The South African Black Entrepreneurs Forum (SABEF) was established in 2002 by a dynamic group of entrepreneurs that were trailblazers in the early days of economic transformation in South Africa.
SABEF is a non-profit section 21 registered company that endorses pure broad-based black economic empowerment. We strongly believe that entrepreneurship is a conduit to poverty alleviation, job creation and economic growth in South Africa.
SABEF seeks to facilitate entry of emerging entrepreneurs into prominent sectors of the mainstream economy, through access to markets, networking, lobbying and advocacy, and by implementing solution-focused development and networking programmes aimed at ensuring the growth and sustainability of the emerging business sector in South Africa.
Preferential Procurement and Enterprise Development are two significant cornerstones of SABEF’s strategy to build capacity in small businesses and facilitate sustainable economic opportunities and provide holistic business education and information.
SABEF brings focus on the empowerment and development of SMMEs in South Africa’s communities that are remote from economic prospects. It promotes their business concepts, products and services for funding and capacity building opportunities.
Programmes
SABEF Kasi2Kasi SME Development Tour
This initiative is a hybrid of information sharing and technical training for township entrepreneurs and small business owners. The tour is a road show across South African townships and is a programme that integrates academia, technical business training, motivation and inspiration. Through our partner organisations, SABEF seeks to develop and expose the brightest and best business minds to entrepreneurs and SME owners. The initiative aims to achieve some of the following:
Give technical business capacity through the various business workshops and technical training sessions.
Promote SABEF and its programme partners as socially responsible corporate citizens that encourage the up liftment of black enterprises.
For more information please visit http://sabefkasi2kasi.weebly.com
Women in Business Breakfast Series
The Women in Business Series (WIBS) is a successful partnership between Absa Bank and SABEF since 2012. This is a partnership that celebrates women in business from all walks of life. WIBS is a series of industry – specific business workshops, where each month will focus on a key economic industry. Through out the series there will be an analysis of the industry that will cover some of the following:
Women’s active economic participation in the industry
An overview of the key industry in South Africa
At the end of the WIBS series a report will be released and this will capture the findings of the collective industry workshops and also the market research that will be conducted.
The Objectives
An opportunity for women who are excelling in key sectors of our economy to be acknowledged and be given the opportunity to give back and inspire up-coming women in business.
A chance to share learning’s, industry knowledge and business opportunities with women who are not familiar with the industry.
For more information visit this website http://www.womeninbusinessseries.co.za/
The Nelson Mandela Entrepreneurship Lecture
The annual Nelson Mandela Entrepreneurship Lecture is about celebrating the life of a, Man that inspired hope, dignity, pride and forgiveness in the hearts of many South Africans and the world. He once said ‘Money will not create success, but the freedom to make it will’. During the annual 18th July- Nelson Mandela day celebrations , SABEF in partnership with Africa Rising Foundation will host an entrepreneurship lecture in a township, in loving memory of Nelson Mandela .Traditionally the lecture will feature a local or international entrepreneur who will inspire and motivate township entrepreneurs to live by the philosophy of Tata and motivate them to empower themselves. In 2013 SABEF hosted Ndaba Mandela, the Chairperson of the Africa Rising Foundation and also world-renowned motivational speaker and entrepreneurs Mr. Les Brown. This is a signature initiative that will ensure that the Legacy of Nelson Mandela lives on.
Black & Jewish Entrepreneurs Network
In business, South Africa needs to transform and integrate the diverse cultures and societies that exit. The Black-Jewish Entrepreneurs Network (B-JEN) is a joint South African Jewish Board of Deputies and South African Black Entrepreneur Forum (SABEF) programme. This is a structured networking evening that creates a platform for select black and Jewish entrepreneurs to engage, exchange ideas and learn about best business practices in their societies. MEC. Mr Alan Winde, Rapelang Rabana, Khaya Gobodo and Jody Aufrichtig where some of the keynote speakers and judges who contributed to the initiative.
For more information, please visit http://www.capebod.org.za/events/b-jen
The Annual Kelly Ritchie South Africa Tour
The potential of this country and continent is lauded by the world. SABEF is proud to have a world-renowned entrepreneur Mr. Kelly Ritchie as the Global patron who is flying the SABEF flag around the world.
Kelly is an International speaker, former advisor to the Rich Dad Company and personal friend of Robert Kiyosaki (Rich Dad Poor Dad) and Blair Singer (Little Voice Mastery, ABC’s of Building a Business Team).
Together with Blair Singer, Kelly owns Sales-Partners Worldwide and the global franchise of Hosemasters International with franchises worldwide. Kelly has spent the last 22 years starting up and successfully running and supporting many businesses around the world.
Since 2012, in partnership with SABEF, Kelly has been coming to South Africa and developing SMEs in townships by coaching them on business principals, systems and money cycles. In 2013 Kelly launched the SABEF Kasi-to-Kasi SME Development Tour in Soweto and also conducted the High Energy Mentorship Tour in November with his colleague Jason Tyne from the USA. In 2014 SABEF will host Kelly Ritchie & Jason Tyne to inspire more entrepreneurs and develop and coach more small businesses.
Start-Up Africa Weekend
This is a 3-day festive entrepreneurial event that seeks to unleash Africa’s Innovative business ideas. It is a gathering of entrepreneurs, industry experts, financiers, business mentors, venture capitalists and angel investors over one weekend. It is best understood as an economic development model capable of turning informal operations into formal businesses. Aimed at South Africans who have own existing (small and medium sized enterprises) ventures as well as high impact business ideas, the rationale of the initiative is to start a continental revolution of entrepreneurs that build new enterprises which are innovative, unique, sustainable and, most importantly, contribute meaningfully towards the socio-economic development of communities. The key sectors that will be focused on this year will be ideas and businesses in the Innovation, Green-economy and ICT sectors. The Start-Up Africa Weekend initiative is a proud partnership between SABEF and Africa 2.0, a Pan-African foundation which is a civil society organisation that consists of young and emerging leaders from Africa and the Diaspora who share a collective vision for Africa and a commitment to finding and implementing sustainable solutions that will in turn leapfrog the development of the continent.
Global Entrepreneurship Week
Global Entrepreneurship Week is the world’s largest celebration of the innovators and job creators, who launch start-ups that bring ideas to life, drive economic growth and expand human welfare. During one week each November, GEW inspires people everywhere through local, national and global activities designed to help them explore their potential as self- starters and innovators. These activities, from large-scale competitions and events to intimate networking gatherings, connect participants to potential collaborators, mentors and even investors—introducing them to new possibilities and exciting opportunities”. The South African Black Entrepreneurs Forum (SABEF) in partnership with Wits Business School Centre of Entrepreneurship (CfE) annually hosts the “Great Lessons from Great Entrepreneurs” panel discussion during this week. This is a classic panel discussion amongst prominent South African Entrepreneurs and international thought leaders who will engage on various dynamics of entrepreneurship in the world and in South Africa. The audience will have an opportunity to engage the panel and ask relevant questions. In 2012 there was a diverse panel of global, continental and local entrepreneurs who contributed to the discussion. In 2013 the panel focused specifically on Innovation.
