Racheal Gaffane has always had an eye for opportunity.

As a primary school pupil in Mamelodi, Tshwane, she sold sweets to her fellow schoolmates. 

Today, Gaffane owns and runs Danchi Group, a steel manufacturing business that employs 13 people in Tshwane. 

In 2017, Danchi approached the Gauteng Enterprise Propeller (GEP) to get assistance with starting her steel manufacturing business.

“The GEP helped my company with marketing material, a laptop and a printer,” she says.

The GEP is an organisation that falls under the provincial department of economic development.

It supports small, medium and micro enterprises and co-operatives across all sectors in Gauteng. 

The GEP helps small businesses to register their business, and provides business advice and financial and non-financial support.

After receiving assistance from the GEP, Gaffane was able to establish relationships with industry steel giants such as Komatsu, Timken, Aveng Trident Steel and Kaefer, and grow her company. 

Her company manufactures steel components for the automotive and rail transport industries.

The company also restores steel components for its clients. 

Gaffane says what makes her business a success is her passion and appreciation for artisans in this sector.

“My father was an artisan and I saw first-hand how underappreciated he was, even though his work was so pivotal. Today, my father is part of our team here at Danchi.”

Gaffane says the steel sector has had its own challenges, such as low sales and struggling to make a profit. 

In 2020, Gaffane focused on growing her company and tapping into steel components manufacturing.  

“The GEP came on board once more by providing funding for working capital. We invested the funding in equipment,” she says.  

In December, Danchi was the overall winner of the 2021 Eskom Business Investment Competition.

For more information about the GEP, visit: www.gep.co.za

– This article was originally published in GCIS's Vuk'uzenzele