South Africa needs economic transformation, and it needs it now.

Collaborating to grow small business is central to enterprise and supplier development, and achieving the
goal of meaningful transformation.

Chairman of Johannesburg Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI) Property Cluster, Alexander Potgieter, works closely with a number of organisations and businesses that strive to grow small businesses in the property and construction industries. He believes that these initiatives are playing a vital role in building the South African business community and the economy.

For the property industry, there is a successful plug-and-play enterprise and supplier development programme that achieves the biggest impacts in the shortest time, and it is available to everyone in the sector.

Property Point is an awardwinning enterprise and supplier development initiative founded by Growthpoint Properties that delivers real, industry-specific results through ground-breaking partnerships. It is a point of
connection between the corporate sector and emerging businesses, for the benefit of both.

The successful programme, which has built a solid track record, looks at the big picture when it comes to developing small business. It aims to transform an entire industry, which is one of the most significant sectors of South Africa's economy. Property Point collaborates with partners across the property sector, such as JSE-listed Attacq Limited, to drive enterprise and supplier development forward for the sector. It has pioneered real estate industry collaboration for meaningful and transformative enterprise and supplier development.

Results that speak for themselves
Its results prove that collaboration works. They also signal the benefits of more such partnerships.

So far, Property Point has created 3,609 jobs and over R807 million in procurement opportunities generated for the 136 SMEs that have participated in its two-year incubation programmes. These small businesses have reported 38.5% growth in revenue.

Potgieter comments, "Business development is more crucial today than ever before. Property Point, and its visionary partners Growthpoint and Attacq, are notching up excellent successes in adding sustainable small businesses and jobs to the economy."

Potgieter adds, "We support the work of Property Point and the significant contribution it makes to creating a diverse business-friendly environment. We also encourage more businesses to work together and collaborate to grow results exponentially."

Property Point has been a catalyst for successful enterprise and supplier development in the South African property industry for nearly a decade, steadily growing its capacity and results. Shawn Theunissen, head of
Property Point and head of Corporate Social Responsibility for Growthpoint Properties, says, "The success of Property Point and its beneficiary companies is also the success of our growing base of partners, such as Growthpoint and Attacq."

He adds, "We are passionate about helping entrepreneurs succeed. Property Point's model and approach to enterprise and supplier development unlock opportunities that benefit its business partners and entrepreneurs serving the entire industry too. It creates real supply chain opportunities, ensuring sustainable transformation and quality job creation."

Pioneering the power of partnerships
Property Point was first established by Growthpoint in 2008 to further its transformation goals through crucial enterprise and supplier development. Even then, it was clear that the programme had the potential for greater impact on a much larger scale.

Having established a track record of proven results and positive impacts, Property Point took the next step and began looking to partner with like-minded industry leaders and organisations for bigger impacts. In 2015, Attacq became Property Point's first partner. Property Point now manages Attacq's enterprise and supplier development programme.

This collaboration boosted successful transformation and enterprise development in the property industry.

For Attacq, one of the advantages of using the proven programme is that it was already delivering excellent results, which meant it had immediate impacts without having to reinvent the wheel. What's more, with its solid base of experience and insight, Property Point was able to deliver targeted interventions to help develop small businesses based on Attacq's unique needs. This helps Attacq meets its goals and targets for enterprise development and transformation, and enhances its understanding of small businesses in South Africa.

"Transformation is a business imperative for us," says Attacq. "The benefits of our collaborative effort with Property Point go beyond a matter of mere compliance. With our like-minded partners, we're helping to create an environment where small businesses strive for excellence and where all businesses on the supply
chain run at a higher level. When that happens, we all win."

Building competitive and sustainable small business
Theunissen says, "Linking small businesses with opportunities is a priority for the programme.

These linkages aren't only through Growthpoint and Attacq, the objective is for these small businesses to be sustainable, and that means they need to be able to compete in the marketplace."

Property Point's goals go beyond this to creating an environment that provides more opportunities for small business.

The real winner is the property industry, which stands to benefit from the services of these professional, experienced and innovative businesses, and the jobs they can create.

Theunissen also stresses that business organisations and industry bodies, such as JCCI, play an essential
role as a partner for business development. "They spur dialogue and action for their members, and are an example of the transformation agenda of the business community.

They are fertile ground for growing small businesses and for collaboration with business incubators like Property Point."

Property Point is once again ready to broaden its far-reaching impacts even further and to widen its network of partners. "The more that businesses in the property sector work together for enterprise and supplier development, the bigger the positive impacts we will have, not only for everyone directly involved but for South Africa as a whole," stresses Theunissen, who hopes to see even more partnerships between Property Point, big property companies and small businesses in future. 

For more information email ceo@alexp.co.za