
Submitted to 4Racing. Programme period · 01 Jul 2026 – 30 Jun 2027 (12 months).
Submitted by The Link South Africa in response to 4Racing's request to design, implement and manage a structured ESD incubation programme for four beneficiary enterprises.
The numbers behind this engagement — beneficiary cohort, programme value, duration and evaluation fit.
A 100% Black-owned, Level 1 B-BBEE contributor working across every sector code. We don't just advise — we implement procurement-led ESD that converts spend into verifiable supplier capacity.
Founded as an ICT-focused advisory and grown into a full-scope B-BBEE, ESD and preferential procurement firm, The Link South Africa partners with corporates, state-owned entities and listed groups to design and implement supplier development that earns audit-defensible recognition and builds a usable pipeline. Our active client portfolio includes Merafe Resources (multi-year SMME fund administrator), Zensar Technologies (ICT ESD) and a growing book of corporate, mining and financial services mandates.

ESD is one part of a much bigger conversation. The real prize is a reliable supplier pipeline, and that conversation has to start at the sponsor's procurement ledger — not at a beneficiary recruitment campaign.

What does your procurement ledger look like vs your preferential procurement targets? That gap defines our brief.
Beneficiaries are selected for alignment to the sponsor's procurement needs — not just to fill a B-BBEE row.
We mobilise working capital, not grant dependence. SMMEs scale by executing real contracts.
Launched in 2026, The Link platform moves the majority of programme delivery online — learning, assessments, mentor sessions, document submissions and communications — so beneficiaries participate from their own premises without losing trading days.
Every grassroots beneficiary receives a tablet or laptop pre-loaded with the platform so participation isn't device-gated.
We issue either an uncapped data SIM or fund a fibre/WiFi plan at the beneficiary's premises for the full programme term.
A dedicated VA manages each beneficiary's calendar, inbound calls, meeting prep and follow-ups — freeing the owner to run the business.
Our digital team builds or rebuilds the beneficiary's website and accelerates SEO + Google Business visibility before market access begins.
Beneficiaries visit our studio for professional photography, founder portraits and short-form video used across LinkedIn, capability statements and tender packs.
The Link South Africa was entrusted by Zensar on 25 November 2024 to deliver a 12-month, 100% incubation-focused ESD intervention for 34 black-owned ICT SMMEs. 29 enterprises completed the programme, supported by a R1,956,000 mandate that included an R600,000 top-up in February 2025 — managed end-to-end on the same live client portal proposed here for 4Racing.
On 25 November 2024, The Link South Africa was entrusted by Zensar to deliver a 12-month, 100% incubation-focused ESD intervention for black-owned ICT SMMEs. The initial mandate of R1,356,000 was supplemented by an additional R600,000 (Feb 2025), bringing the total programme investment to R1,956,000.
"The Link South Africa's portal gave us complete visibility — every mentoring session, every compliance fix, every rand spent. 29 of our 34 SMMEs completed the programme, and our verification went through first time."
The Zensar engagement was run end-to-end on the same live client portal proposed here for 4Racing. Every module under Client Portal Preview in this proposal is a working preview — populated with sample data — of the experience 4Racing's authorised users will receive once the contract is signed. The Zensar cohort achieved an 85.3% completion rate, exceeded every transformation benchmark, and catalysed R6,063,600 of economic activity from a R1,956,000 investment — the same delivery discipline will be applied to the 4Racing programme.
A structured, evidence-based approach aligned to South African ESD guidance and B-BBEE verification requirements. Every pillar below maps to specific deliverables and produces evidence the verifier can audit.
A 7-dimension baseline scan covering business model, financials, operations, market, compliance, leadership and digital maturity — producing an evidence-backed development roadmap per beneficiary.
No two beneficiaries receive the same plan. Each incubation roadmap is sequenced by maturity, sector and risk profile, with explicit milestones, evidence requirements and accountabilities.
Monthly on-site mentorship cycles, structured workshops, system implementation support, compliance remediation and direct interventions — not just advisory.
Every plan ends in supplier readiness. We work backwards from the 4Racing supply chain and other commercially viable buyers to define what 'ready' looks like.
Every intervention generates a verifiable artifact: attendance registers, mentoring logs, tool deliverables, beneficiary sign-offs and impact summaries — assembled into a living evidence file.
| Dimension | Tools applied |
|---|---|
| Business model & strategic positioning | Strategy canvas, market scan |
| Financial sustainability & cash flow | Management accounts review, ratio analysis |
| Operations & quality management | Process walk, asset & capacity audit |
| Market, customers & sales pipeline | Pipeline review, customer interviews |
| Legal, tax & B-BBEE compliance | Compliance checklist, document review |
| Leadership & organisational capability | Skills audit, 1:1 owner interviews |
| Digital maturity & technology | Digital readiness scorecard |
The four enterprises identified by 4Racing for incubation. Indicative focus areas below are pre-diagnostic and will be confirmed in the inception baseline reports.

