Small businesses in South Africa honoured

09 November 2015 The hard work and achievements of the small business community in South
Africa were in the spotlight when the winners of the 2015 South African Small Business Awards
were announced on 5 November 2015 at a breakfast at Montecasino in Fourways,
Johannesburg. The awards, hosted by the National Small Business Chamber (NSBC) and sponsored
by Adams & Adams, First National Bank and Vodacom, paid tribute to the contribution that small
businesses made in creating employment and building communities. They represented various
industries throughout the country. Successful small businesses promote the outcomes of the
country's National Development Plan. It aims to create decent employment through inclusive
economic growth, so creating a better South Africa, a better Africa, and a better world. The NSBC,
established in 2007, is a non-profit membership organisation and the driving force fuelling small
business growth. It was set up to foster the sustainability and growth of the SME sector, driving job
creation, alleviating unemployment and nurturing the country's entrepreneurial spirit. The
chamber has a membership of more than 87000 small- and medium-sized enterprises and 50 big

brands as national partners.

Mike
Anderson, founder and chief executive officer of the NSBC, gives a motivational speech.(Image:
National Small Business Chamber) Mike Anderson, the founder and chief executive officer of the
NSBC, said in a statement that being recognised as a champion business further validated the
award winners' reputation for quality and provided opportunities for further growth. "While our
economy struggles to reach its full potential, small businesses like the 2015 award winners act as
shining examples of how innovation, perseverance and commitment can have a big impact," he
said. "Though times can be tough, this year's winners have proven they can be too. The 2015
winners have shown that through passion, hard work and dedication, success is achievable." The
South African Small Business Awards, now in its seventh year, once again drew thousands of
entries. This year, three special awards were introduced: National Exporter Award, National Travel
& Tourism Award and National Innovation Award. Social mediaBusiness owners and others at the
awards tweeted about the event:Delighted that .@StaffsUni Business School has been recognised
by @SmallBizCharter for its SME and enterprise work https://t.co/76NJL98Edd Paul Williams
(@PaulWilliams207) November 5, 2015
Mike Anderson (NSBC Founder & CEO) & @KatlegoMaboe talking about the importance of
#smallbusiness #SmallBizAwardsSA https://t.co/SlLBSxjFA5
NSBC South Africa (@mysmallbiz) November 5, 2015Networking with some of SA's best
entrepreneurs @Phezulu_Group #smallbizawards #entrepreneur #SmallBusiness

 pic.twitter.com/Y2kMfek7Ob
Jean-Mari_Zeilinga (@JeanMariZ2) November 5, 2015#smallbizawards @ThinkroomTalk Daunting
task to grow a business but nothing more rewarding
Zuanda (@ZuandaReid) November 5, 2015Women absolutely dominating these awards. Very
encouraging to see. #SmallBizAwardsSA
media757 (@Media7five7) November 5, 2015The winnersAriston Global, owned by Reginald Pillay,
was named 2015 National Small Business Champion. Pillay's company provides accounting, tax,
human resources and advisory services. It has grown over eight years to report a growth rate of
more than 250% this financial year and created many new, professional long-term job opportunities
for young entrants to the job market.Pillay said the first 1000 days of a business were the most
critical. "I'm inspired by how we've grown over the last eight years into the Ariston Global that you
see today."I am honoured to be the recipient of this award and humbled to be recognised by the
NSBC. The way that the NSBC not only supports small businesses but also provides accolades for
achievement is great. I am so happy to be a part of that."

From left: Stephen Swart, Head of

Acquisitions at FNB; Grard Du Plessis, Chairman at Adams & Adams; Reginald Pillay of Ariston
Global and Songezo Masiso, National Sales Manager at Vodacom. Pillay won the National Small
Business Champion of the Year award. (Image: National Small Business Chamber)The National
Entrepreneur Champion and inaugural National Exporter Award went to Shooshoos, an exclusive
baby shoe brand owned by Gill Bowen. The company has grown exponentially to become the biggest
exclusive baby shoe brand in South Africa and exports to over 15 countries.

National Woman in Business Champion of

the Year - From Left: First runner-up: Tanya Kisten of Khanyisela College; National Woman in
Business Champion of the Year award winner Sonja Smith-Janse Van Rensburg of Sonja Smith
Funeral Group Pty Ltd and Second runner-up Refilwe Marumo of Mighty Comms Pty Ltd. (Image:

National Small Business Chamber)Sonja Smith Funeral Group, owned by Sonja Smith, was awarded
the National Woman in Business Champion. Smith's passion for being of service to people in times of
grief and her tireless advocacy in tackling legal issues in the funeral industry led to the company
being featured in the Sunday newspaper Rapport and on television investigative journalism show
Carte Blanche.Janine van Zyl, the owner of Cold Gold Artisan Ice Cream, scooped the National
Young Entrepreneur Champion Award. With the motto "Perfection is all the little things done well
with love", Cold Gold Artisan Ice Cream creates speciality 100% natural ice cream and sorbet in over
800 flavours.Van Zyl said it was a great honour to receive the award. "It has been inspiring to watch
my business grow alongside those of my suppliers. It was part of my vision to not only create a
business for myself but to assist other businesses to grow at the same time."The full list of winners
and runners-up is:National Small Business Champion of the YearWinner: Ariston Global Reginald
Pillay First runner-up: College of Production Technology Andy Greenwood Second runner-up:
Oembotutravel.co.za Henri Otou National Entrepreneur Champion of the YearWinner: Gill Bowen
Shooshoos First runner-up: Tyrone Naidoo BEE Online Second runner-up: Kevin Paxton Noble
Water Solutions National Woman in Business Champion of the YearWinner: Sonja Smith-Janse van
Rensburg Sonja Smith Funeral Group First runner up: Tanya Kisten Khanyisela College Second
runner-up: Refilwe Marumo Mighty Comms National Young Entrepreneur Champion of the
YearWinner: Janine Van Zyl Cold Gold Artisan Ice Cream First runner-up: Tshepiso Mametja
Amphiguard Brickyard Second runner-up: Marisa da Silva Infanta Foods Special awardsNational
Travel & Tourism Award: Oembotutravel.Co.Za Henri Otou National Exporter Award: Shooshoos
Gill Bowen National Innovation Award: Noble Water Solutions Kevin Paxton Source: South African
Small Business Awards and SouthAfrica.info reporter
http://www.southafrica.info/business/success/sa-business-awards-091115.htm