Anglo American’s enterprise development arm, Zimele, has once again demonstrated the real difference it can make in the lives of small businesses and the communities in which funded companies operate in.

In March 2012, Zimele’s Kleinzee hub in the Northern Cape provided a R550,000 loan to a local transportation company, Gibel CC which owner Gizella van Wyk used to buy a new bus, trailer and office furniture.

As Kleinzee is a remote and isolated area occupied with passionate scholars, van Wyk saw the opportunity to transport children to and from school, which led to the birth of Gibel. Beyond this service, van Wyk also uses the bus to offer transportation services to elderly people, government contractors and for fans wanting to travel to sporting events.

Van Wyk explains that Zimele’s support has not only proved invaluable in assisting her business’s development, but has also enhanced transportation convenience for school children who are thirsty for education.

"Transport plays a crucial role in enabling people access to services. Previously, most of the children in the region had to walk long distances to get to school. However, after receiving financial assistance from Zimele, we are now able to transport these kids to their respective schools at a reasonable and affordable price," she says.

Van Wyk maintains that the availability of transport could also improve the academic performance of the community’s children, and for this reason, she bought the 24-seater bus to create more seating space.

Before receiving assistance from Zimele, van Wyk was not cognisant of business accounting processes such as cash flow, income statements and general book-keeping. She notes that Zimele’s incubator-style mentorship has proven to be invaluable in assuring that she learns about these fundamental business principles, and runs her business accordingly.

She adds that this on-going guidance and support assistance was also a critical factor in her winning the Woman in Transport Entrepreneur Award, on 28 August 2012 in the Northern Cape.

Van Wyk states that her business, Gibel is working towards expanding into other provinces and possibly tap into the tourism market. In light of these plans, she adds, the company intends to buy a larger bus and start a car wash business, which will create job opportunities for the local community.

Since 1989, Zimele’s unique approach to enterprise development has helped businesses such as Gibel thrive. This assertion is apparent in statistics from 2008 to 15 December 2011, with its four funds having provided R567 million in funding, supported 1,085 companies, and completed 1,481 loan transactions. Further, funded businesses have employed 19,575 people, and achieved a collective annual turnover of R2,4 billion.

Acting managing director of Zimele, Dr Lia Vangelatos concludes that Gibel’s swift progress is a leading example of the positive results that Anglo American is achieving throughout South Africa.

"Zimele’s ultimate intention is to ensure that both entrepreneurs and local communities can realise real benefits from our world class funding model and the passion of local communities.  The notable progress that Gisella van Wyk has achieved with Gibel, and the tangible value that she is starting to provide for the Kleinzee community, definitively demonstrates that we are succeeding in this goal."

Ends

For further information, please contact:

South Africa
Hulisani Rasivhaga, Media Relations
Tel: +27 (0)11 638 4401

Notes to editors:

About Anglo American

Anglo American is one of the world’s largest mining companies, is headquartered in the UK and listed on the London and Johannesburg stock exchanges. Anglo American’s portfolio of mining businesses spans bulk commodities – iron ore and manganese, metallurgical coal and thermal coal; base metals – copper and nickel; and precious metals and minerals – in which it is a global leader in both platinum and diamonds.  Anglo American is committed to the highest standards of safety and responsibility across all its businesses and geographies and to making a sustainable difference in the development of the communities around its operations. The company’s mining operations, extensive pipeline of growth projects and exploration activities span southern Africa, South America, Australia, North America, Asia and Europe.
www.angloamerican.com

About Zimele

Since 1989, Zimele has successfully empowered numerous black Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and entrepreneurs, and generated sustainable job creation and socio-economic development in predominantly peri-urban mining communities.

Zimele enables the companies it invests in to stand on their own feet and to grow, through a strategic blend of financial support and incubator-style mentorship.

This is achieved through four funds which provide business opportunities, training, capital and networking hubs for historically disadvantaged South Africans (HDSAs) and SMEs. These funds are the Anglo American Khula Mining Fund, the Supply Chain Fund, the Community Fund and the Green Fund.