable ones (prompted in part by the BEE scorecards).  Although they know they need to use SMMEs they are also wary of possible non-delivery and sub-standard services.  They use TBP because of the support mechanisms OpEx provides in ensuring clients are able to meet the demands of the contracts.  OpEx bridges the gap between corporate demands and small business delivery capacity.

Notable OpEx clients include Sam Dludla, who runs a cleaning business started in 2007.  When he came into the programme in June 2007 he had 31 workers.  After participating in all the interventions he was awarded contracts directly from GrowthPoint Properties and now he has 100 workers.

 Koos Mahlangu, from KIiptown, runs a company doing building maintenance.  His last contract was worth R3 million.  There has been a direct, positive impact on his business from participating in all the programmes and using all of TBP’s interventions.