Eleven Eastern Cape individual crafters recently saw off tough competition to claim the best crafts stand award at the recent South African Handmade Collection exhibition at the Gallagher Estate.

The group was part of an Eastern Cape Development Corporation (ECDC) delegation to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) event.

"The success of the eleven crafters is part of ECDC's ongoing skills development programme which aims to capacitate individual, established crafters and those who want to start their own businesses, emerging contractors and bus operators in the former Transkei.

"Our skills development programmes are varied and include the emerging contractors' skills development programme which has also produced encouraging results as has the leadership programme for bus operators. These programmes give weight to our drive for sustainable skills development programmes," says ECDC regional head Belinda Vabaza.

The individual crafters who hailed mainly from Queenstown, Port Elizabeth, Alice and Mthatha exhibited ceramics, mohair products and beaded jewellery and they  won high praise for their creative work.

Vabaza says the corporation supports three different segments of crafters through its Arts and Crafts Support Development Programme. There are individual crafters who are concerned with an end product, crafters who want to start a business but lack business skills, and established crafters who do not have market access.

"ECDC helps individual crafters with product development, correct pricing for the right market, colour trends and packaging. Those who want to start their own businesses are taught basic business skills like bookkeeping and gaining market access.

"We assist established craft to put together a marketing strategy and expose them to markets by facilitating their participation in local and international exhibitions," says Vabaza.

DTI and ECDC go further contributing by sharing on a 50/50 basis up to 90% of logistical costs when SMMEs participate in an international exhibition. ECDC trains them on exchange rates, customer relations and marketing material, coupled with quarterly information sessions for crafters which provide networking and information sharing opportunities.

Border-Kei Chamber of Business (BKCOB) president Les Holbrook says the economy is not realising its true potential because of a lack of skills.

"We lack skills and experience through all sectors of the economy and we must emphasise the importance of sustainable skills development programmes which will enhance our economic prospects.

"We need programmes like these ones to address our skills shortages, however adhoc development programmes are arbitrary and will only produce limited outcomes," says Holbrook.

Vabaza says the corporation capacitates SMMEs in a variety of sectors including the construction industry. ECDC and the Centre for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) are running the Integrated Emerging Contractors Development Model which aims to build capacity amongst emerging contractors. Over 60 emerging contractors are taking part in the programme this year.

The Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) now rates the programme as one of its best practices and is now recommending it.

Holbrook says that although it has its own challenges, the emerging contractors programme is a good model and for it to become a success the beneficiaries must take it seriously.

 It has recorded a number of successes like Luzuko Mtwebana, from Zani Construction in Butterworth who joined the programme in 2005.

"I used to operate in a vacuum without taking into consideration any statutory or legal requirements I needed to comply with to run a successful business.

"As a result of the programme I am better organised, I have knowledge of the regulations I need to comply with and I understand cash flows. I am now applying for Grade 7 where I will be able to compete with established contractors," says Mtwebana who graduated from last year.

Bus operators in the former Transkei also benefitted from the corporation's skills development programme. Last year they formed a consortium called AB 350 which prepares them for the roles and responsibilities of being a director.

Vabaza explains that the corporation has also internalised its approach to skills development.

ECDC trains its service providers to improve their competency levels, teaches to write business plans and to implement quality management services. The quality management programme is done with the South African Bureau of Standards (SABS). SABS will give accreditation to service providers who must be registered with a professional body.

She adds that ECDC has gone further by introducing the HIV/AIDS in the workplace programme for SMMEs with the Eastern Cape Aids Council in 2006.

"We select 80 SMMEs annually and help owners deal with the epidemic in the workplace and its impact on productivity levels," says Vabaza.