EKURHULENI JEWELLERY PROJECT

Our Programmes

EKURHULENI JEWELLERY PROJECT

The Ekurhuleni Jewellery Project is a Non-Profit Organisation that was officially launched in 2009 as a training and business incubation Centre. An initiative initially supported by Rand Refinery as its Corporate Social Responsibility Investment to address the socio-economic issues in and around Ekurhuleni. Ekurhuleni Jewellery Project is funded by Rand Refinery and SEDA Technology Program (STP) through the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and supported by The Jewellery Council of South Africa. Ekurhuleni Jewellery Project was opened in May 2009 for its first intake of 10 trainees. The facility now comprises of 4 buildings within the Rand Refinery Jewellery Village. One building as a Training Facility, second building as an Incubator Facility, third building as an Administration Centre, which also acts as a Show room for the Incubator, fourth building for Jewellery Design Training. The fourth building is the latest addition, which serves as a halfway house for graduated Incubatees, known as The Nova House. The incubator is based in 2 stand-alone House with Workshops that can house up to 14 emerging jewellers a time in 11 individual workshops. The core business of Ekurhuleni Jewellery Project is to develop Small, Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs) for commercial sustainability and success by offering business development services, transferring technology, facilitating access to minerals and providing an enabling environment to the emerging jewellers.

Core Values

Collaboration

Respect

Integrity

Honesty

Professionalism

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Our Partners

  • Rand Refinery

    • The Rand refinery was established in 1920 by the Chamber of Mines of South Africa. It is the largest integrated single site precious metals refining and smelting complex in the world. Rand Refinery provides funding and support to EJP. Alongside well-equipped workshops, furnished with state-of-the art equipment and jewellery manufacturing tools. Rand Refinery also provides access to precious metals so that the young entrepreneurs can develop and grow their business in a safe and enabling.

  • SEDA

    • The Small Enterprise Development Agency (SEDA) is an agency under the department of department of small business development. SEDA’s mandate is to develop, support and small enterprises to ensure their growth and sustainability in coordination with role players like small business incubators, that assist with achieving that mandate.

    Board of Directors

    The EJP has six directors on its Board. There 2 are representatives of RR, 1 SEDA and 3 Independent, well as the Centre Manager/ Managing Director.

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    Praveen Baijnath Chairperson

    Present CEO Rand Refinery – Director on the Board of Prestige Bullion (SA Mint & Rand Refinery JV) Non- Executive Director – Delta EMD Limited

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    Peter Bouwer

    General Manager at Rand Refinery accountable for gold refining and product fabrication

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    Tamiko Sher

    A successful multiple business owner. She founded and operates a consulting company and jewellery company and exports locally made jewellery and products, as well as teaming up with emerging jewellers at EJP. Is presently starting up an African research NGO focused on new technology and completing an SA publication on the drone industry.

     

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    Samuel Manyisa

    The Centre Manager got more than 10 years NPO and business development experience.

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    Kevin Friedman

    A 6th generation jeweller with an extensive knowable of the formal as well as informal jewellery industry. Owner of FrankilWild.

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    Malembe Mtsweni:

    Manager at SEDA responsible for Quality & Standards, with more than 18 years experience in small enterprise development.

     

    Our Programs

    Ximilani Enterprise Development Programme

    Ximilani Enterprise Development Programme offers a 1-year Enterprise Development programme in conjunction with the City of Ekurhuleni's Economic Development Department, to assist start-up local Jewellery businesses owned by men, women and the youth. In this programme, the candidates are provided with basic technical and business skills to able to design, manufacture and run a sustainable business. The candidates must attend 12 technical sessions monthly with the technical team, for design and manufacturing and a minimum of 2 business mentorship sessions.

    The training programme includes:

    • Introduction to working in a jewellery Manufacturing Workshop
    • Production of jewellery using the Lost Wax Process using Centrifugal Casting and basic vacuum casting equipment
    • Basic hand skills training for the production basic jewellery
    • Basic polishing of jewellery using both mechanical and traditional methods
    • The final finishing of jewellery (including decorative electroplating).

