Siyabulela Harrison Velele | TCB Repair Programme | Cape Town
My name is Siyabulela. I’m a simple, perseverant and enthusiastic person who loves to interact with other people and always willing to learn. I was raised by both parents, my mother and father, as a normal child. But in my early ages I got involved with bad stuff and ended up in jail and I was sentenced 3 years house arrest and due to this behaviour my life changed completely.
Because of having a criminal record, I struggled to get a job. I finished Grade 12 and I even went to college to acquire a skill so that I could have a living. I was doing plumbing, business management and electrical engineering. I heard about this program from my sister who was in the Resell programme at that time, and I was so interested. I was expecting to get more exposure on electrical stuff and acquire a skill on how to run a small business in in a good way.
My journey with Taking Care of Business (TCB) has been a very amazing opportunity. TCB has taught me things such as business skills and life strategies and how to deal with negativity in a responsible way. I learned a lot in TCB and to get involved in socializing, doing networking among a brotherhood and also to get more exposure on electrical appliances and learn how to run a small business. I feel pleasant and lucky to be part of this great, wonderful circular ecosystem.
My life has changed in a very rapid way, in self-development and financial management – I’m now financially independent. I now know how to socialize and network with other people. I’ve changed financially, gained technical skills and learnt how to run a small business. It inspires me.
TCB has moulded me in a very positive way and it restores back my dignity on my family and community because I am contributing and becoming a provider to my family and becoming a helper to my community.
I love operating my own business and becoming more independent in selling and fixing appliances. Most of my business, 80%, is relying on TCB suppliers and I love serving my community.
I usually buy stickered items, so the broken items, at a cheaper price to get a reasonable nice profit. I depend on the stock at TCB and selling those items back into my community at a reasonable price in order to get a living.
The three words that describe me are perseverant, enthusiastic and opportunist.
My advice to other business owners is to get involved in the great, amazing ecosystem and dealing with appliances. It inspired me a lot and I feel so blessed to be part of this program.
My dream is to own my business and to get known in the world. I feel so pleasant to get this amazing opportunity and TCB doesn’t count your past against you. It gives you another opportunity and restores dignity.
Taking Care of Business (TCB) is a nonprofit social enterprise. We are empowering unemployed South Africans and their families to escape the cycle of poverty through small business opportunities, mostly within the circular economy.