Kgobetsi & Sekonyela Diamonds
| Business Location: | Urban |
| Province | Northern Cape |
| Branch: | Frances Baard |
| Business Start Date: | |
| Busniess Type: | Company |
Business Dynamics and Challenges
Business Activities:
KNS Diamonds is a licensed diamond beneficiation company based in South Africa, Kimberley. In summary, their business specializes in the following services: Diamond Tours, Evaluation & Polishing and Custom Jewellery Design. In full, their services include diamond polishing, evaluation, cutting and grading, as well as diamond education and awareness campaigns. They benchmark against the best industry practices, therefore providing world-class service.
Challenges/Needs:
Presently KNS Diamonds is still growing and faces several challenges including:
1. Basic Business Skills: The owner has basic business management skills, but requires advanced training in Financial Management making it difficult to keep up with the growing business.
2. Access to Funding/ Machinery: Although the company has recorded significant increases in sales and customer numbers, operational challenges were hampering the growth potential of the company. Several shortcomings were highlighted, firstly, a shortage of trade-specific tools and equipment made it difficult for the business to meet the growing demand. Securing funding from banks or investors was a significant hurdle, as they faced challenges in presenting viable business plans or meeting collateral requirements.
3. Marketing and Linkage to Markets: The visibility of the business is very important, especially an online presence. The client requires assistance in accessing local and international markets to improve the sales of their products, which is mainly jewellery.
Intervention Insights and Results
Intervention Details:
The Business Advisor assessed company operations and recommended a series of interventions
Outcome/ Results
1. Basic Business Skills: Dikeledi Skonyela received Art of pitching training and subsequently Executive Mentorship Programme which they successfully completed.
2. Access to Funding/ Machinery: The client has been assisted with the development of a bankable business plan and access to funding was facilitated with a funding application to SEDFA, with the outcome pending.
3. Marketing and Linkage to Markets: The client was assisted with an E-Commerce website which had the impact of improving their visibility to clients not only in South Africa, but internationally as well. The client was also assisted with export orientation training. This resulted in the client receiving acceptance on the clientele list of the State Diamond Trader and successful sale of cut and polished diamonds to the tune of R116,076.23. They additionally recorded another private sale of R 63 589,20 for jewellery
4. The client was assisted with facilitation of Access to Local Markets: Exhibition at the Eastern Cape Provincial G20 Launch – Township and Rural Economy Engagement 2025.Additionally the client was also assisted to attend a trade exhibition in Hong Kong.
Outcome/ Results
1. Basic Business Skills: Dikeledi Skonyela received Art of pitching training and subsequently Executive Mentorship Programme which they successfully completed.
2. Access to Funding/ Machinery: The client has been assisted with the development of a bankable business plan and access to funding was facilitated with a funding application to SEDFA, with the outcome pending.
3. Marketing and Linkage to Markets: The client was assisted with an E-Commerce website which had the impact of improving their visibility to clients not only in South Africa, but internationally as well. The client was also assisted with export orientation training. This resulted in the client receiving acceptance on the clientele list of the State Diamond Trader and successful sale of cut and polished diamonds to the tune of R116,076.23. They additionally recorded another private sale of R 63 589,20 for jewellery
4. The client was assisted with facilitation of Access to Local Markets: Exhibition at the Eastern Cape Provincial G20 Launch – Township and Rural Economy Engagement 2025.Additionally the client was also assisted to attend a trade exhibition in Hong Kong.
Outcome Details:
KNS Diamonds has taken a journey with Seda since 2022, and this has resulted in positive growth in terms of turnover and employment. Turnover at previous Improvement Assessment stage was R179 665,43 and turnover at Current Improvement Assessment stage is R379 665,43. Which is a 111% increase in revenue. Additionally, the employment remained the same with 3 permanent employees.
Client Feedback
Client Comments:
‘SEDFA continues to assist my business with expert advice in addition to other interventions. I am eternally grateful and look forward to walking my entrepreneurial journey with SEDFA’.
