TotalEnergies EP South Africa marked an important milestone in its commitment to local economic development with the graduation of participants from the West Coast Entrepreneurial Development Programme. The graduation was facilitated with the support of False Bay TVET College's Center for Entrepreneurship and Rapid Incubator (CFERI).
Funded by TotalEnergies EP South Africa, the program is part of the company's broader community investment efforts focused on inclusive economic growth, job creation and enterprise development in communities where economic opportunities are often constrained by geography, infrastructure and access to markets. The initiative was designed to equip entrepreneurs with practical business skills, advice and tools to build viable, compliant and sustainable enterprises.
The six-month program supported 30 SMMEs and small-scale fishing cooperatives from approximately 15 coastal and rural towns in the Western Cape's West Coast region, including Doringayby, Louville, Paternoster, Saldanha, St. Helena Bay and Lambert's Bay. Recruitment focused on entrepreneurs, with a particular focus on small-scale fishing enterprises and related businesses operating on the west coast. Out of a total of over 300 applications, 30 were selected and included. This reflects the demand for business development training and support in the West Coast region.
Following a structured selection process, all 30 participants were included and formally registered as students in the False Bay TVET College educational system, ensuring that their training was formally recognized through the institution. This enables them to acquire further vocational skills and training as part of continuous learning.
The program includes personal training workshops as well as personal training field trips held in Doringhamby and Louville, online mentoring and coaching, supported by practical business diagnostics. The approach and methodology were based on action-oriented entrepreneurship. Participants received training in key areas including legal and statutory compliance, financial skills, costing and pricing, business planning, operations management, sales and marketing, as well as leadership and strategy. Each participant worked towards developing a portfolio of evidence including a business plan and pitch as part of the program outcomes.
Speaking at the graduation, Florent Alleu of TotalEnergies EP South Africa said the program demonstrated the importance of targeted, community-based enterprise development. “This graduation represents more than the completion of a training program. It reflects TotalEnergies' commitment to empowering local entrepreneurs with the skills, confidence and tools they need to participate meaningfully in the economy.”
“This graduation represents the culmination of a six-month dedicated effort by 30 West Coast entrepreneurs. Through targeted training and mentorship, participants gained the practical skills to build sustainable enterprises. This is an important step taken by TotalEnergies – investing in real, sustainable SMME growth. They have demonstrated a real commitment to the communities in which they operate. We thank TotalEnergies for their investment and congratulate our graduates on this achievement, ” said Thomas Mvuvu, Center for Program Manager at False Bay TVET College. Entrepreneurship and Rapid Incubator.*
Tom Perzens of Langbaan and Fabian Patricia Mohammed of Doringbay, both representing their respective small-scale fishing cooperatives, testified to the value added by training in the development of their cooperatives.
Dewalt Ryan Klase, a rising young entrepreneur and local photographer, highlighted how the program has provided him with valuable information and skills in running his start-up business, including the importance of planning. He now applies these learnings to the daily operations of his business.
Cake maker Tamnline Brittian of Doringby said: “This program has helped me look at my business differently and has given me practical skills I can use every day. I am grateful for the opportunity and support I have received throughout the journey.”
As Christiana Nel, Deputy Head for Innovation and Development at False Bay TVET College, concludes, the program reflects the importance of strategic partnerships to enhance opportunities for SA start-ups and entrepreneurs: “Through this collaboration, we have provided targeted entrepreneurship training that supports sustainable enterprise development in the diverse West Coast communities that need it most.”
The program also brought to light the entrepreneurial hunger, resilience and passion of West Coast communities, where the small-scale fishing industry is much more than just a sustainable livelihood. There is a deeper understanding of its purpose for the participants. Entrepreneurship in the West Coast is based on a human-centered foundation that promotes and drives inclusive community development that aims to benefit the community as a whole.
© 2026. Bizcommunity.com Syndigate Media Inc. Provided by (Syndigate.info).