Governance, financial systems, supplier readiness

Working capital discipline, market access, procurement onboarding

Costing, food safety compliance, contract catering readiness

Branding, packaging, e-commerce enablement, scaling production
Every deliverable produced by The Link South Africa across the 12-month programme, with purpose, scope, contents, owner, acceptance criteria and the evidence each one generates. Nothing is paraphrased from the RFP — this is exactly what 4Racing will receive.
Purpose. Lock the rules of engagement before any field work. Confirms scope, governance, communication cadence, data-handling protocols and the agreed evidence framework so 4Racing and The Link operate from a single source of truth from day one.
Purpose. Establish the verified baseline for each enterprise across seven business dimensions. Every later intervention, KPI and impact claim is anchored to these reports.
Purpose. Convert each diagnostic into a sequenced 10-month plan with explicit milestones, owners, evidence requirements and a measurable supplier-readiness end-state.
Purpose. Give 4Racing a consistent, comparable monthly readout: what was done, what changed in the numbers, what is at risk, and what needs decisions.
Purpose. Strategic re-base every quarter: validate progress against KPIs, re-prioritise the backlog, re-approve budget pacing and confirm steering decisions.
Purpose. A continuously updated, verification-ready file structured to the B-BBEE ESD evidence requirements so that 4Racing's verifier can audit the programme without further preparation.
Purpose. The core delivery engine: 4 structured training programmes (FIN-101, COMP-201, MKT-301, DIG-401) wrapped with 1:1 mentoring against each beneficiary's incubation plan.
Purpose. Close every statutory gap identified at diagnostic and convert each beneficiary into a credible, onboarding-ready supplier to 4Racing and adjacent buyers.
Purpose. Independent-grade impact report consolidating 12 months of evidence into a story 4Racing can use for B-BBEE verification, board reporting and external communications.
A phased delivery plan running from 01 July 2026 to 30 June 2027. Every phase below has a specific intent, a defined set of activities, sign-off gates and the verifiable evidence it produces — so 4Racing can audit progress at any week of the programme.
Each phase below describes the intent, the specific activities executed on the ground, and the outcomes that gate the move to the next phase.
We use the first two weeks to lock the operating rules of the programme before any field work begins. The Link convenes an inception meeting with 4Racing's appointed sponsor and contract manager, finalises the contracting pack (SLAs, POPIA & NDA), publishes the governance charter, and stands up the client portal that 4Racing will use for the next 12 months. Each beneficiary is formally onboarded, given portal credentials and walked through the data-collection protocols so Phase 2 can start without delay.
A 7-dimension diagnostic is conducted on-site at each enterprise: business model, financial sustainability, operations, market & sales pipeline, legal/tax/B-BBEE compliance, leadership capability and digital maturity. Two specialists per visit review 24 months of management accounts, walk the operations, interview the owner and staff, and audit the compliance file. Each enterprise receives a Diagnostic Report with a 1–5 maturity scorecard per dimension and a prioritised 90/180/365-day development roadmap.
Each diagnostic is converted into a sequenced 10-month incubation plan with named owners, monthly milestones, evidence requirements and a measurable supplier-readiness end-state mapped to the 4Racing supply chain. Workstreams (skills, finance, compliance, market, digital) are scheduled against the beneficiary's capacity to absorb interventions; budget is allocated line-item per enterprise; the KPI framework is baselined; and the plans are signed by both the beneficiary and the 4Racing Working Group sponsor before any spend begins.
The delivery engine of the programme. Across roughly 9.5 months we run ten monthly mentorship cycles, four structured training programmes (FIN-101 Finance, COMP-201 Compliance, MKT-301 Market Access, DIG-401 Digital), and on-the-ground interventions — system implementations, branding refreshes, compliance remediation, equipment readiness and direct supplier onboarding into the 4Racing supply chain. Every session is logged with attendance, outputs and beneficiary sign-off. 4Racing receives a monthly progress report and a quarterly steering review with KPI movement, RAG status, spend pacing and decisions required.
We close the programme with a final on-site impact assessment per enterprise, lock the verification-ready evidence file, hand over all artefacts to 4Racing, and table a consolidated Programme Impact Report with verified KPI movement, supplier-onboarding outcomes, jobs sustained/created and a costed next-phase recommendation. An independent dry-run review is conducted on the evidence file before final verifier submission so that 4Racing's B-BBEE verification proceeds without further preparation.
| Date | Milestone | Phase |
|---|---|---|
| 07 Jul 2026 | Inception sign-off | Phase 1 |
| 11 Aug 2026 | All 4 diagnostics complete | Phase 2 |
| 25 Aug 2026 | Incubation Plans signed off | Phase 3 |
| 25 Sep 2026 | Q1 Steering Committee | Phase 4 |
| 18 Dec 2026 | Mid-programme impact snapshot | Phase 4 |
| 27 Mar 2027 | Q3 Steering Committee | Phase 4 |
| 15 Jun 2027 | Final impact report & evidence file | Phase 5 |
| 30 Jun 2027 | Programme close · 12-month term complete | Phase 5 |
How The Link South Africa will run, govern and assure quality across the 12-month programme — and how 4Racing remains in control of direction, risk, spend and evidence at every step. The structure below mirrors the model used successfully on the Zensar 2024 incubation programme.
Quarterly. Chaired by the 4Racing ESD sponsor. The decision-making body of the programme: approves milestones, signs off the Incubation Plans, reviews quarterly performance, signs off material change requests, re-rates strategic risk and authorises any movement of spend between budget categories.
Monthly. Joint working session between the 4Racing contract manager and The Link Programme Director. Tracks delivery against the Incubation Plans, walks through the Monthly Progress Report, reviews the risk register, agrees corrective actions and confirms the look-ahead for the next 30 days.
| Report | Frequency | Audience | What it contains |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inception & Diagnostic Reports | Once-off · Phase 1–2 | Steering Committee | Confirmed scope, baseline maturity, prioritised roadmap per enterprise |
| Monthly Progress Report | Monthly · 1st Wed | Working Group | RAG, activity log, KPI delta, compliance, spend, decisions, look-ahead |
| Quarterly Performance Review | Quarterly | Steering Committee | Scorecard, trajectory review, forecast, risk re-rating, decisions register |
| Risk & Corrective Action Log | Continuous · live | Both | Open risks, mitigations, owners, due dates, closed-out actions |
| Spend & Invoice Register | Continuous · live | Working Group + Finance | Every invoice, line item, proof of payment, spend-vs-budget pacing |
| Final Impact Report | Programme close | Steering Committee + Board | Verified KPI movement, supplier onboarding, jobs, ROI, next-phase rec. |
Every intervention is logged with verifiable artefacts — registers, deliverables, sign-offs, invoices, payment proofs — and aggregated continuously into a B-BBEE verification-ready portfolio. An independent dry-run review is conducted before final verifier submission so that 4Racing's verification proceeds without further preparation.
Beneficiary information is handled under a signed mutual NDA, with POPIA-aligned collection, storage and access controls. Portal access is role-based and audit-logged. All raw data, deliverables and tooling become 4Racing's property at programme close, with a clean handover certificate.
Internal peer-review of every diagnostic, plan and report before submission to 4Racing. Mid-programme methodology review and a close-out independent QA pass on the evidence file. Beneficiary satisfaction surveys after every workshop and quarterly mentorship cycle.
Material changes to scope, schedule or budget follow a documented change-request procedure: raised by either party, impact-assessed by the Programme Director within five working days, tabled at the next Working Group, escalated to the Steering Committee if budget or schedule impact exceeds 5%. No change is implemented without written approval.
Level 1 — Working Group (resolved within the monthly cycle). Level 2 — Programme Director ↔ 4Racing Contract Manager (resolved within 5 working days). Level 3 — Managing Director (The Link) ↔ 4Racing ESD Sponsor (resolved within 10 working days). Independent mediation if unresolved at Level 3.
A transparent split of the R700,000 programme value across the categories required by the 4Racing specification.
| Category | Amount | % of total |
|---|---|---|
| Professional & advisory fees | R 196 000 | 28% |
| Diagnostics & baseline assessments | R 70 000 | 10% |
| Training, mentoring & workshops | R 119 000 | 17% |
| Direct enterprise interventions | R 210 000 | 30% |
| Monitoring, reporting & administration | R 56 000 | 8% |
| Specialist & third-party support | R 49 000 | 7% |
| Total | R 700 000 | 100% |
Programme-level KPIs are baseline-anchored at inception. Enterprise-specific targets are refined per beneficiary following the diagnostic phase.
| KPI | Programme-level target |
|---|---|
| Turnover growth per beneficiary | ≥ 15% over programme period |
| Gross margin improvement | ≥ 5 percentage points |
| Compliance items regularised | 100% of identified gaps closed |
| Business systems implemented | Min. 3 per beneficiary |
| Mentorship & training attendance | ≥ 90% session participation |
| New market / supply opportunities | ≥ 2 per beneficiary |
| Supplier readiness milestones | All 4 supplier-onboarding-ready |
| Jobs sustained or created | ≥ 1 new role per beneficiary, where viable |
A multidisciplinary, accountable team. Each role below carries explicit responsibilities, the deliverables they own, and the percentage of their time committed to this programme. Named individuals and full CVs are confirmed at contract signature; the Lead Programme Director will not be substituted without 4Racing's written approval.
Where in this proposal each weighted criterion is evidenced.
| Criterion | Weight | Where evidenced |
|---|---|---|
| Relevant ESD and incubation experience | 25% | See Methodology and Team sections — 15+ yrs ESD delivery, corporate-linked incubation track record across hospitality, trading and services sectors. |
| Quality of methodology and programme design | 25% | 5-pillar methodology, 7-dimension diagnostic framework, 5-phase delivery plan — all in the Methodology and Timeline sections. |
| Team capability and expertise | 15% | Multidisciplinary 7-person team spanning strategy, finance (CA(SA)), compliance, market access, digital and M&E. CVs available on request. |
| Monitoring, reporting and governance approach | 15% | Quarterly steering committee, monthly working group, 5-tier reporting cadence and live verification-ready evidence file (see Governance). |
| Value for money and budget clarity | 20% | Six-category budget with 47% of programme value flowing directly to beneficiary interventions and training (see Budget). |
The Link South Africa acknowledges 4Racing's right to request presentations, clarifications or negotiations with shortlisted bidders prior to final appointment, and to accept or reject any proposal in whole or in part. This proposal is valid for 90 days from the date of submission.
A full live view of programme health, tracks, timeline, training sessions, cohort roster and top performers — exactly what 4Racing's authorised users will see in the portal once the programme is live.
The Link South Africa runs three tailored ESD development tracks, each matched to the beneficiary's maturity. 4Racing's four enterprises are slotted into the track that fits their growth stage.
For Thabisong Management and Pink Sprinkles — early-stage enterprises building the financial, governance and brand foundations needed to onboard with corporate buyers like 4Racing.
For MaThando Kitchen — an operational enterprise ready to formalise costing, food-safety compliance and contract-catering pipelines into the 4Racing supply chain.
For Sipho Esihle Trading — a growth-stage enterprise being prepared for procurement onboarding into the 4Racing supply chain, with focus on working-capital discipline and tender readiness.
The 12-month roadmap from inception through close-out. Every phase has a defined focus, owner, exit gate and reporting cadence.
Jul 2026
Phase 1 — Inception & Mobilisation
Contract live, portal stood up, beneficiaries onboarded, governance ratified.
Jul–Aug 2026
Phase 2 — Diagnostic Assessment
On-site 7-dimension diagnostic per beneficiary; verified baselines locked.
Aug 2026
Phase 3 — Incubation Design
Tailored 10-month incubation plan per beneficiary signed off.
Sep–Nov 2026
Phase 4 — Implementation Q1
FIN-101, COMP-201 delivered; mentoring cycles 1–3; Q1 steering review.
Dec 2026 – Feb 2027
Phase 4 — Implementation Q2
MKT-301 pitch lab and buyer matchmaking; mid-programme impact snapshot.
Mar–May 2027
Phase 4 — Implementation Q3
DIG-401 digital sprint; GOV-501 governance discipline; supplier-readiness audits.
Jun 2027
Phase 5 — Close-out & Impact
Final assessments, evidence file locked, impact report tabled, handover.
7
Programme phases
12
Months duration
4 quarterly + 12 monthly
Reviews scheduled
All projected training sessions across the 12-month engagement — facilitator, hours, status and the master register.
| Date | Phase | Module | Session | Facilitator | Hrs | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 07 Jul 2026 | Phase 1 — Inception & Mobilisation | Onboarding | Programme Welcome & Orientation | Nomvula Khumalo | 2 | Scheduled |
| 09 Jul 2026 | Phase 1 — Inception & Mobilisation | Onboarding | Portal Walk-through & Compliance Upload | Refilwe Mokoena | 2 | Scheduled |
| 14 Jul 2026 | Phase 2 — Diagnostic Assessment | Diagnostic | Baseline Diagnostic — Thabisong Management | Dr Sipho Mbatha | 4 | Scheduled |
| 21 Jul 2026 | Phase 2 — Diagnostic Assessment | Diagnostic | Baseline Diagnostic — Sipho Esihle Trading | Dr Sipho Mbatha | 4 | Scheduled |
| 04 Aug 2026 | Phase 2 — Diagnostic Assessment | Diagnostic | Baseline Diagnostic — MaThando Kitchen | Dr Sipho Mbatha | 4 | Scheduled |
| 11 Aug 2026 | Phase 2 — Diagnostic Assessment | Diagnostic | Baseline Diagnostic — Pink Sprinkles | Dr Sipho Mbatha | 4 | Scheduled |
| 21 Aug 2026 | Phase 3 — Incubation Design | Design | Incubation Plans sign-off (×4) | Nomvula Khumalo | 3 | Scheduled |
| 04 Sep 2026 | Phase 4 — Implementation Q1 | FIN-101 | Costing & Pricing Fundamentals | Lerato Pillay | 2 | Scheduled |
| 11 Sep 2026 | Phase 4 — Implementation Q1 | FIN-101 | Cash-flow & Working Capital | Lerato Pillay | 2 | Scheduled |
| 18 Sep 2026 | Phase 4 — Implementation Q1 | FIN-101 | Monthly Management Accounts Lab | Lerato Pillay | 2 | Scheduled |
| 25 Sep 2026 | Phase 4 — Implementation Q1 | Review | Quarterly Steering Committee · Q1 | Nomvula Khumalo | 3 | Scheduled |
| 02 Oct 2026 | Phase 4 — Implementation Q1 | COMP-201 | B-BBEE Affidavit & Certificate Refresh | Thandi Naidoo | 2 | Scheduled |
| 09 Oct 2026 | Phase 4 — Implementation Q1 | COMP-201 | SARS, CIPC & COIDA Remediation Sprint | Thandi Naidoo | 2 | Scheduled |
| 16 Oct 2026 | Phase 4 — Implementation Q1 | COMP-201 | Sector-Specific Compliance (Food, Trading) | Thandi Naidoo | 2 | Scheduled |
| 23 Oct 2026 | Phase 4 — Implementation Q1 | Audit | Supplier-Readiness Audit — Sipho Esihle | Bongani Dlamini | 3 | Scheduled |
| 06 Nov 2026 | Phase 4 — Implementation Q1 | Mentoring | 1:1 Coaching Cycle 3 (all beneficiaries) | Specialist team | 8 | Scheduled |
| 13 Nov 2026 | Phase 4 — Implementation Q1 | MKT-301 | Buyer Matchmaking Day · 4Racing Procurement | Bongani Dlamini | 4 | Scheduled |
| 27 Nov 2026 | Phase 4 — Implementation Q1 | Review | Monthly Progress Review — November | Refilwe Mokoena | 2 | Scheduled |
| 04 Dec 2026 | Phase 4 — Implementation Q2 | Review | Quarterly Steering Committee · Q2 | Nomvula Khumalo | 3 | Scheduled |
| 11 Dec 2026 | Phase 4 — Implementation Q2 | GOV-501 | Year-end Operations & SOP Review | Dr Sipho Mbatha | 2 | Scheduled |
| 18 Dec 2026 | Phase 4 — Implementation Q2 | Milestone | Mid-Programme Impact Snapshot Issued | Refilwe Mokoena | 2 | Scheduled |
| 15 Jan 2027 | Phase 4 — Implementation Q2 | Mentoring | 1:1 Coaching Cycle 7 | Specialist team | 8 | Scheduled |
| 12 Feb 2027 | Phase 4 — Implementation Q2 | MKT-301 | Tender Response Clinic | Bongani Dlamini | 4 | Scheduled |
| 19 Feb 2027 | Phase 4 — Implementation Q2 | Assessment | Mid-Programme Growth Assessment (×4) | Refilwe Mokoena | 4 | Scheduled |
| 12 Mar 2027 | Phase 4 — Implementation Q3 | DIG-401 | POS & Accounting Stack Setup (MaThando, Pink) | Ayesha Patel | 3 | Scheduled |
| 19 Mar 2027 | Phase 4 — Implementation Q3 | DIG-401 | E-commerce Launch Lab (Pink Sprinkles) | Ayesha Patel | 3 | Scheduled |
| 26 Mar 2027 | Phase 4 — Implementation Q3 | Review | Quarterly Steering Committee · Q3 | Nomvula Khumalo | 3 | Scheduled |
| 16 Apr 2027 | Phase 4 — Implementation Q3 | Audit | Final Supplier-Readiness Audits (×4) | Bongani Dlamini | 8 | Scheduled |
| 14 May 2027 | Phase 4 — Implementation Q3 | GOV-501 | Sustainability & Exit-Plan Workshop | Nomvula Khumalo | 3 | Scheduled |
| 11 Jun 2027 | Phase 5 — Close-out & Impact | Close-out | Final Impact Assessments (×4) | Dr Sipho Mbatha | 8 | Scheduled |
| 25 Jun 2027 | Phase 5 — Close-out & Impact | Close-out | Graduation & Handover Ceremony | Nomvula Khumalo | 3 | Scheduled |
4 beneficiary enterprises · 110 training hours · 5 structured programmes




