November 8, 2007
By Millicent Kgowedi
MORE than 200 salon owners received certificates after completing a business management course run by the Afro Hair and Beauty Employers Association of Southern Africa (Ahbeasa) yesterday.
The excited salon owners gathered at the Orlando Communal Hall on Wednesday, 7 November for the ceremony, neatly dressed in their black gowns covering smart suits most had had made for the occasion. Being leaders in the hair industry, their hair was fashionably styled and cut.
Photographers were on hand to capture the proud moment they would remember for a long time to come.
Their training was sponsored by the Department of Labour, with assistance from the University of Johannesburg. The City's skills and development unit, which falls under the economic development department, and Absa bank were also involved in the initiative.
Class of 2007: salon owners celebrate completing a business management course
The salon owners operate small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs), and completed three months' training with Ahbeasa.
The association represents the ethnic hairdressing industry. It provided business training that covered financial control, health and safety, HIV and Aids awareness, customer care and entrepreneurship.
"When Ahbeasa approached us we became interested in the aspect of adding value to small businesses. We thought of how the initiative would help develop SMMEs," said Lavelle Nomdo, a project consultant in the skills and development unit.
It was important to elevate the industry's standards and increase the levels of compliance with health and safety regulations. "We need to start thinking big. The issue of growth remains important in the industry," she said.
Speaking at the event, the president of the association, Sonto Khoba, was very pleased with the students' performance. "I'm very happy for everyone here today receiving a certificate. I know running a business like this is not easy. I urge you to go out there and implement the things that you were taught in your classes."
It was the largest group to be trained so far and it was "just the beginning of good things for the industry". "Ahbeasa creates the cream of the industry. And we are training more people to gear up for 2010."
The beauty and hair industry was growing rapidly, said Victor Msomi, the association's deputy president. This, in turn, created a demand for professionalism.
"Education gives a foundation of knowledge on which to base experience," he said. "We have developed a relationship with the University of Johannesburg for further training our members. Absa is also on board assisting our members to adopt a banking and investing culture."
With an aim to create opportunities for improving business skills through skills and development programmes, Ahbeasa helps members to learn to run their businesses in a sustainable manner.
"The market requires that you keep abreast with developments. I want to meet you five years down the line as millionaires," advised Paul Marivate, a professor in the University of Johannesburg's SMME development training unit.
Marivate explained that management was an important aspect in any business. "Manage your resources - and the key resource here is people. One less client is all it takes to bring a business down. Manage your money wisely; have a clear vision of the business and be committed," he said.
He also gave the graduates valuable advice to improve their businesses. "If you want to operate and tender with big businesses you need to continue upgrading your skills, and that means you need to continue using your money to up your skills by navigating, researching and enquiring about the industry."
If you rest, you rust and there was no formula to reverse that, Marivate concluded.
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