Cape Town - Bringing tourist experiences to locals, is the story of Ngena eKasi Township Tours, a beneficiary of an enterprise development programme launched by the Table Mountain Aerial Cableway Company (TMAC) to develop smaller tourism operators across the city.
The programme aims to provide small enterprises with the practical and business management skills needed to be a successful and sustainable business entity.
Ngena eKasi Township Tours is the brainchild of Thandisizwe Dano, and provides tailored group tours to local and international visitors in and around the Western Cape.
Dano, affectionately known to his friends as Zozo, says his working life did not start in tourism and travel.
“I am a qualified quality controller who worked in the clothing industry.
“Things changed a lot over the years, and I spent a few years promoting events and artists.
“But later I decided to complete a tour guide course and started a small shuttle service taking people from places like Gugulethu to go and see sites and attractions across the Mother City,” he said.
It was during one such a visit to Table Mountain when Dano crossed paths with TMACC finance director, Selma Hercules, and the TMACC team.
Hercules then enrolled Dano and his colleagues in the enterprise and supplier development (ESD) programme.
“Since I joined the programme in 2018, I’ve seen growth within my company and lots of potential for the future. It has equipped us with different management approaches that enable us to come up with new and varying business strategies.
“The ESD programme has assisted us with resources and skills, including support and coaching, business plan development and proposal writing, assistance with the completion of a Tourism Equity Fund application and work process flow for tours to Table Mountain.
“Additionally, we’ve also benefited from the ESD programme through basic financial training on how to record income and expenses, and create financial reports, as well as drafting permanent and contract staff contracts and operating manuals,” Dano said.
His company has expanded their tour offerings, and now also include tours of the Cape Winelands and of the greater Peninsula.
Hercules said she was encouraged to see how Dano’s business has grown.
“We worked with our implementation partner Siyakha to drive an ESD programme that kills two birds with one stone; It helps grow and nurture young enterprises, and enables access for locals,” Hercules said.
For more information about the ESD programme, contact Hercules on selma@tablemountain.net
Cape Times