Top performers are crowned monthly from Phase 4 onwards, ranked on a composite of attendance, KPI movement, evidence-file completeness and mentor scoring. Actual rankings publish from October 2026.
Headline statistics for the entire 4Racing engagement and the next milestone in view.
The steering committee deck and beneficiary scorecards will be auto-assembled and shared with 4Racing five business days in advance.
Live programme health, current phase, next milestones and risk status.
A live record per enterprise: baseline, plan, progress, evidence and mentor notes.
Every coaching session logged with attendance, topic, outcome and follow-up.
Tax, CIPC, B-BBEE, sector compliance gaps and remediation status per beneficiary.
Monthly revenue, gross margin and cash-runway snapshots per beneficiary.
Secure repository for all diagnostics, plans, reports and signed deliverables.
Monthly progress reports, quarterly reviews and the verification-ready evidence file.
Steering committee minutes, decision log and announcement feed.
All training, mentoring and intervention programmes the beneficiaries are enrolled in.
Month-by-month delivery schedule: workshops, site visits, mentoring sessions and reviews.
Every invoice issued to 4Racing — line items, status, due dates and proof of payment.
Itemised, receipted spend against every budget category — total transparency on where every rand goes.
The Link's staff allocated to the programme: roles, qualifications, allocation % and contact details.
Programme-allocated payroll register and downloadable payslips for each allocated employee.
Diagnostic scorecards, quizzes, skills assessments and growth assessments completed by each beneficiary.
A live record per enterprise. Each card opens into baseline data, the tailored incubation plan, current progress, mentor notes and uploaded evidence.