    Requirements:

    • All candidates must be over the age of 18 years.
    • Reside in the City of Ekurhuleni
    • Have a Jewellery background from any learning institution or be self-taught
    • No criminal record.
    • Have a registered business or be able to register a company within three months of joining the programme

    Process of Application:

    •CV with portfolio of evidence
    •Business registration documents (if applicable)

    Rand Refinery Enterprise Development programme

    The rand refinery enterprise development programme is a 12-month mentorship program that provides a R100 000 interest free loan to SMME’s, payable over a 3-year term. The programmes is a partnership formed by Rand Refinery, Ekurhuleni Jewellery Project, NQ Jewellers and the South African Diamond and Precious Metal Regulator.

    The Objectives of the program are to:

    • Provide financial assistance to SMMEs downstream (through the metal loan)

    • Create jobs and develop the downstream jewelry manufacturing industry

    • Provide technical mentorship

    • Provide sales and marketing mentorship

    SEDA Small business incubation programme

    SEDA Small business incubation programme EJP business incubation is a 3 year process that will requires every enterprise entering the incubation program to be influenced by the goals that have to be reached in a specific period. The program is designed to provide a conducive environment with systems for the incubated enterprises to develop systems and grow their businesses. The programme consists of 3 phases:

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    The reason EJP exists is to provide an enabling environment to small and medium businesses entering into the jewellery manufacturing industry. We do this by providing access to physical space, access to machinery, business development services and product development services as well as access to market opportunities.

    The incubation process:

    Pre-Incubation phase:
    This is a 3 month phase and in this phase, we will offer you support and mentorship to start and run your business.
    By the end of this phase, you should have:
    • Growth Plan (to be done online (monthly) with guidance from your advisor) • Compliance documents
    • Product prototypes • Basic marketing material i.e. business cards and brochures
    • Ready to start trading/ already trading
    • Introduction to machinery and health and safety practises.
    • During this phase you will have to do a lot of hard work and show dedication to running your own business as well as being part of the incubation programme.

    The incubation phase

    This is a 3 year phase where the business has started trading. In this phase you will have:
    • Signed incubatee Agreement
    • Growth plan
    • Business Bank account
    • Attending expos, markets and entering competitions and other marketing opportunities.
    • Business Growth and Sales.
    • >You will be receiving continuous mentoring and coaching for your business you will have to sign a memorandum of agreement that you will submit your monthly revenue/income as well as a general report on the progress of your business.

    Graduation Phase

    An incubatee should be ready to graduate and operate without the help of the incubator after the incubation period is over. Because of the mentoring and coaching that we offer.
    Please note that we do not cut you off, we still offer post-incubation services to you and your business for 1 year after your incubation contract is over

     

     

     

    Services

    Check our Services Provided to SMME’s

    Safe working environment

     

    Fully equipped workshop

     

    Access to specialised machinery and equipment

     

    Business skills training

     

    Safe working environment

     

    Technical skills transfer

     

    Product Development

     

    SMME Potential

    SMME’s in incubation have shown great improvement with 67% of them surviving the first 2 years of business, a phase that approximately 70% of start ups fail to pass.

    These surviving SMME’s are supplying well established shops such as the Tourvest chain on curios shops, Energy Emporium, and out of Out of Africa just to name a few.

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    Our Target Market

    We are currently supporting 44 SMME’s at different stages of their businesses. Demographics are as follows:

    Percentage Black owned businesses

    Percentage Youth Owned Businesses

    Percentage Female Owned

    Team

    Check our Team

    Samuel Manyisa

    Center Manager

    Didi Mapatle

    Marketing Co-orinator

     

    Technology Transfer Specialist

    Lincoln Mokoena

    Senior Trainer

     

    Technical Assistant

    Matsoane Tsoane

    Administrator

    Joyce Mlambo

    Contact

    Contact Us

    Location:

    1 Refinery Rd, East Rand Pty Mines, Germiston, 1400

    Call:

    +2711 825 5822

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