Building Better Businesses: UMK Boosts Kuruman’s Goodman Bok

Running a small business is no easy feat. It takes determination, long hours, and the kind of courage that keeps you pushing forward even when times are tough.

Training in critical skills gives entrepreneurs a chance to strengthen their businesses and build solid foundations for future growth. A programme that focuses on financial literacy, marketing, and people management saw several business owners benefit from training along these important skill sets. It formed part of UMK’s Enterprise and Supplier Development (ESD) programme.

For Goodman Bok, who runs a small restaurant and catering business in Kuruman, the programme arrived at exactly the right time. His business, known for its grilled kebabs, Russians and chips, started a few years ago after he learned the ropes while working in a restaurant in Limpopo. “I saw how much potential there was in this kind of business,” he said. “I brought that knowledge home and started something of my own.”

Strengthening business skills

Bok said that the programme was eye opening, particularly when it came to managing money properly. “Sometimes when money comes into the business, you think it is yours,” he said. “But I have learned that it is not personal money, it is business money. Now I understand how to handle my finances, how to plan, and how to prepare for things like audits and tax returns.”

Bok added that the training has already changed how he operates day to day. “It has helped me see what is going on in my business and how to treat my money better,” he said. “This kind of knowledge is what helps you grow.”

The programme forms part of the miner’s broader commitment to entrepreneurship and community development through its Social and Labour Plans. By investing in people and equipping them with practical tools, it aids to build stronger, more self-sufficient communities across the Northern Cape through entrepreneurship.

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Category: Press