Every coaching and mentoring session captured with attendance, topic, outcome and next-step follow-up. Forms the spine of the verification-ready evidence file.
| Date | Beneficiary | Mentor | Topic | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-07-09 | MaThando Kitchen | Financial Coach | Costing & pricing workshop | Planned — new menu pricing model to be adopted |
| 2026-07-16 | Pink Sprinkles | Digital Mentor | Shopify launch readiness | Planned — store go-live target |
| 2026-07-23 | Sipho Esihle Trading | Market Access Lead | Buyer pitch preparation | Planned — 4Racing procurement intro |
| 2026-07-30 | Thabisong Management | Compliance Specialist | B-BBEE affidavit refresh | Planned — updated certificate target |
Tax, CIPC, B-BBEE and sector-specific compliance items per beneficiary, with remediation status updated weekly.
| Beneficiary | Compliance item | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Thabisong Management | Tax clearance (SARS) | Compliant |
| Thabisong Management | B-BBEE affidavit | Compliant |
| Sipho Esihle Trading | CIPC annual return | Remediating |
| MaThando Kitchen | Food safety (R638) | Compliant |
| MaThando Kitchen | COIDA registration | Compliant |
| Pink Sprinkles | Trademark application | In progress |
Monthly revenue, gross margin and trend per beneficiary. Captured from management accounts uploaded by each enterprise and signed off by their finance coach.
| Beneficiary | Monthly revenue | Gross margin | Month-on-month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thabisong Management | R 142 000 | 31% | ▲ 8% |
| Sipho Esihle Trading | R 318 000 | 18% | ▲ 14% |
| MaThando Kitchen | R 96 000 | 27% | ▲ 11% |
| Pink Sprinkles | R 54 000 | 42% | ▲ 23% |
Secure, versioned repository for every diagnostic, plan, report and signed deliverable. Role-based access for 4Racing, The Link and individual beneficiaries.
| Document | Type | Owner | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inception Plan — template | The Link | Issued on signature | |
| Diagnostic Report — Thabisong (template) | The Link | Due 31 Jul 2026 | |
| Diagnostic Report — Sipho Esihle (template) | The Link | Due 31 Jul 2026 | |
| Diagnostic Report — MaThando (template) | The Link | Due 07 Aug 2026 | |
| Diagnostic Report — Pink Sprinkles (template) | The Link | Due 07 Aug 2026 | |
| Incubation Plans (×4) | PDF bundle | The Link | Due 21 Aug 2026 |
| Monthly Progress Report — July 2026 | The Link | Due 05 Aug 2026 |
Monthly progress reports, quarterly performance reviews and the cumulative B-BBEE verification-ready evidence file — all generated from live portal data.
| Report | Status | Audience |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly Progress Report — July 2026 | Scheduled | Working Group |
| Quarterly Performance Review — Q1 (Jul–Sep 2026) | Scheduled | Steering Committee |
| Risk & Corrective Action Log | Live from launch | Both |
| Evidence File (Portfolio) | Opens on 01 Jul 2026 | B-BBEE Verifier |
A consolidated feed of steering committee minutes, decisions, announcements and working-group notes — every conversation traceable.
| Date | Channel | Subject |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-07-01 | Announcement | Programme launch — all beneficiaries onboarded |
| 2026-07-07 | Steering minutes | Inception sign-off — Phase 1 complete |
| 2026-07-15 | Working group | Diagnostic site visits scheduled — week of 21 July |
| 2026-07-28 | Decision log | Reporting cadence agreed — monthly + quarterly steering |
Every training, mentoring and intervention programme running under the contract — with format, duration, facilitator, enrolled beneficiaries and expected outcome.





A live month-by-month delivery schedule across workshops, site visits, mentoring cycles and steering reviews. Each event ties back to the relevant programme and beneficiary.
| 01 Jul | Milestone | Programme start · contract live | All |
| 07 Jul | Workshop | Inception & onboarding workshop | All beneficiaries |
| 14 Jul | Site visit | Diagnostic visit — Thabisong | Thabisong |
| 21 Jul | Site visit | Diagnostic visit — Sipho Esihle | Sipho Esihle |
| 28 Jul | Review | Monthly progress review | Working Group |
| 04 Aug | Site visit | Diagnostic visit — MaThando | MaThando |
| 11 Aug | Site visit | Diagnostic visit — Pink Sprinkles | Pink Sprinkles |
| 21 Aug | Milestone | Incubation plans signed off | Steering Committee |
| 28 Aug | Review | Monthly progress review | Working Group |
| 04 Sep | Workshop | FIN-101 — Session 1: Costing | All beneficiaries |
| 11 Sep | Workshop | COMP-201 — Session 1: B-BBEE basics | All beneficiaries |
| 18 Sep | Coaching | 1:1 financial coaching cycle | All |
| 25 Sep | Review | Quarterly steering committee · Q1 | Steering Committee |
| 02 Oct | Workshop | MKT-301 — Pitch lab | Sipho, MaThando, Pink |
| 09 Oct | Workshop | DIG-401 — POS & accounting setup | MaThando, Pink |
| 23 Oct | Site visit | Supplier-readiness audit — Sipho Esihle | Sipho Esihle |
| 30 Oct | Review | Monthly progress review | Working Group |
| 06 Nov | Coaching | Mentoring cycle 3 | All |
| 13 Nov | Workshop | MKT-301 — Buyer matchmaking day | Sipho, MaThando, Pink |
| 27 Nov | Review | Monthly progress review | Working Group |
| 04 Dec | Review | Quarterly steering committee · Q2 | Steering Committee |
| 11 Dec | Workshop | GOV-501 — Year-end ops review | Thabisong, Sipho |
| 18 Dec | Milestone | Mid-programme impact snapshot issued | All |
| Jan | Coaching | Mentoring cycles 7 – 9 (monthly) | All |
| Feb | Workshop | MKT-301 — Tender response clinic | All |
| Mar | Review | Quarterly steering committee · Q3 | Steering Committee |
| Apr | Site visit | Final supplier-readiness audits (×4) | All beneficiaries |
| May | Workshop | Sustainability & exit-plan workshop | All |
| 15 Jun | Milestone | Final impact report & evidence file issued | Steering Committee |
| 30 Jun | Milestone | Programme close · 12-month term complete | All |
Every invoice issued to 4Racing — milestone-linked, with line-item description, status, due date and proof of payment. Total transparency on the contract value drawdown.
| Invoice # | Date | Description | Amount | Status | Paid on |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| INV-2026-001 | 2026-07-01 | Inception, mobilisation & diagnostic fee (25%) | R 175 000 | Scheduled | Due 31 Jul 2026 |
| INV-2026-002 | 2026-10-01 | Implementation milestone 1 — Q2 (25%) | R 175 000 | Scheduled | Due 31 Oct 2026 |
| INV-2027-001 | 2027-01-05 | Implementation milestone 2 — Q3 (25%) | R 175 000 | Scheduled | Due 31 Jan 2027 |
| INV-2027-002 | 2027-04-01 | Implementation milestone 3 — Q4 (15%) | R 105 000 | Scheduled | Due 30 Apr 2027 |
| INV-2027-003 | 2027-06-15 | Close-out, impact report & evidence file (10%) | R 70 000 | Scheduled | Due 30 Jun 2027 |
A line-item record of every rand spent against the programme — supplier, evidence reference and budget category, reconciled against the agreed budget envelope.
| Date | Category | Description | Supplier | Amount | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 2026 | Professional & advisory fees | Programme Director — month 1 allocation | The Link SA (internal) | R 42 000 | Projected · payroll register |
| Jul 2026 | Diagnostics & baseline assessments | Diagnostic toolkit licences (×4) | SME Diagnostics Co. | R 18 400 | Projected · quote on file |
| Aug 2026 | Direct enterprise interventions | POS hardware — MaThando Kitchen | Yoco | R 8 999 | Projected · quote on file |
| Aug 2026 | Training, mentoring & workshops | FIN-101 venue & catering | The Workspace Rosebank | R 12 300 | Projected · venue rate card |
| Sep 2026 | Direct enterprise interventions | Branding refresh — Pink Sprinkles | Studio Kindred | R 22 500 | Projected · scope on file |
| Sep 2026 | Specialist & third-party support | B-BBEE affidavit drafting (×4) | Sentinel Compliance | R 9 600 | Projected · fee schedule |
| Oct 2026 | Monitoring, reporting & administration | Portal hosting & evidence storage — Q1 | AWS / Lovable Cloud | R 6 400 | Projected · published rates |
| Oct 2026 | Training, mentoring & workshops | MKT-301 pitch lab facilitator | Independent associate | R 14 000 | Projected · associate rate card |
The Link South Africa staff allocated to the 4Racing programme — role, qualifications, percentage time allocation and direct contact for accountability.
| Name | Role | Qualifications & experience | Allocation | Contact |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nomvula Khumalo | Lead ESD Programme Director | MBA, 16 yrs ESD | 40% | nomvula@thelinksouthafrica.com |
| Dr Sipho Mbatha | Senior Business Diagnostics Lead | PhD Business Mgmt, 12 yrs | 35% | sipho@thelinksouthafrica.com |
| Lerato Pillay | Financial Sustainability Coach | CA(SA), 10 yrs SMME finance | 30% | lerato@thelinksouthafrica.com |
| Thandi Naidoo | Compliance & B-BBEE Specialist | B-BBEE MDP, 11 yrs | 25% | thandi@thelinksouthafrica.com |
| Bongani Dlamini | Market Access & Supplier Readiness Lead | Ex-procurement exec, 14 yrs | 30% | bongani@thelinksouthafrica.com |
| Ayesha Patel | Digital Enablement Mentor | BCom IS, 8 yrs | 20% | ayesha@thelinksouthafrica.com |
| Refilwe Mokoena | M&E and Reporting Manager | M&E specialist, 9 yrs | 30% | refilwe@thelinksouthafrica.com |
Programme-allocated payroll register for the reporting month. Each row links to the downloadable payslip — full transparency on how the professional-fees budget translates into actual people paid.
| Employee | Period | Gross | PAYE | UIF | Net | Status | Payslip |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nomvula Khumalo | July 2026 | R 38 000 | R 8 550 | R 177 | R 29 273 | Scheduled | |
| Dr Sipho Mbatha | July 2026 | R 32 000 | R 6 720 | R 177 | R 25 103 | Scheduled | |
| Lerato Pillay | July 2026 | R 26 500 | R 4 982 | R 177 | R 21 341 | Scheduled | |
| Thandi Naidoo | July 2026 | R 19 500 | R 3 120 | R 177 | R 16 203 | Scheduled | |
| Bongani Dlamini | July 2026 | R 24 000 | R 4 080 | R 177 | R 19 743 | Scheduled | |
| Ayesha Patel | July 2026 | R 14 000 | R 1 820 | R 140 | R 12 040 | Scheduled | |
| Refilwe Mokoena | July 2026 | R 22 500 | R 3 825 | R 177 | R 18 498 | Scheduled |
Diagnostic scorecards, knowledge checks, supplier-readiness self-assessments and mid/end-programme growth assessments completed by each beneficiary. Every score feeds the impact report.
| Beneficiary | Assessment | Date | Score | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thabisong Management | Baseline Diagnostic Scorecard | Due 14 Jul 2026 | — | Scheduled |
| Thabisong Management | Financial Literacy Quiz (FIN-101) | Due 25 Sep 2026 | — | Scheduled |
| Sipho Esihle Trading | Baseline Diagnostic Scorecard | Due 21 Jul 2026 | — | Scheduled |
| Sipho Esihle Trading | Supplier Readiness Self-Assessment | Due 23 Oct 2026 | — | Scheduled |
| MaThando Kitchen | Baseline Diagnostic Scorecard | Due 04 Aug 2026 | — | Scheduled |
| MaThando Kitchen | Food Safety Knowledge Check | Due 09 Oct 2026 | — | Scheduled |
| Pink Sprinkles | Baseline Diagnostic Scorecard | Due 11 Aug 2026 | — | Scheduled |
| Pink Sprinkles | Digital Maturity Assessment | Due 09 Oct 2026 | — | Scheduled |
| Pink Sprinkles | Mid-programme Growth Assessment | Due 27 Nov 2026 | — | Scheduled |
The Link South Africa was entrusted by Zensar on 25 November 2024 to deliver a 12-month, 100% incubation-focused ESD intervention for 34 black-owned ICT SMMEs. 29 enterprises completed the programme, supported by a R1,956,000 mandate that included an R600,000 top-up in February 2025 — managed end-to-end on the same live client portal proposed here for 4Racing.
On 25 November 2024, The Link South Africa was entrusted by Zensar to deliver a 12-month, 100% incubation-focused ESD intervention for black-owned ICT SMMEs. The initial mandate of R1,356,000 was supplemented by an additional R600,000 (Feb 2025), bringing the total programme investment to R1,956,000.
"The Link South Africa's portal gave us complete visibility — every mentoring session, every compliance fix, every rand spent. 29 of our 34 SMMEs completed the programme, and our verification went through first time."
The Zensar engagement was run end-to-end on the same live client portal proposed here for 4Racing. Every module under Client Portal Preview in this proposal is a working preview — populated with sample data — of the experience 4Racing's authorised users will receive once the contract is signed. The Zensar cohort achieved an 85.3% completion rate, exceeded every transformation benchmark, and catalysed R6,063,600 of economic activity from a R1,956,000 investment — the same delivery discipline will be applied to the 4Racing programme.
A structured, evidence-based approach aligned to South African ESD guidance and B-BBEE verification requirements. Every pillar below maps to specific deliverables and produces evidence the verifier can audit.
A 7-dimension baseline scan covering business model, financials, operations, market, compliance, leadership and digital maturity — producing an evidence-backed development roadmap per beneficiary.
No two beneficiaries receive the same plan. Each incubation roadmap is sequenced by maturity, sector and risk profile, with explicit milestones, evidence requirements and accountabilities.
Monthly on-site mentorship cycles, structured workshops, system implementation support, compliance remediation and direct interventions — not just advisory.
Every plan ends in supplier readiness. We work backwards from the 4Racing supply chain and other commercially viable buyers to define what 'ready' looks like.
Every intervention generates a verifiable artifact: attendance registers, mentoring logs, tool deliverables, beneficiary sign-offs and impact summaries — assembled into a living evidence file.
| Dimension | Tools applied |
|---|---|
| Business model & strategic positioning | Strategy canvas, market scan |
| Financial sustainability & cash flow | Management accounts review, ratio analysis |
| Operations & quality management | Process walk, asset & capacity audit |
| Market, customers & sales pipeline | Pipeline review, customer interviews |
| Legal, tax & B-BBEE compliance | Compliance checklist, document review |
| Leadership & organisational capability | Skills audit, 1:1 owner interviews |
| Digital maturity & technology | Digital readiness scorecard |
The four enterprises identified by 4Racing for incubation. Indicative focus areas below are pre-diagnostic and will be confirmed in the inception baseline reports.

