. Skip to main content
.

Central to ensuring a positive legacy beyond the recovery of our last diamond is supporting economic diversification away from diamond mining. One way we are enabling this is through programmes that provide support for local small, micro and medium enterprises, including Zimele in South Africa and Tokafala in Botswana.

Bread being stacked in Lecha Bakery, Tokafala Programmes, Botswana

Bread being prepared in Lecha Bakery
Bread being prepared in Lecha Bakery

Tokafala

In Botswana, our Tokafala programme was launched in partnership between the Government of the Republic of Botswana, Debswana, De Beers Group and Anglo American in 2014. With Tokafala meaning ‘to improve’ in Tswana, the programme aims to promote economic development and job creation by helping local entrepreneurs develop the skills needed to build successful businesses through mentoring and access to market.

Tokafala also supports youth development through it’s STRYDE (Strengthening Youth Development Through Enterprise), which supports young people with personal and professional skills to help find jobs and start and grow businesses.

Founder of Siskop Investment sewing in store, Tokafala Programmes, Botswana



Zimele

In South Africa, Zimele was launched in 1989. With ‘Zimele’ coming from the Zulu word meaning ‘to stand on your own two feet, the programme supports emerging black-owned businesses, empowers entrepreneurs and supports job creation by providing funding, training, support and mentorship.

Tebello Makintane owns Pheregong Transport and Services and is a participant in the Zimele programme. She now supplies stationary to Venetia mine as well as offices and schools in Musina, South Africa.

For Tebello, “Zimele has done a lot through exposure, training and continuous assessments which helps track your performance and identify where your weaknesses are so you can improve. So it has been amazing working with them. There has been great support from Zimele.”

Tebello Makintane started supplying stationary through Pheregong Transport and Services in Musina, Zimele Programmes, South Africa in 2018