National Gazelles members are situated in all nine provinces. These entrepreneurs are in the first group of Gazelles, selected in 2016.
INTRODUCTION TO THE PROGRAMME
The National Gazelles is a flagship SME support programme of Seda and the Department of Small Business Development.
It aims to identify and support SMEs with growth potential through a comprehensive range of business growth-oriented programmes, activities and partnerships.
Through its combination of financial and non-financial support, the National Gazelles aims to assist members to grow faster and more profitably than they would normally do.
Our aim is to ensure that each National Gazelles business trades as closely as possible to its maximum potential – thus helping to create jobs and grow key industry sectors for the future.
Although all businesses are welcome to apply and are eligible to join, the programme emphasizes black-owned businesses in line with the national transformation agenda.
It aims to identify and support SMEs with growth potential through a comprehensive range of business growth-oriented programmes, activities and partnerships.
Through its combination of financial and non-financial support, the National Gazelles aims to assist members to grow faster and more profitably than they would normally do.
Our aim is to ensure that each National Gazelles business trades as closely as possible to its maximum potential – thus helping to create jobs and grow key industry sectors for the future.
Although all businesses are welcome to apply and are eligible to join, the programme emphasizes black-owned businesses in line with the national transformation agenda.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS?
National Gazelles members become part of a vibrant national network of like-minded entrepreneurs, who benefit from the following programme activities and services.
- Expert business MasterClasses that rapidly improve your business, management and entrepreneurial skills and abilities
- A detailed analysis of your business to identify how you can improve operations, productivity and market share
- A customized growth strategy developed for your business, combined with weekly personalized support to help you implement the strategy
- Assistance with access to funding, grants and incentives to support capacity and competitiveness
- On-request expert interventions to assist you to address growth-related issues in your business
- Business travel assistance including an SAA Gold Card and Avis Preferred Plus Card
- Networking and business opportunity events
- A daily customized tender email with all current tenders relevant to your products and services
- Use of the National Gazelles brand on all your stationery, promotional items, letterheads and proposals
- Profile on the National Gazelles website and inclusion in other PR activities and benefits
HOW CAN I BECOME A NATIONAL GAZELLE MEMBER BUSINESS
Every year we accept 40 new member businesses into the programme. Members can be situated anywhere in South Africa.
Application is by means of an on-line form during the annual application “window”.
Each application is scored by our audit firm partners, SekelaXabiso, KPMG and EY. This score makes up 40% of your final score.
If you are among the shortlist of 200 applicants, you then attend a interview in your province, where you have the opportunity to present your business and be interviewed by the panel of business experts. This counts for 60% of your final score.
The resulting score (application form score plus interview score) makes your final score. We then select the top 40 applicants, adjusted by size of Province to ensure every business in each Province has a fair chance of selection.
The entire process is then audited by Sizwe Ntsaluba Gobodo to ensure fairness and transparency.
New members are then invited to attend an induction workshop to explain the programme benefits and how to get the maximum benefit.
Application is by means of an on-line form during the annual application “window”.
Each application is scored by our audit firm partners, SekelaXabiso, KPMG and EY. This score makes up 40% of your final score.
If you are among the shortlist of 200 applicants, you then attend a interview in your province, where you have the opportunity to present your business and be interviewed by the panel of business experts. This counts for 60% of your final score.
The resulting score (application form score plus interview score) makes your final score. We then select the top 40 applicants, adjusted by size of Province to ensure every business in each Province has a fair chance of selection.
The entire process is then audited by Sizwe Ntsaluba Gobodo to ensure fairness and transparency.
New members are then invited to attend an induction workshop to explain the programme benefits and how to get the maximum benefit.