Mpumalanga tourism funds 24 young entrepreneurs

The lives of 24 young Mpumalanga-based tourism entrepreneurs have been changed. They benefitted from the R3.5m Mpumalanga Tourism Youth Fund that was launched in 2024.

The business owners were awarded their respective cheques at a gala dinner at the Tfokomala Hotel on Tuesday, March 18.

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The Mpumalanga MEC for economic development and tourism, Makhosazane Masilela, said the beneficiaries will be monitored for usage of the state funds.

We have launched this programme as the provincial government in partnership with the National Youth Development Agency [NYDA]. We need to indicate that we will support them financially and non-financially. We will be monitoring the money that we gave them as they know that these are public funds that we need to account for. Therefore, we will follow up in each and every cent they spend. Additionally, we will also provide the beneficiaries with training with other sector departments,” said Masilela.

The Mpumalanga Tourism Youth Fund was launched at the Manyeleti Nature Reserve in the Bushbuckridge Local Municipality on September 19, 2024. The fund aims to empower young entrepreneurs in the tourism sector by providing financial assistance and resources to help them grow and expand their businesses.

The fund is part of a three-year memorandum of agreement between the Department of Economic Development and Tourism and the NYDA, with each organisation contributing 50% of the funds amounting to R6m annually.

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Some of the beneficiaries include the founding owner of Glam Wellness Spa, Felicia Mkhaliphi. She said she felt honoured and delighted to receive R148 000.

“I want to expand mostly on the health wellness part of the business and that means we are getting more machines and mobile equipment that will make our business grow, even to a point that we can employ more people.”

Sharing the same sentiments was the owner of Uyi Spa, Makhosazane Maseko, who received R214 000.

I am a product of the government, especially the NYDA. I started operating my business in 2017 and rented my works space. The business grew and I managed to secure a piece of land and now the business makes a profit of R550 000 per annum. With the money we received today, the business will be making about R1.6m per annum and we will employ more people.”

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Zakithi Mhlongo, the owner of the Driekoppies Dam Boat Cruise, said she is going to employ more people and expand the business with the R341 000 she received.