The donation aims to not only keep small businesses going but also to assist with growth and expansion — giving them the opportunity to earn an income, contribute meaningfully to the economy and uplift themselves.

The vehicles, purchased through FNB funding, will be donated free-of-charge to micro-suppliers from each organisation that have a professional, proven track record. All they will need to do is arrange their own insurance.

"We have always championed the little guys," says Andile Ramaphosa, SDI co-founder. "And in the current economic climate, we're ramping up our efforts to ensure that they don't fall through the cracks." 

The handover event, which will be a small affair for less than 50 people, will take place on Friday, 3 July and will be called Rishume Day; this is based on a Venda phrase and means, "let's work to make things work". 

Brad Fisher, co-founder of SDI, says, "One of the key drivers for economic and societal change is developing bridges between the established and informal business sectors."

"This is something I have personally been involved with for years, and so the site of the handover is of deep significance, as it truly represents the coming together of these two worlds," adds Fisher.

SDI says that this initiative would not have been possible without funding from FNB. A portion of the bank's R8-million donation has gone into hard assets such as these vehicles.

"FNB is committed to helping small businesses grow," says Heather Lowe, head of SME development at FNB Business. "As such, we are proud to partner with SDI in an initiative that will assist high-performing, scalable micro-entrepreneurs in reaching their full potential."

"These are trying times for us as South Africans and every life we can help influence for the better goes a long way to achieving economic recovery," adds Lowe.

SDI has partnered with enablers like cleaning service SweepSouth, delivery and moving service Loadit and e-hailing platform Bolt. SDI says that this is because these companies have similar business models and share the same commitment to keeping micro-suppliers employed.

SDI assisted SweepSouth in the form of vehicle donations and PPE kits. This aimed to help the company and its contractors branch out into the business market. SweepStars are being trained as disinfectors, up-skilling them and equipping them to help fight COVID-19.

By owning their own cars, Bolt e-hailing drivers will experience real business growth and Loadit contractors will be able to open their own logistics businesses now that they have their own transport and access to market.

FNB is also helping implement Safe-Passage-to-Work / School, an initiative that tailor-fits taxis with protective measures to ensure that they are COVID-compliant. This is in collaboration with SDI, Bridge Taxi Finance, The City of Johannesburg and micro-suppliers from SweepSouth Loadit and WastePreneurs. 

Five micro-suppliers from SweepSouth will receive BAIC D20 Hatchbacks, two from Loadit will receive JAC 3-tonne trucks and 10 from Bolt will receive BAIC D20 Sedans. SDI says that Chinese-owned motor manufacturer BAIC has generously given discounts on their vehicles to enable this project. 

"This wonderfully generous donation by SDI to these five SweepStars comes at a critical juncture," says Aisha Pandor, managing director of SweepSouth. "Even though we have been supporting SweepStars through the SweepSouth COVID-19 SweepStar Fund, many domestic workers have been hard hit by lockdown."

"The recipients of these vehicles all work for the government-approved SweepSouth Business Sanitisation service, and in addition to the potential for increased earnings, this huge opportunity to up-skill will make a profound difference to their lives," adds Pandor.

"Thank you to SDI and FNB for their fantastic donations to Loadit micro-suppliers," says John Greenland, CEO of Loadit. "Our guys have had a very difficult time during lockdown and as we emerge from it, every bit of assistance goes a long way to ensuring that they can continue to put food on the table."

"We see this project as a massive contributor, both to these individuals and to broader society. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts," adds Greenland.

"e-hailing has enabled entrepreneurship opportunities for more than ten thousand drivers that use the Bolt platform to earn an income," says Gareth Taylor, country manager for Bolt in South Africa.

"Thanks to this partnership between SDI and FNB the recipients of these vehicles are now empowered to reduce their costs and increase the sustainable earnings that they take home to support their families," concludes Taylor.

For more information, visit www.sdi.co.za. You can also follow SDi on Facebook or on Twitter.