GOLDEN REWARDS

Golden Rewards 1981 CC is a reliable road construction and maintenance contractor based in Cape Town. The company was founded in 2010 by Mampho Sotshongaye with a primary focus on the maintenance of

major routes such as national, provincial and municipal roads but the company’s expertise also extends to construction projects.

The company mostly works on Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) projects that employ 90% of their workers from disadvantaged communities, such as rural areas. There are future projects with the City

of Cape Town in the pipeline, projects with a focus on employing more women and youth. Golden Rewards goes beyond only providing job opportunities by forming long-term relationships within communities.

In the future, Golden Rewards aims to continue offering superior service and high-standard construction and maintenance techniques by undertaking more complex projects across the Western Cape.

What important role does your company play in Cape Town, and abroad?

Job Creation and Making our roads beautiful and clean.

When considering Cape Town, what factors made you choose to start here? Why Cape Town and what prompted the decision?

I came to Cape Town as a student and I was lucky to be given an opportunity under Vuk’uphile EPWP in 2004 and I never looked back. It was only in Cape Town that I got mentored without making a big deal of my skin colour or gender.

What do you enjoy most about operating your business in Cape Town? What are the benefits of running a business/investing in Cape Town?

Job Creation and making our road reserves clean and beautiful. We always get compliments from our clients and from the public.

What are the highlights/success stories you can share since starting your business in Cape Town?

We work mostly on EPWP projects that require us to employ 90% of our workers from disadvantaged communities and there in nothing more rewarding than to see them providing for their families. We work in rural areas of Western Cape , poverty is visible and when you are there to provide work and transfer skills, it is always humbling and wanting me to do more and it goes beyond being an employer but we always form long term relationships with community.

What challenges, if any, have you experienced in setting up your business?

For me it was working capital, experienced personnel, affordability of experienced personnel and trust from clients.

Have you had any interactions, positive or negative, with the City of Cape Town in setting up or running your business?

Yes, there are interesting projects on the pipeline with City of Cape Town and we hoping that after the lockdown everything will be clear and decision will be made. And more women and youth will benefit should all goes well.

How has doing business in Cape Town, or with City of Cape Town, been different to anywhere else?

Doing business in Cape Town is not easy especially as female owned construction company as you get a lot of discrimination and unfairly treatment from your colleagues and some of your clients.

What’s next? What is the future of your business?

Future is looking good after the lockdown as we already have projects that we were busy and we are always out there looking for new opportunities.
10. If your best friend was on the fence about opening a business/investing in Cape Town, what would you tell them? Cape Town is a beautiful town, we all need to take a responsibility of making a change and owning it without waiting from government to do things for us. Let us see how we can uplift one another and collaborate to make bigger things and contribute towards unemployment. Do not start a business because you are desperate for money but get into business because you want to make a change.