Anglo American’s Zimele programme, in partnership with Sigma, has awarded R1.5m in seed capital to 45 rural entrepreneurs in the Northern Cape following a 12-week business development initiative that concluded with pitching sessions.
Larisha Naidoo, vice president: Anglo American Zimele | image supplied
A total of 93 small businesses from rural communities participated in the programme, pitching their ventures to a judging panel. Successful participants received funding packages ranging from R50,000 to R150,000 to support the launch or growth of their enterprises. Women accounted for 56% of the funded entrepreneurs, while around 68% were youth.
The programme focused on practical enterprise development, with participants trained in business model canvas methodology, design thinking and the use of artificial intelligence tools. The University of KwaZulu-Natal provided academic oversight and quality assurance to align the programme with enterprise development best practice.
Larisha Naidoo, vice-president of Anglo American Zimele, said the initiative highlighted the impact of targeted investment in entrepreneurial capability. She noted that the funded businesses are expected to contribute to job creation and economic activity within their local communities.
Sigma CEO Akash Singh said the programme aimed to equip rural entrepreneurs with practical tools suited to modern markets, rather than relying on traditional business planning approaches.
The initiative forms part of Zimele’s broader rural start-up programme linked to Kumba Iron Ore’s operations in the Northern Cape, supporting efforts to diversify local economies beyond mining. Instead of conventional business plans, participants were trained to develop business model canvases to better understand their markets, competitors and value propositions.
The programme coincided with broader policy discussions at the B20 and G20 forums on the role of small businesses in addressing unemployment and economic inclusion. Official unemployment in South Africa currently stands at 32%, with expanded measures estimating it at closer to 45%.
Nine top-performing businesses received additional recognition at the programme’s final event, where judges from Anglo American, Kumba Iron Ore and the University of KwaZulu-Natal assessed the commercial viability and innovation of the participating enterprises.
