The CEO of the Chemical Industries Education and Training Authority (Chieta), Yershen Pillay, this week said plans are afoot to help budding industrialist Sibusiso Shabangu, 27, who manufactures his own fuel.
Shabangu featured in Sunday World’s Hustlers Avenue last week.
Pillay said he will be heading to Nkomazi in Mpumalanga with his team before the end of this month to meet Shabangu and to get to understand his prospects for Chieta to assist and support his quest.
“Sibusiso is one of the greatest innovators we have identified, and we are looking forward to assisting him to realise his dream on his quest to success and business prospects, as we are fully aware that his journey will turn things around for our country as employment will also be created and his business can also boost our economy in a big way,” said Pillay.
“Many people we are developing are hungry for success and they are aiming to start up their businesses, and we link them with funders after we have upskilled them through our various programmes. Our main objective is to alleviate lack of employment and empower our people to use their skills to empower others,” he added.
The organisation has already invested R20-million in start-up businesses as well as building R6-million smart skills centres in Saldanha Bay in Western Cape and Babanango village, a small town about 58km north-west of Melmoth in KwaZulu-Natal.
Pillay said his organisation has four strategic drives, which are a collaboration with energy and manufacturing companies to empower beneficiaries and introduce digitalisation, transformation and innovation through the industry.
“It is safe to say that South Africa is well on its way to producing green hydrogen as part of its renewable energy posture. To this end, Chieta has embarked on an 18-month research project, a comprehensive study of hydrogen power in SA, which will assist us in our efforts to support the hydrogen economy, identifying growth areas for skills and economic development.
We believe the project’s outcomes and recommendations will not only assist government, through the Department of Science and Innovation, and chemical sector companies, but also support the country’s Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan,” he said.
Shabangu, whose business employs 10 people, said that he is excited by the opportunity to discuss a way forward with Chieta and Pillay.
“I need assistance to get manufacturing equipment, funding and a manufacturing licence, as well as having my product endorsed by the SABS [SA Bureau of Standards],” said Shabangu.
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