Amidst rising unemployment Evodia Motsepe’s story is an inspiration to the majority of South African women. She is someone who has seen opportunity and grabbed it enthusiastically.
Motsepe, who holds an MBA, is the country’s first black woman poultry importer to benefit from the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA). She is majority shareholder and chairperson of Mega Food Supplies, one of the first black and woman-led companies to be allocated more than 1 000 quota through the AGOA dispensation. The company imports, stores and supplies food to the local South African market and the neighbouring countries.
Equipped with proper systems and partnerships with experts in product sourcing, importing and logistics from the United States, Motsepe is confident about the Mega Foods Supplies’ prospects in the market. “This is not a temporary measure. We are in this for a long-haul,” she said. “This provides us with the opportunity to show our worth in this industry that still thinks black people, especially women cannot make good entrepreneurs.”
Though AGOA is a great opportunity for South African exporters, Motsepe is gravely concerned that suppliers, mainly Historically Disadvantaged Individuals (HDIs) might not benefit from AGOA provisions due to lack of access to finance or financial limitations. And so, she appeals to venture capitalists to help with financial support and for the big wholesalers, and retailers to open their markets to all the HDIs.
“This is a cash-hungry business wherein you need support through and through from venture capitalists. We therefore appeal to all stakeholders to join hands with us,” Evodia says. “Unless this happens, the quotas allocated to us will not be put to good use and we may close shop.”
As part of the training and development plan organised by the United States to empower small businesses, Motsepe will be attending the USA-Africa Business Forum in New York in September under the auspices of the US Commercial Services.
The Forum is co-hosted by the UN General Assembly, Bloomberg Philanthropies and US Department of Commerce. The day will be focused on increased trade and investment between the US and African nations and will feature more than 50 heads of states, global CEOs and senior government executives.
