The Department of Small Business Development through its agency, the Small Enterprise Development Agency (Seda), continues to play a major role in establishing and helping grow small businesses such as Tembo Engineering.

The company, situated in Middleburg, Mpumalanga, and owned by Shocky Nengovhela, benefitted from government’s training and seminars which exposed them to import and export information.

During a recent visit to Tembo Engineering, Nengovhela told SAnews that government’s training assisted them by providing information on obtaining customs numbers for imports, exports and introduction to the SHE TRADES.

Nengovhela said had it not been for government’s assistance, she believes the company would not be where it is today.

Tembo Engineering, which is 100% Black Youth Women-owned, provides mechanical engineering services to other companies.

“We innovate and design through our core which is mechanical engineering consulting work, from which we develop maintenance strategies, plans and drawings,” Nengovhela told SAnews.

Nengovhela said they also do fabrication as per design and drawings to add value to the supply chain.

Tembo Engineering, which was registered in 2016, started full operations in 2020.

Prior to that, Nengovhela, who holds a BTech in Mechanical Engineering from Tshwane University of Technology, was employed in another field, and gave up her job to chase her dream of leading a mechanical engineering company.

“Mechanical Engineering is my passion. I have always wanted to get involved in this industry. We are a growing company. It was not easy to get to where we are now,” she told SAnews.

According to Nengovhela, there were times where the operations were conducted from the dining room table at home and occasionally renting small workspaces and using temporary labour.

Today the company has employed 12 permanent staff members.

“Growth presents itself with challenges, including a constrained cash flow, constraints of tools, machinery and skilled resources to deliver good quality results.

“We have learnt a lot in the past year and continue to learn from the steep growth. We have witnessed many nights where as the director you wonder if you will make ends meet on the payroll end. But nonetheless, we have learnt to be resilient and persevering.

“It remains to be a rewarding and a fruitful journey in the bigger scheme of things knowing Tembo Engineering is making a difference,” Nengovhela told SAnews.

Nengovhela said to get work done, in some instances they had to purchase second hand machines.

“We are coping with the machines we have although at times they break. At the end, the work gets done,” she said.

Nengovhela said they got a breakthrough when they went to Steve Tshwete Local Municipality LED (Local Economic Development) office.

At the municipality office, the manager introduced them to Mpumalanga Stainless Initiative (MSI) an incubator supported by the Local Municipality and by SEDA.

Tembo Engineering signed up for the incubation program where they qualified for a subsidized workshop and office space.

“Our vison is to be a sought-after mechanical engineering company in Southern Africa, equipped with applicable machinery to match global competition. Most importantly on the social front, our vision is to be an employer of choice, providing unmatched engineering skills and a rewarding work environment.

“Our permanent residence on MSI premises opened opportunities for us including access to business-to-business trade, supplier trust as we were locatable and accessible and had reference,” Nengovhela told SAnews.

Tembo Engineering plans to participate in this year’s Mandela Day by nominating a centre in their community that they can assist with donations.

Source: South African Government News Agency