First consumables empowerment forum takes flight

The information technology consumables black empowerment forum, The Maqubu IT Consumables Forum, has been launched. As the brainchild of Advanced Consumables Technology Pty (Ltd) (ACT), the forum will serve as a platform to represent, help develop and act upon the interests of empowerment resellers.

Maqubu (meaning waves and representing the "wave of change") IT Consumables Forum is an initiative directly aimed at improving the skills level, required by the industry, as well as serving as a credible, fully representative united front for empowerment resellers.

The activity and groundwork in helping to launch the initiative has been largely spearheaded by ACT MD Anton Herbst, Sales Director Gary Pickford and Dealer Account Manager Shirlinia Jacobs. The company believes a body such as Muqubu has a crucial role to play in the growth and development of the local consumables industry.

According to Pickford, ACT has realised the need for a more representative industry, particularly within the consumables space. The company believes black economic empowered resellers face a number of challenges and have struggled to leverage off opportunities that do exist.

"This is mainly due to a shortage of skills within the industry at large. There is a misperception that the consumables industry represents a doorway to the ICT industry, and this is a relatively simple pathway to follow. However, skills are absolutely essential. In addition, many resellers have experienced difficulty in acquiring support from the channel and financial institutions. Other contributing factors are limited access to competitive cost structures and poor delivery infrastructure. ACT believes it has a fundamental role to play in the facilitation of this forum to bring stakeholders together and help drive the process of change and development," he says.

Herbst says: "Our involvement in this important initiative doesn`t simply stop with the launch. We will continue to make our facilities, advice and skills available to the forum. In addition, our Lead Generation Program, Academy and business network is offered as strategic business tools to help support and market the forum`s activities, as well as generate business. We look forward to the future involvement of our vendors, corporate clients and resellers. This really is a wave of change."

Speaking at the launch, president and founder of the I Can Foundation and well-known motivational speaker Dr David Molapo offered the audience several inspirational tips on how each respective individual can participate in the venture. Using the central theme of "if you are not growing, you are dying", Dr Molapo suggested that passion, vision, integrity, curiosity and delivery were absolute fundamentals to the success of this initiative.

Dr Molapo described the launch as significant and said change should be transparent and honest, and it was necessary for transformation or "being prepared to transcend the present form" to come from each stakeholder.

Maqubu`s newly elected chairman Sehapa Moeletsi, from Electrohaps in Pretoria, affirmed the body`s commitment to change, growth and development of the consumables industry and also made an appeal to the corporate sector, financial institutions and the channel to play an active role in contributing towards the process.

Backed by an interim framework policy document that guides membership eligibility, The Maqubu IT Consumables Forum currently has 21 members - a number the forum expects will grow substantially.