Cloudy Deliveries has been named the 2024 IWISA No 1 Community Champion for the Western Cape. Colin Mkosi, the social entrepreneur behind this Khayelitsha-based bicycle food delivery service, will return to his community with R30 000 in prize money. The funds will be used to further his mission of making a significant impact on the lives of those his social enterprise serves.
At the IWISA No 1 Community Champions event in Cape Town on Friday, Colin Mkosi of Cloudy Deliveries, Ncumisa Mkabile of Mamcube Fresh Produce, and Thobinceba (Thobey) Qambela of Fierce Creative Academy were announced as the top three winners. Colin secured first place, with Ncumisa and Thobey taking second and third places, respectively.
The announcement was met with enthusiastic applause from guests, supporters, and fellow champions. The IWISA No 1 expert judging panel made their decision following a compelling morning of “pitching” by 10 exceptional SMEs from the region. Each winner will receive prize money to further develop and sustain their social enterprises and will participate in expert business development training with winners from other regions later this year.
Now in its second year, the IWISA No 1 Community Champions competition honors local social entrepreneurs who have established viable township SMEs addressing social issues such as crime, poverty, or unemployment. Finalists from Gauteng, Free State, Eastern Cape, and Western Cape pitched their SMEs for a share of the R60 000 prize pool allocated per region.
In the weeks leading up to the regional finals, the 10 shortlisted SMEs underwent expert training to enhance their marketing and sales strategies. This training aimed to bolster their skills and ensure long-term sustainability for their businesses.
Sibongile Mooko, Premier Executive: Marketing (Milling), reflected on the excitement leading up to the finals. “The build-up to this year’s regional finals has been very exciting,” she said. “We received nearly 600 entries from the four regions, and the quality of applications was remarkable. As a brand dedicated to building strong communities and empowering individuals, we were deeply moved by the exceptional work of these social enterprises. We extend our thanks to all participants and wish them continued success.”
The judges faced tough choices due to the meaningful impact of each finalist. Mooko praised the finalists’ contributions: “From advancing STEM education with tutoring and study guides in English and isiXhosa to providing emergency medical transport services and empowering youth in local film-making and fashion, each SME is driving positive change in their communities. We commend all participants for their impressive work and assure them that IWISA No 1 will continue to support their endeavors.”
In his thank you speech, Colin Mkosi expressed his gratitude: “This is a great moment for our business. I’m excited to return to our workshop and share the news with our team. We are thankful to IWISA No 1 for this opportunity to showcase our business and tell our story. As social entrepreneurs, we thrive on encouragement and support, which inspires us to achieve even more.”
Mooko concluded the event by acknowledging the contributions of everyone involved: “We are grateful to our partners, the Silulo Foundation and the IDC, as well as our organizers and internal team. Your hard work and dedication have made this competition a success. We look forward to building on this remarkable event in the future.”
Looking ahead to next year’s IWISA No 1 Community Champions, Mooko reaffirmed the commitment to supporting impactful enterprises across South Africa. “We remain dedicated to nurturing these transformative businesses that address community challenges and offer life-changing solutions. We will continue to support them through this competition and other flagship programs. Stay tuned for what’s next!”