Initiative To Assist Black-Owned Towing Companies Is Launched

Sisekelo - 22 rollback tow trucks were handed over to assist black-owned towing companies

The moment that Minister of Small Business Development, Lindiwe Zulu, and Tom Creamer, Telesure Group CEO, cut the ribbon

Telesure Investment Holdings (Telesure), which owns and operates several of South Africa’s leading insurance brands, has teamed up with Firstassist to launch an initiative to assist Black-owned Exempted Micro Enterprises take their business to the next level.

The initiative has been endorsed by the Minister of Small Business Development, Ms Lindiwe Zulu as a major breakthrough for the towing industry.

According to Nkuli Maninjwa, Telesure’s Group Transformation Manager: “We have procured roll-back tow trucks which will be given to 22 black-owned towing companies on an interest-free loan basis. This is our opportunity to lend a hand – Thuma Mina – to those who, without the right financial or business backing, may never have realised their full potential. By providing a solid foundation for aspiring young South Africans, we are unlocking our country’s greatest potential – its people.”

The initiative forms part of Telesure’s Enterprise and Supplier Development programme, Sisekelo.

“From a macroeconomic perspective, Sisekelo aims to stimulate the growth of SMEs, with the view to positively impact South Africa’s unemployment rate and economic development. On the microeconomic side, it is an opportunity for Telesure to expand its distribution footprint and ultimately, contribute towards the advancement of entrepreneurship,” says Maninjwa.

Minister Zulu said, “As the Minister of Small Business Development, mandated to create a conducive ecosystem for SMMEs to grow, it is an honour for me to be involved in this initiative as SMMEs remain the back bone of our country’s economy. Whilst much has been achieved to support local SMMEs, our view is that much more can be done through strategic partnerships and collaboration especially with the Private Sector.”

Diana Brophy, CEO of Firstassist, concludes: “At Firstassist, we support many small, black owned towing operators around the country and understand their daily difficulties and costs associated with maintaining an aging fleet. The impact on these new vehicles will have positive influence and we are extremely privileged to be associated with this initiative”.