Governance, financial systems, supplier readiness

Working capital discipline, market access, procurement onboarding

Costing, food safety compliance, contract catering readiness

Branding, packaging, e-commerce enablement, scaling production
Every deliverable produced by The Link South Africa across the 12-month programme, with purpose, scope, contents, owner, acceptance criteria and the evidence each one generates. Nothing is paraphrased from the RFP — this is exactly what 4Racing will receive.
Purpose. Lock the rules of engagement before any field work. Confirms scope, governance, communication cadence, data-handling protocols and the agreed evidence framework so 4Racing and The Link operate from a single source of truth from day one.
Purpose. Establish the verified baseline for each enterprise across seven business dimensions. Every later intervention, KPI and impact claim is anchored to these reports.
Purpose. Convert each diagnostic into a sequenced 10-month plan with explicit milestones, owners, evidence requirements and a measurable supplier-readiness end-state.
Purpose. Give 4Racing a consistent, comparable monthly readout: what was done, what changed in the numbers, what is at risk, and what needs decisions.
Purpose. Strategic re-base every quarter: validate progress against KPIs, re-prioritise the backlog, re-approve budget pacing and confirm steering decisions.
Purpose. A continuously updated, verification-ready file structured to the B-BBEE ESD evidence requirements so that 4Racing's verifier can audit the programme without further preparation.
Purpose. The core delivery engine: 4 structured training programmes (FIN-101, COMP-201, MKT-301, DIG-401) wrapped with 1:1 mentoring against each beneficiary's incubation plan.
Purpose. Close every statutory gap identified at diagnostic and convert each beneficiary into a credible, onboarding-ready supplier to 4Racing and adjacent buyers.
Purpose. Independent-grade impact report consolidating 12 months of evidence into a story 4Racing can use for B-BBEE verification, board reporting and external communications.
A phased delivery plan running from 01 July 2026 to 30 June 2027. Every phase below has a specific intent, a defined set of activities, sign-off gates and the verifiable evidence it produces — so 4Racing can audit progress at any week of the programme.
Each phase below describes the intent, the specific activities executed on the ground, and the outcomes that gate the move to the next phase.
We use the first two weeks to lock the operating rules of the programme before any field work begins. The Link convenes an inception meeting with 4Racing's appointed sponsor and contract manager, finalises the contracting pack (SLAs, POPIA & NDA), publishes the governance charter, and stands up the client portal that 4Racing will use for the next 12 months. Each beneficiary is formally onboarded, given portal credentials and walked through the data-collection protocols so Phase 2 can start without delay.
A 7-dimension diagnostic is conducted on-site at each enterprise: business model, financial sustainability, operations, market & sales pipeline, legal/tax/B-BBEE compliance, leadership capability and digital maturity. Two specialists per visit review 24 months of management accounts, walk the operations, interview the owner and staff, and audit the compliance file. Each enterprise receives a Diagnostic Report with a 1–5 maturity scorecard per dimension and a prioritised 90/180/365-day development roadmap.
Each diagnostic is converted into a sequenced 10-month incubation plan with named owners, monthly milestones, evidence requirements and a measurable supplier-readiness end-state mapped to the 4Racing supply chain. Workstreams (skills, finance, compliance, market, digital) are scheduled against the beneficiary's capacity to absorb interventions; budget is allocated line-item per enterprise; the KPI framework is baselined; and the plans are signed by both the beneficiary and the 4Racing Working Group sponsor before any spend begins.
The delivery engine of the programme. Across roughly 9.5 months we run ten monthly mentorship cycles, four structured training programmes (FIN-101 Finance, COMP-201 Compliance, MKT-301 Market Access, DIG-401 Digital), and on-the-ground interventions — system implementations, branding refreshes, compliance remediation, equipment readiness and direct supplier onboarding into the 4Racing supply chain. Every session is logged with attendance, outputs and beneficiary sign-off. 4Racing receives a monthly progress report and a quarterly steering review with KPI movement, RAG status, spend pacing and decisions required.
We close the programme with a final on-site impact assessment per enterprise, lock the verification-ready evidence file, hand over all artefacts to 4Racing, and table a consolidated Programme Impact Report with verified KPI movement, supplier-onboarding outcomes, jobs sustained/created and a costed next-phase recommendation. An independent dry-run review is conducted on the evidence file before final verifier submission so that 4Racing's B-BBEE verification proceeds without further preparation.
| Date | Milestone | Phase |
|---|---|---|
| 07 Jul 2026 | Inception sign-off | Phase 1 |
| 11 Aug 2026 | All 4 diagnostics complete | Phase 2 |
| 25 Aug 2026 | Incubation Plans signed off | Phase 3 |
| 25 Sep 2026 | Q1 Steering Committee | Phase 4 |
| 18 Dec 2026 | Mid-programme impact snapshot | Phase 4 |
| 27 Mar 2027 | Q3 Steering Committee | Phase 4 |
| 15 Jun 2027 | Final impact report & evidence file | Phase 5 |
| 30 Jun 2027 | Programme close · 12-month term complete | Phase 5 |
How The Link South Africa will run, govern and assure quality across the 12-month programme — and how 4Racing remains in control of direction, risk, spend and evidence at every step. The structure below mirrors the model used successfully on the Zensar 2024 incubation programme.
Quarterly. Chaired by the 4Racing ESD sponsor. The decision-making body of the programme: approves milestones, signs off the Incubation Plans, reviews quarterly performance, signs off material change requests, re-rates strategic risk and authorises any movement of spend between budget categories.
Monthly. Joint working session between the 4Racing contract manager and The Link Programme Director. Tracks delivery against the Incubation Plans, walks through the Monthly Progress Report, reviews the risk register, agrees corrective actions and confirms the look-ahead for the next 30 days.
| Report | Frequency | Audience | What it contains |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inception & Diagnostic Reports | Once-off · Phase 1–2 | Steering Committee | Confirmed scope, baseline maturity, prioritised roadmap per enterprise |
| Monthly Progress Report | Monthly · 1st Wed | Working Group | RAG, activity log, KPI delta, compliance, spend, decisions, look-ahead |
| Quarterly Performance Review | Quarterly | Steering Committee | Scorecard, trajectory review, forecast, risk re-rating, decisions register |
| Risk & Corrective Action Log | Continuous · live | Both | Open risks, mitigations, owners, due dates, closed-out actions |
| Spend & Invoice Register | Continuous · live | Working Group + Finance | Every invoice, line item, proof of payment, spend-vs-budget pacing |
| Final Impact Report | Programme close | Steering Committee + Board | Verified KPI movement, supplier onboarding, jobs, ROI, next-phase rec. |
Every intervention is logged with verifiable artefacts — registers, deliverables, sign-offs, invoices, payment proofs — and aggregated continuously into a B-BBEE verification-ready portfolio. An independent dry-run review is conducted before final verifier submission so that 4Racing's verification proceeds without further preparation.
Beneficiary information is handled under a signed mutual NDA, with POPIA-aligned collection, storage and access controls. Portal access is role-based and audit-logged. All raw data, deliverables and tooling become 4Racing's property at programme close, with a clean handover certificate.
Internal peer-review of every diagnostic, plan and report before submission to 4Racing. Mid-programme methodology review and a close-out independent QA pass on the evidence file. Beneficiary satisfaction surveys after every workshop and quarterly mentorship cycle.
Material changes to scope, schedule or budget follow a documented change-request procedure: raised by either party, impact-assessed by the Programme Director within five working days, tabled at the next Working Group, escalated to the Steering Committee if budget or schedule impact exceeds 5%. No change is implemented without written approval.
Level 1 — Working Group (resolved within the monthly cycle). Level 2 — Programme Director ↔ 4Racing Contract Manager (resolved within 5 working days). Level 3 — Managing Director (The Link) ↔ 4Racing ESD Sponsor (resolved within 10 working days). Independent mediation if unresolved at Level 3.
