About a dozen Klerksdorp, North West women of diverse professions have taken it upon themselves to resuscitate the local tourism sector by partnering and supporting each other to attract more visitors to the province while growing their businesses.
All their businesses were affected negatively by the outbreak of Covid-19 and they have vowed to ensure that they come up again and grow their enterprises.
The women, who call themselves Women Enhancing Tourism, marched on Saturday to the office of the mayor of the City of Matlosana to deliver their pledge and ask that the municipality recognise them as change-makers for the women in Klerksdorp.
The women who work in hospitality, tour guiding, spas, events, hiking, and agro-processing said they want to help Klerksdorp’s economy grow and to create employment opportunities in the town.
Clara Mojaki, the owner of Plot 320, which specialises in camping and hiking trails said they realised that there was a failure to collaborate among women.
“We must compete, but there should be healthy competition. We have this tendency of competing and sabotaging each other, so here we are twelve companies, twelve women from different backgrounds and characters and we say we want to make a change, we say it’s high time we work together and unite,” she said.
Kibi Memani, a tour guide, said most people think there is no tourism in Matlosana but because we support each other, when there are events we allow small businesses to put stalls and sell their goods there,” she said adding that they also support small businesses around Klerksdorp that are not necessarily part of the movement.
The women market and support each other’s enterprises even financially. Every month there is a host, and the group gives her money and advice on how her establishment can improve.
Tsholofelo Lebone owns a spa and said she would like to see as many businesses and many women-owned businesses come together and empower each other so they can achieve growth.
