Premier’s Entrepreneurship Recognition Awards to be launched
The Western Cape’s most prestigious awards ceremony for entrepreneurs will officially be launched next week.
Premier Helen Zille and Alan Winde, Minister of Economic Opportunities, will launch the Premier’s Entrepreneurship Recognition Awards on Monday, 18 July 2016. Now in its fourth year, PERA rewards excellence amongst Western Cape entrepreneurs. It is an initiative of the Western Cape Department of Economic Development and Tourism.
Last year, over 300 businesses entered the awards. The winners shared R1.8 million in prize money, with the overall winner also receiving an overseas trip.
The launch takes place at AgriProtein, the winner of the Best Innovative Business category last year. The Philippi-based business diverts hundreds of tons of organic waste from landfill every week, using the nutrients from the waste to cultivate fly larvae, a high protein, natural feed for animals such as chickens. Each ton of product produced allows up to three tons of fish (usually ground up into fishmeal and used in agricultural feed) to be left in our seas.
Alan Winde, Western Cape Minister of Economic Opportunities, said it was important to celebrate residents who are taking the economy forward.
“Our entrepreneurs are the heroes of our economy, creating growth and jobs as a result of their innovations and hard work. In the Western Cape, entrepreneurs employ over 500 000 people, helping us to be South Africa’s region with the fastest growing employment statistics.
Government’s job is to support our existing entrepreneurs to grow their businesses, and to motivate aspiring entrepreneurs to start businesses. The success stories highlighted through these awards show others what is possible. We are committed to supporting small businesses through a range of programmes. In the past seven years, we have given 36 159 entrepreneurs the tools they need to start a business.”
Last year, Stuart Forrest, of Bergvliet-based Triggerfish Animation, took the top award. As part of his prize, Forrest travelled to France to attend the Annecy Animation Festival.
Forrest shared how the award had impacted his business: “We won the top TV prize at the biggest festival in the world. It was very good to be there to be able to meet with potential partners, distributors, and broadcasters, amongst others, and we expect a lot of new business to come from it. Secondly, through the mentorship program I’ve been introduced to some new funding possibilities for our next film, so that is already beginning to pay off although we’ve just had our first session. And finally, the awards all contribute to morale at our offices. We currently have around 90 people working for us and the team work under enormous pressure, so these types of wins are very important as they give the team encouragement to keep pushing through.”
Details:
Date: Monday, 18 July 2016
Time: 12h00
Venue: AgriProtein, Corner of Rochester and Stock roads, Philippi East.
Click here for google maps location.
Enquiries:
Bronwynne Jooste
Spokesperson: Alan Winde, Minister of Economic Opportunities
Tel: 021 483 3550
Cell: 060 970 4301
Email: bronwynne.jooste@westerncape.gov.za