A transparent split of the R700,000 programme value across the categories required by the 4Racing specification.
| Category | Amount | % of total |
|---|---|---|
| Professional & advisory fees | R 196 000 | 28% |
| Diagnostics & baseline assessments | R 70 000 | 10% |
| Training, mentoring & workshops | R 119 000 | 17% |
| Direct enterprise interventions | R 210 000 | 30% |
| Monitoring, reporting & administration | R 56 000 | 8% |
| Specialist & third-party support | R 49 000 | 7% |
| Total | R 700 000 | 100% |
Programme-level KPIs are baseline-anchored at inception. Enterprise-specific targets are refined per beneficiary following the diagnostic phase.
| KPI | Programme-level target |
|---|---|
| Turnover growth per beneficiary | ≥ 15% over programme period |
| Gross margin improvement | ≥ 5 percentage points |
| Compliance items regularised | 100% of identified gaps closed |
| Business systems implemented | Min. 3 per beneficiary |
| Mentorship & training attendance | ≥ 90% session participation |
| New market / supply opportunities | ≥ 2 per beneficiary |
| Supplier readiness milestones | All 4 supplier-onboarding-ready |
| Jobs sustained or created | ≥ 1 new role per beneficiary, where viable |
A multidisciplinary, accountable team. Each role below carries explicit responsibilities, the deliverables they own, and the percentage of their time committed to this programme. Named individuals and full CVs are confirmed at contract signature; the Lead Programme Director will not be substituted without 4Racing's written approval.
Where in this proposal each weighted criterion is evidenced.
| Criterion | Weight | Where evidenced |
|---|---|---|
| Relevant ESD and incubation experience | 25% | See Methodology and Team sections — 15+ yrs ESD delivery, corporate-linked incubation track record across hospitality, trading and services sectors. |
| Quality of methodology and programme design | 25% | 5-pillar methodology, 7-dimension diagnostic framework, 5-phase delivery plan — all in the Methodology and Timeline sections. |
| Team capability and expertise | 15% | Multidisciplinary 7-person team spanning strategy, finance (CA(SA)), compliance, market access, digital and M&E. CVs available on request. |
| Monitoring, reporting and governance approach | 15% | Quarterly steering committee, monthly working group, 5-tier reporting cadence and live verification-ready evidence file (see Governance). |
| Value for money and budget clarity | 20% | Six-category budget with 47% of programme value flowing directly to beneficiary interventions and training (see Budget). |
The Link South Africa acknowledges 4Racing's right to request presentations, clarifications or negotiations with shortlisted bidders prior to final appointment, and to accept or reject any proposal in whole or in part. This proposal is valid for 90 days from the date of submission.
A full live view of programme health, tracks, timeline, training sessions, cohort roster and top performers — exactly what 4Racing's authorised users will see in the portal once the programme is live.
The Link South Africa runs three tailored ESD development tracks, each matched to the beneficiary's maturity. 4Racing's four enterprises are slotted into the track that fits their growth stage.
For Thabisong Management and Pink Sprinkles — early-stage enterprises building the financial, governance and brand foundations needed to onboard with corporate buyers like 4Racing.
For MaThando Kitchen — an operational enterprise ready to formalise costing, food-safety compliance and contract-catering pipelines into the 4Racing supply chain.
For Sipho Esihle Trading — a growth-stage enterprise being prepared for procurement onboarding into the 4Racing supply chain, with focus on working-capital discipline and tender readiness.
The 12-month roadmap from inception through close-out. Every phase has a defined focus, owner, exit gate and reporting cadence.
Jul 2026
Phase 1 — Inception & Mobilisation
Contract live, portal stood up, beneficiaries onboarded, governance ratified.
Jul–Aug 2026
Phase 2 — Diagnostic Assessment
On-site 7-dimension diagnostic per beneficiary; verified baselines locked.
Aug 2026
Phase 3 — Incubation Design
Tailored 10-month incubation plan per beneficiary signed off.
Sep–Nov 2026
Phase 4 — Implementation Q1
FIN-101, COMP-201 delivered; mentoring cycles 1–3; Q1 steering review.
Dec 2026 – Feb 2027
Phase 4 — Implementation Q2
MKT-301 pitch lab and buyer matchmaking; mid-programme impact snapshot.
Mar–May 2027
Phase 4 — Implementation Q3
DIG-401 digital sprint; GOV-501 governance discipline; supplier-readiness audits.
Jun 2027
Phase 5 — Close-out & Impact
Final assessments, evidence file locked, impact report tabled, handover.
7
Programme phases
12
Months duration
4 quarterly + 12 monthly
Reviews scheduled
All projected training sessions across the 12-month engagement — facilitator, hours, status and the master register.
| Date | Phase | Module | Session | Facilitator | Hrs | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 07 Jul 2026 | Phase 1 — Inception & Mobilisation | Onboarding | Programme Welcome & Orientation | Nomvula Khumalo | 2 | Scheduled |
| 09 Jul 2026 | Phase 1 — Inception & Mobilisation | Onboarding | Portal Walk-through & Compliance Upload | Refilwe Mokoena | 2 | Scheduled |
| 14 Jul 2026 | Phase 2 — Diagnostic Assessment | Diagnostic | Baseline Diagnostic — Thabisong Management | Dr Sipho Mbatha | 4 | Scheduled |
| 21 Jul 2026 | Phase 2 — Diagnostic Assessment | Diagnostic | Baseline Diagnostic — Sipho Esihle Trading | Dr Sipho Mbatha | 4 | Scheduled |
| 04 Aug 2026 | Phase 2 — Diagnostic Assessment | Diagnostic | Baseline Diagnostic — MaThando Kitchen | Dr Sipho Mbatha | 4 | Scheduled |
| 11 Aug 2026 | Phase 2 — Diagnostic Assessment | Diagnostic | Baseline Diagnostic — Pink Sprinkles | Dr Sipho Mbatha | 4 | Scheduled |
| 21 Aug 2026 | Phase 3 — Incubation Design | Design | Incubation Plans sign-off (×4) | Nomvula Khumalo | 3 | Scheduled |
| 04 Sep 2026 | Phase 4 — Implementation Q1 | FIN-101 | Costing & Pricing Fundamentals | Lerato Pillay | 2 | Scheduled |
| 11 Sep 2026 | Phase 4 — Implementation Q1 | FIN-101 | Cash-flow & Working Capital | Lerato Pillay | 2 | Scheduled |
| 18 Sep 2026 | Phase 4 — Implementation Q1 | FIN-101 | Monthly Management Accounts Lab | Lerato Pillay | 2 | Scheduled |
| 25 Sep 2026 | Phase 4 — Implementation Q1 | Review | Quarterly Steering Committee · Q1 | Nomvula Khumalo | 3 | Scheduled |
| 02 Oct 2026 | Phase 4 — Implementation Q1 | COMP-201 | B-BBEE Affidavit & Certificate Refresh | Thandi Naidoo | 2 | Scheduled |
| 09 Oct 2026 | Phase 4 — Implementation Q1 | COMP-201 | SARS, CIPC & COIDA Remediation Sprint | Thandi Naidoo | 2 | Scheduled |
| 16 Oct 2026 | Phase 4 — Implementation Q1 | COMP-201 | Sector-Specific Compliance (Food, Trading) | Thandi Naidoo | 2 | Scheduled |
| 23 Oct 2026 | Phase 4 — Implementation Q1 | Audit | Supplier-Readiness Audit — Sipho Esihle | Bongani Dlamini | 3 | Scheduled |
| 06 Nov 2026 | Phase 4 — Implementation Q1 | Mentoring | 1:1 Coaching Cycle 3 (all beneficiaries) | Specialist team | 8 | Scheduled |
| 13 Nov 2026 | Phase 4 — Implementation Q1 | MKT-301 | Buyer Matchmaking Day · 4Racing Procurement | Bongani Dlamini | 4 | Scheduled |
| 27 Nov 2026 | Phase 4 — Implementation Q1 | Review | Monthly Progress Review — November | Refilwe Mokoena | 2 | Scheduled |
| 04 Dec 2026 | Phase 4 — Implementation Q2 | Review | Quarterly Steering Committee · Q2 | Nomvula Khumalo | 3 | Scheduled |
| 11 Dec 2026 | Phase 4 — Implementation Q2 | GOV-501 | Year-end Operations & SOP Review | Dr Sipho Mbatha | 2 | Scheduled |
| 18 Dec 2026 | Phase 4 — Implementation Q2 | Milestone | Mid-Programme Impact Snapshot Issued | Refilwe Mokoena | 2 | Scheduled |
| 15 Jan 2027 | Phase 4 — Implementation Q2 | Mentoring | 1:1 Coaching Cycle 7 | Specialist team | 8 | Scheduled |
| 12 Feb 2027 | Phase 4 — Implementation Q2 | MKT-301 | Tender Response Clinic | Bongani Dlamini | 4 | Scheduled |
| 19 Feb 2027 | Phase 4 — Implementation Q2 | Assessment | Mid-Programme Growth Assessment (×4) | Refilwe Mokoena | 4 | Scheduled |
| 12 Mar 2027 | Phase 4 — Implementation Q3 | DIG-401 | POS & Accounting Stack Setup (MaThando, Pink) | Ayesha Patel | 3 | Scheduled |
| 19 Mar 2027 | Phase 4 — Implementation Q3 | DIG-401 | E-commerce Launch Lab (Pink Sprinkles) | Ayesha Patel | 3 | Scheduled |
| 26 Mar 2027 | Phase 4 — Implementation Q3 | Review | Quarterly Steering Committee · Q3 | Nomvula Khumalo | 3 | Scheduled |
| 16 Apr 2027 | Phase 4 — Implementation Q3 | Audit | Final Supplier-Readiness Audits (×4) | Bongani Dlamini | 8 | Scheduled |
| 14 May 2027 | Phase 4 — Implementation Q3 | GOV-501 | Sustainability & Exit-Plan Workshop | Nomvula Khumalo | 3 | Scheduled |
| 11 Jun 2027 | Phase 5 — Close-out & Impact | Close-out | Final Impact Assessments (×4) | Dr Sipho Mbatha | 8 | Scheduled |
| 25 Jun 2027 | Phase 5 — Close-out & Impact | Close-out | Graduation & Handover Ceremony | Nomvula Khumalo | 3 | Scheduled |
4 beneficiary enterprises · 110 training hours · 5 structured programmes




