By: Zandile Majavu
An East London-based chartered accountant who embraces a modern minimalistic taste that captures the timeless element in the décor business has managed to build a high-end state-of-the-art function and a chapel venue through the National Empowerment Fund (NEF). The NEF invested R11 million in ZAD Hiring, which was established by Catherine Dunjwa to hire event furniture and décor items, provide floral arrangements for functions, as well as décor set-up and styling. “I identified the opportunity to start the business in 2011 when I struggled to find suitable service providers in the Eastern Cape for my wedding.
A few years later, I decided to start my own company. ZAD is now known as a high-end decor rental company that keeps abreast of national and international décor trends,” Dunjwa said. While running her business, Dunjwa also identified a gap in the market for an events venue, which she decided to name The Amber Venue, where both the state-of-the-art function and the chapel building structures were completed last year in April. “The buildings are in Christmas Rock on the same farm. I purchased land through the farm and approached funders for funding after purchasing the farm, and then the NEF ended up funding the whole project.
I am happy about the funding because it is not something I could have funded. After all, it is such an extensive investment,” Dunjwa told Vutivi News. “Although I did plough a lot of my money to get it to a state where I could approach a funder. We had already bought the land and done all the visibility studies, market research, and all of that. It was quite a breakthrough to find someone who believed in what we wanted to do.”
Dunjwa’s husband, Bafo, who also assists with the business, told Vutivi News it started with three employees. It now employs an average of 33 people, which includes both casual and permanent employees. “I think the décor side has always been profitable because we lived in Johannesburg for many years and we only moved to East London after the funding was approved to run the business. The venue side of it is also starting to claim its space.”
According to the NEF, East London has many procurement opportunities in the hospitality and related services sub-sector. Currently, at least 55% of large enterprises mainly procure goods and services from other large enterprises due to the limited availability of small black-owned suppliers with the required profile and proof of B-BBEE compliance.
NEF acting fund manager Nomazizi Siphondo said that financial support to businesses like ZAD Hiring helped address the challenges of transforming the tourism sector head-on. “By providing vital support and funding to expand small enterprises and facilitating market access, the NEF aligns its mission with the overarching goals of propelling socioeconomic development and fostering sustainable economic growth through the development of black-owned enterprises,” Siphondo said.
