Business owner creates employment for young locals

The owner of SUPERSPAR Xavier, Sundeep Desai, looks back at the impact they created when they acquired the business and hired the local youth.

Desai loves to see the youth acquiring new skills and working towards achieving their goals of being financially stable, which will uplift the standard of living in the country and bring the unemployment rate down.

For him, this started six or seven years ago when they approached SPAR. They wanted to become retailers or franchisers. He said the right opportunity never came until about three-and-a-half years ago when SPAR approached them.

“The centre wasn’t doing well with the previous tenants and in 2019, with the help from a company called JumpStart Retail Frontline Programme, which facilitated the interviews and training, we came in. It was a fantastic opportunity for us to tackle unemployment in the area,” he said.

SPAR received about 1 000 CVs and to cut them to 120 candidates, it had to use some criteria, like candidates had to have matric, be between 18 and 33 years old, unemployed South African citizens and no criminal record. Through the JumpStart programme, it was given training and scaled CVs down to 90.

“We interviewed all candidates, some had experience and others didn’t. We took 50 people and we sent them to other retailers to gain more experience. What I experienced there, a lot of them appreciated the opportunity although some were not ready for the work environment. In the beginning, we had a bit of turnover, but things settled down with time,” he said.

Desai said he is passionate about creating jobs.

“I remember when I did my MBA, on his last lecture, our professor exposed us to the challenges South Africa was facing. And through his speeches and lectures, I asked myself what I would do with my degree. That’s when I realised we need to fight unemployment. We have a high rate of unemployment. And when you don’t find a job just after school, the probability of not finding a job at a later stage is huge. That is why we helped where we could. I would like to open more stores and develop young people,” explained Desai.

One step at a time

He mentioned they have in-store training and developed modules and track the progress of the individual employee.

“One example is Rendani Mutwanamba, who started as a cashier and is now a front supervisor. She has been exposed to different parts of the business as she has potential. She has been in the dispatch and receives goods department.

“We would like someone like her one day to be in my position. If we achieve that, we will be glad and our purpose will be fulfilled.

“As much as we are developing skills in our employees, some want to own their businesses one day.

“Our hope is for them to learn how businesses work so they can create theirs. Lots of people don’t see that we are not only making a profit; however, we change the lives of the people to become future leaders and owners.

“The success of developed countries like China and Vietnam through their thriving economy is that entrepreneurship is drilled into them at an early age. Those economies are flourishing. They didn’t do it in one year but in several years. Their trajectory has been consistent in promoting small businesses.

“I don’t think government grants and handouts are going to change anything; however, businesses can change the economy, one business at a time. I cannot change the whole community but in my area of influence I can do something,” said Desai.

Some of the employees recount their experiences

Nthabiseng Rampa (35) said through the JumpStart programme, she started as a packer in June 2019 and later became a cashier.

“In October 2019, I thought the grass was greener on the other side and I went to do a call centre job, but it wasn’t and that’s why I came back in April 2020. Now, I’m spearheading Greet, Uniform, Engage, Sell, Thank (GUEST) principles, that’s how we treat our customers and inspire ourselves.

“Working here has been very empowering. It has been challenging as it opened our eyes to do more things we thought we couldn’t do. I must say, growth is Desai’s forte, he wants us to grow in every respect. I’ve learned more things here than I’ve learned in retail as a whole. I can move to other departments to learn more,” she said.

Perfection Mabunda (28) said as a cashier, she has learnt how to handle people.

“Sometimes, customers come here angry or happy, I’ve managed to handle them with care. My life has changed, as I was a shy person. Now, I’m confident,” she said.

Munzhedzi Mphaphuli (26) from Crown Gardens said she was hired through the JumpStart programme.

“As a packer, I was trained on business etiquette and promoted to cashier. I wasn’t working and struggled to make ends meet, and now I’m grateful for this opportunity. I’m now climbing the ladder of success and I’m at the kiosk now, handling among other things money transfers,” she added.

Lara Molete (36) lives in Ormonde View and believes working at the store was an eye-opener that gave him skills he could take everywhere in his life.

“From being merchandiser to being a perishable supervisor, my journey has been great. Being a leader, you have more responsibilities. This has prepared me for greater heights. I can now run my own shop, I am ready,” he said.

Asiphe Nodada (24) said the JumpStart programme was instrumental to get her in.

“I studied hospitality and catering. I started as a front server and I am now a cook. I can now provide for my family as this is my first job,” she said.

Shakira van Nel (45) from Crown Gardens said when her mother frequented the shop in September 2019, she asked the owner about job opportunities.

“My mother would always ask about the job until I got hired. I’ve been a clerk, capturing invoices to name a few. I’ve learnt a lot from Desai. I have grown in this shop. Within three months, I moved to an admin post. I now handle payslips and human resources. He gave me a lot of space to grow and I love it,” she said.

About JumpStart

JumpStart acted like a conduit and facilitated the training and the interviews. It also does hands-on work experience in a retail environment. The programme does not give candidates jobs but equips the youth to be workplace ready. It is not a recruitment agency, does not guarantee employment and does not charge a fee for its services.