Top performers are crowned monthly from Phase 4 onwards, ranked on a composite of attendance, KPI movement, evidence-file completeness and mentor scoring. Actual rankings publish from October 2026.
Headline statistics for the entire 4Racing engagement and the next milestone in view.
The steering committee deck and beneficiary scorecards will be auto-assembled and shared with 4Racing five business days in advance.
Live programme health, current phase, next milestones and risk status.
A live record per enterprise: baseline, plan, progress, evidence and mentor notes.
Every coaching session logged with attendance, topic, outcome and follow-up.
Tax, CIPC, B-BBEE, sector compliance gaps and remediation status per beneficiary.
Monthly revenue, gross margin and cash-runway snapshots per beneficiary.
Secure repository for all diagnostics, plans, reports and signed deliverables.
Monthly progress reports, quarterly reviews and the verification-ready evidence file.
Steering committee minutes, decision log and announcement feed.
All training, mentoring and intervention programmes the beneficiaries are enrolled in.
Month-by-month delivery schedule: workshops, site visits, mentoring sessions and reviews.
Every invoice issued to 4Racing — line items, status, due dates and proof of payment.
Itemised, receipted spend against every budget category — total transparency on where every rand goes.
The Link's staff allocated to the programme: roles, qualifications, allocation % and contact details.
Programme-allocated payroll register and downloadable payslips for each allocated employee.
Diagnostic scorecards, quizzes, skills assessments and growth assessments completed by each beneficiary.
A live record per enterprise. Each card opens into baseline data, the tailored incubation plan, current progress, mentor notes and uploaded evidence.




