African Bank is pleased to announce the return of its annual Enterprise and Supplier Development (ESD) Summit, which will take place on 14–15 November 2024 at 012 Central in Tshwane, Pretoria. Themed “Sustaining Entrepreneurship, Reclaiming Heritage,” the summit will honour the entrepreneurial spirit and legacy of Dr. Sam Motsuenyane, African Bank’s founding chairman and an icon in the advancement of black entrepreneurship in South Africa. With Dr. Motsuenyane’s recent passing, the 2024 ESD Summit serves as a tribute to his lifelong work and commitment to fostering economic inclusion and community growth.
The African Bank ESD Summit is a development-focused platform that brings together Small, Medium, and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs), thought leaders and entrepreneurship development organisations from across South Africa. This flagship event connects SMMEs with vital resources, access to markets and expert mentorship, advancing the bank’s objective to enable inclusive economic growth and sustainability for small businesses, particularly those in rural and peri-urban areas.
Fostering Growth Through Connection and Development
Each year, the summit convenes a national gathering of entrepreneurs, support organisations, and key stakeholders, offering SMMEs a direct link to resources and networking opportunities essential to their growth.
Through specialised sessions, workshops and discussions led by industry experts, African Bank aims to rekindle the spirit of entrepreneurship, empowering participants to reclaim their heritage as self-sustaining and resilient business owners. By focusing on sustainable business practices and economic inclusivity, African Bank seeks to create lasting change in underserved communities and support the transformation of South Africa’s business landscape.
Edna Sathekga-Montse, Group Chief Transformation & Sustainability Officer at African Bank, says: “Our annual ESD Summit is designed to drive tangible outcomes for SMMEs. By fostering connections and providing access to critical resources, African Bank is helping entrepreneurs build resilient, sustainable businesses that contribute to South Africa’s economic fabric. Honouring Dr. Motsuenyane at this year’s summit is a fitting tribute to his vision for inclusive economic growth and the empowerment of black-owned enterprises.”
A Platform for Legacy and Transformation
Aligned with African Bank’s Excelerate25 strategy, which emphasises sustainable procurement and inclusivity, the summit extends African Bank’s enterprise development initiatives to previously underserved areas. African Bank’s commercial banking division continues to expand its support for SMMEs, reinforcing the bank’s brand “for the people, by the people, serving the people.” This summit aligns with African Bank’s efforts to reach beyond traditional markets, actively engaging with township, rural and peri-urban communities.
African Bank’s commitment to economic inclusion and transformation has already shown measurable success, with a pool of SMMEs that graduated from its year-long capacity building programme. The programme supports SMMEs through entrepreneurship skills development, business coaching and technical support to strengthen the businesses’ capabilities and competitiveness. At the end of the programme, grants are made available for SMMEs that have successfully implemented skills from the programme to improve their business. In 2024, six of the SMMEs that received grants, were scouted through the annual summit. This is testament to the Bank’s commitment to creating sustainable impact in the community, through the summit.
This year’s summit continues the Bank’s efforts to empower SMMEs to become self-sustaining while honouring the vision of Dr. Sam Motsuenyane. His legacy will be celebrated through the entrepreneurial achievements of summit attendees who are driving economic development in their communities, embodying the very spirit that he inspired.
For more information on how to participate in the African Bank ESD Summit, or to learn more about African Bank’s initiatives in supporting small businesses, please engage the team on [email protected] or via our various social media platforms.
About African Bank
African Bank Limited is a personal and business bank offering a range of financial products and services, serving both private and business customers. The bank is rated the overall leader in customer satisfaction in the banking industry and has a countrywide branch distribution network and a full digital channel offering, as well as sales, collections, and customer service contact centres. African Bank is a scalable, diversified, and sustainable business focused on its heritage journey of being a bank for the people, by the people, serving the people – with a clear vision and strategy, strong leadership, and an audacious drive to deliver on the promise of its founders. Visit African Bank at www.africanbank.co.za
