COMMUNITY
ALEXBIZ
Businesses Working Together to Improve Life in Gomora
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One of the most popular African proverbs says that if you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together. These wise words reflect the mentality that drives AlexBiz, a group of entrepreneurs from the township commonly known by locals as Gomora.
e wanted to take away the responsibility of growing our businesses from government and other business hubs. We are therefore inviting people into our space – access to market opportunities, funding, training, and more,” Thabiso Sebata, chairperson of AlexBiz, tells Spot-On. Together with Sihle Mooi, former CEO of non-profit organisation Rays of Hope, Sebata founded the organisation in 2019. “[Sihle] was approached by Ikhokha to help them get Alex businesses who would like free swiping machines. [He] then approached me because I work with a lot of start-ups under my business Start Media, which helps [them] get marketing materials designed,” says Sebata. The two managed to get about at least 20 business and entrepreneurs in one room. “Then after this meeting was done, we had to decide if we are closing the WhatsApp group or continuing to work with the businesses to connect them to more opportunities. We decided to keep going and see how far this will go – we are now sitting at 200+ businesses in our WhatsApp group.”
IT’S COME A LONG WAY
AlexBiz Team from left to right: Phindile Mabunda, Patience Tshabalala, Siyanda Luzipo, Mary-Ann Boroko, Nthabiseng Seleke and Thabiso Sebata
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It has been three years since that eventful day and plenty of other businesses have benefited from this united front of entrepreneurs in Alexandra. There are a diverse group of directors in the organisation today, which include Bridgette Mogoboya, Nthabiseng Seleke, Mary-Ann Boroko, Siyanda Luzipo, Patience Tshabalala and Phindile Mabunda. There is no fee required for businesses to be part of AlexBiz. “We are all in business and volunteer our time to run AlexBiz,” he says. “Once a
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