Samsung Newsroom | July 29, 2025
It was launched in 2019 in collaboration with the Ministry of Trade and Industry and Competition (DTIC) as part of Samsung's R280 Million Investment Program (EEIP). The partner recently made a third call and invited the appropriate ICT and Service Center SMME to participate in this year's Samsung EIP Enterprise (ED) program.
The Samsung ED program, which aims to enable black-owned ICT and service centre companies to boost the economy and create jobs through entrepreneurship and business support, includes initiatives such as grant funding, professional business development support, and access to black-owned small, medium-sized, and micro-company supply chain opportunities. The programme's efforts are consistent with the national transformation goals and aim to promote a more inclusive economy.
In an effort to inspire potential future participants, coupled with Samsung's need to measure the impact and effectiveness of the CSR initiative, the company has spent the past few years talking to two beneficiaries of the ED program. When asked how Samsung EEIP provided the necessary confidence and support to participating SMME owners What means business about their businessthis is what they had to say:
One of the beneficiaries is Thoriso Rangata. He is a 32-year-old businessman and owner of KTO Digital and is a solution provider with a focus on business process automation, software development services, and background screening software as a service (SAAS). Toriso says that being part of the program gave him the security and confidence he needs.
Limpopo native, Johannesburg-based Toliso became part of the program when he responded to an invitation to apply in 2020. At the time, his business, KTO Digital, needed support to achieve the company's growth goals. Thoriso is a true example of how programs empower ICT entrepreneurship and help them stimulate job creation and contribute to economic growth.
Thoriso's company, a part of the EEIP program, was awarded the Nedbank Business of the Year Award in 2022. In the same year, his company launched its own product and was certified as a credit bureau business.
The support he received from the program has enabled KTO Digital to create more than 20 jobs during 2021. This is consistent with the program's objective of creating both direct and indirect jobs, with a particular empowerment of Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) and the development of the township economy.
These results demonstrate how the EEIP program provided Thoriso and his team with the opportunity to pursue their passion, and the opportunity to bring security and stability to the livelihoods of his employees as well as his family. Thoriso explains: “One other direct benefit that KTO Digital has received from parts of its program includes grants, asset financing and ongoing business mentorship, which is exactly what our business needs to move forward.”
He added: “We strongly believe that the skills we gained from this EEIP program, including business regulatory governance structure and strategic business growth approaches/methods, have contributed to the success of our business to date.
The second EEIP beneficiary based in Sinoville, Tshwane is Dumisani Mkhwebane, a 38-year-old businessman who co-owns and operates Tia-Solutions. Their business focuses on secure, scalable IT solutions by building cloud infrastructure through the efforts of collaborative teams. This will provide customers with resilience from cyberattacks, contributing to productivity, efficiency, and business continuity.
Dumisani further explained: “As TIA-Solutions, we partner with multinational vendors such as Microsoft, Fortinet and Veritas.
He also elaborated on how the company took part in the program, saying, “We saw an ad on LinkedIn about EEIP Enterprise ED in 2023 and decided to enter. We then received a capital investment to purchase computer equipment for our in-house vehicles.
“This program has financial and non-financial benefits for business growth and sustainability,” added Demisani. “For these reasons, I would like to encourage other small businesses to become part of the program. I strongly believe that the ED program will help grow other small businesses like us and will go a long way in enhancing their workforce.”
Importantly, this Samsung ED program is trying to inspire potential future participants by showing how EEIP can help you start your business. The concrete results clarified by these beneficiaries are a confirmation of Samsung's commitment to empowering entrepreneurs and providing reliable support systems for small and medium-sized businesses in the country.
Nikki Volks, EEIP Project Manager for Samsung South Africa, concluded: “From these testimonies, we are slowly achieving our intention to change the perception of potential candidates from “I'm working on something” to “successful business.”
As Samsung, we are pleased to be able to deliver in line with the program's overall and multifaceted goals, including creating a more inclusive and prosperous society through strategic investment, skill development and support for entrepreneurs. ”
“Disclaimer – the views and opinions expressed in this article are the views of the author and are not necessarily those of the Bee Room.”