Every coaching and mentoring session captured with attendance, topic, outcome and next-step follow-up. Forms the spine of the verification-ready evidence file.
| Date | Beneficiary | Mentor | Topic | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-07-09 | MaThando Kitchen | Financial Coach | Costing & pricing workshop | Planned — new menu pricing model to be adopted |
| 2026-07-16 | Pink Sprinkles | Digital Mentor | Shopify launch readiness | Planned — store go-live target |
| 2026-07-23 | Sipho Esihle Trading | Market Access Lead | Buyer pitch preparation | Planned — 4Racing procurement intro |
| 2026-07-30 | Thabisong Management | Compliance Specialist | B-BBEE affidavit refresh | Planned — updated certificate target |
Tax, CIPC, B-BBEE and sector-specific compliance items per beneficiary, with remediation status updated weekly.
| Beneficiary | Compliance item | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Thabisong Management | Tax clearance (SARS) | Compliant |
| Thabisong Management | B-BBEE affidavit | Compliant |
| Sipho Esihle Trading | CIPC annual return | Remediating |
| MaThando Kitchen | Food safety (R638) | Compliant |
| MaThando Kitchen | COIDA registration | Compliant |
| Pink Sprinkles | Trademark application | In progress |
Monthly revenue, gross margin and trend per beneficiary. Captured from management accounts uploaded by each enterprise and signed off by their finance coach.
| Beneficiary | Monthly revenue | Gross margin | Month-on-month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thabisong Management | R 142 000 | 31% | ▲ 8% |
| Sipho Esihle Trading | R 318 000 | 18% | ▲ 14% |
| MaThando Kitchen | R 96 000 | 27% | ▲ 11% |
| Pink Sprinkles | R 54 000 | 42% | ▲ 23% |
Secure, versioned repository for every diagnostic, plan, report and signed deliverable. Role-based access for 4Racing, The Link and individual beneficiaries.
| Document | Type | Owner | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inception Plan — template | The Link | Issued on signature | |
| Diagnostic Report — Thabisong (template) | The Link | Due 31 Jul 2026 | |
| Diagnostic Report — Sipho Esihle (template) | The Link | Due 31 Jul 2026 | |
| Diagnostic Report — MaThando (template) | The Link | Due 07 Aug 2026 | |
| Diagnostic Report — Pink Sprinkles (template) | The Link | Due 07 Aug 2026 | |
| Incubation Plans (×4) | PDF bundle | The Link | Due 21 Aug 2026 |
| Monthly Progress Report — July 2026 | The Link | Due 05 Aug 2026 |
Monthly progress reports, quarterly performance reviews and the cumulative B-BBEE verification-ready evidence file — all generated from live portal data.
| Report | Status | Audience |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly Progress Report — July 2026 | Scheduled | Working Group |
| Quarterly Performance Review — Q1 (Jul–Sep 2026) | Scheduled | Steering Committee |
| Risk & Corrective Action Log | Live from launch | Both |
| Evidence File (Portfolio) | Opens on 01 Jul 2026 | B-BBEE Verifier |
A consolidated feed of steering committee minutes, decisions, announcements and working-group notes — every conversation traceable.
| Date | Channel | Subject |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-07-01 | Announcement | Programme launch — all beneficiaries onboarded |
| 2026-07-07 | Steering minutes | Inception sign-off — Phase 1 complete |
| 2026-07-15 | Working group | Diagnostic site visits scheduled — week of 21 July |
| 2026-07-28 | Decision log | Reporting cadence agreed — monthly + quarterly steering |
Every training, mentoring and intervention programme running under the contract — with format, duration, facilitator, enrolled beneficiaries and expected outcome.





A live month-by-month delivery schedule across workshops, site visits, mentoring cycles and steering reviews. Each event ties back to the relevant programme and beneficiary.
| 01 Jul | Milestone | Programme start · contract live | All |
| 07 Jul | Workshop | Inception & onboarding workshop | All beneficiaries |
| 14 Jul | Site visit | Diagnostic visit — Thabisong | Thabisong |
| 21 Jul | Site visit | Diagnostic visit — Sipho Esihle | Sipho Esihle |
| 28 Jul | Review | Monthly progress review | Working Group |
| 04 Aug | Site visit | Diagnostic visit — MaThando | MaThando |
| 11 Aug | Site visit | Diagnostic visit — Pink Sprinkles | Pink Sprinkles |
| 21 Aug | Milestone | Incubation plans signed off | Steering Committee |
| 28 Aug | Review | Monthly progress review | Working Group |
| 04 Sep | Workshop | FIN-101 — Session 1: Costing | All beneficiaries |
| 11 Sep | Workshop | COMP-201 — Session 1: B-BBEE basics | All beneficiaries |
| 18 Sep | Coaching | 1:1 financial coaching cycle | All |
| 25 Sep | Review | Quarterly steering committee · Q1 | Steering Committee |
| 02 Oct | Workshop | MKT-301 — Pitch lab | Sipho, MaThando, Pink |
| 09 Oct | Workshop | DIG-401 — POS & accounting setup | MaThando, Pink |
| 23 Oct | Site visit | Supplier-readiness audit — Sipho Esihle | Sipho Esihle |
| 30 Oct | Review | Monthly progress review | Working Group |
| 06 Nov | Coaching | Mentoring cycle 3 | All |
| 13 Nov | Workshop | MKT-301 — Buyer matchmaking day | Sipho, MaThando, Pink |
| 27 Nov | Review | Monthly progress review | Working Group |
| 04 Dec | Review | Quarterly steering committee · Q2 | Steering Committee |
| 11 Dec | Workshop | GOV-501 — Year-end ops review | Thabisong, Sipho |
| 18 Dec | Milestone | Mid-programme impact snapshot issued | All |
| Jan | Coaching | Mentoring cycles 7 – 9 (monthly) | All |
| Feb | Workshop | MKT-301 — Tender response clinic | All |
| Mar | Review | Quarterly steering committee · Q3 | Steering Committee |
| Apr | Site visit | Final supplier-readiness audits (×4) | All beneficiaries |
| May | Workshop | Sustainability & exit-plan workshop | All |
| 15 Jun | Milestone | Final impact report & evidence file issued | Steering Committee |
| 30 Jun | Milestone | Programme close · 12-month term complete | All |
Every invoice issued to 4Racing — milestone-linked, with line-item description, status, due date and proof of payment. Total transparency on the contract value drawdown.
| Invoice # | Date | Description | Amount | Status | Paid on |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| INV-2026-001 | 2026-07-01 | Inception, mobilisation & diagnostic fee (25%) | R 175 000 | Scheduled | Due 31 Jul 2026 |
| INV-2026-002 | 2026-10-01 | Implementation milestone 1 — Q2 (25%) | R 175 000 | Scheduled | Due 31 Oct 2026 |
| INV-2027-001 | 2027-01-05 | Implementation milestone 2 — Q3 (25%) | R 175 000 | Scheduled | Due 31 Jan 2027 |
| INV-2027-002 | 2027-04-01 | Implementation milestone 3 — Q4 (15%) | R 105 000 | Scheduled | Due 30 Apr 2027 |
| INV-2027-003 | 2027-06-15 | Close-out, impact report & evidence file (10%) | R 70 000 | Scheduled | Due 30 Jun 2027 |
A line-item record of every rand spent against the programme — supplier, evidence reference and budget category, reconciled against the agreed budget envelope.
| Date | Category | Description | Supplier | Amount | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 2026 | Professional & advisory fees | Programme Director — month 1 allocation | The Link SA (internal) | R 42 000 | Projected · payroll register |
| Jul 2026 | Diagnostics & baseline assessments | Diagnostic toolkit licences (×4) | SME Diagnostics Co. | R 18 400 | Projected · quote on file |
| Aug 2026 | Direct enterprise interventions | POS hardware — MaThando Kitchen | Yoco | R 8 999 | Projected · quote on file |
| Aug 2026 | Training, mentoring & workshops | FIN-101 venue & catering | The Workspace Rosebank | R 12 300 | Projected · venue rate card |
| Sep 2026 | Direct enterprise interventions | Branding refresh — Pink Sprinkles | Studio Kindred | R 22 500 | Projected · scope on file |
| Sep 2026 | Specialist & third-party support | B-BBEE affidavit drafting (×4) | Sentinel Compliance | R 9 600 | Projected · fee schedule |
| Oct 2026 | Monitoring, reporting & administration | Portal hosting & evidence storage — Q1 | AWS / Lovable Cloud | R 6 400 | Projected · published rates |
| Oct 2026 | Training, mentoring & workshops | MKT-301 pitch lab facilitator | Independent associate | R 14 000 | Projected · associate rate card |
The Link South Africa staff allocated to the 4Racing programme — role, qualifications, percentage time allocation and direct contact for accountability.
| Name | Role | Qualifications & experience | Allocation | Contact |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nomvula Khumalo | Lead ESD Programme Director | MBA, 16 yrs ESD | 40% | nomvula@thelinksouthafrica.com |
| Dr Sipho Mbatha | Senior Business Diagnostics Lead | PhD Business Mgmt, 12 yrs | 35% | sipho@thelinksouthafrica.com |
| Lerato Pillay | Financial Sustainability Coach | CA(SA), 10 yrs SMME finance | 30% | lerato@thelinksouthafrica.com |
| Thandi Naidoo | Compliance & B-BBEE Specialist | B-BBEE MDP, 11 yrs | 25% | thandi@thelinksouthafrica.com |
| Bongani Dlamini | Market Access & Supplier Readiness Lead | Ex-procurement exec, 14 yrs | 30% | bongani@thelinksouthafrica.com |
| Ayesha Patel | Digital Enablement Mentor | BCom IS, 8 yrs | 20% | ayesha@thelinksouthafrica.com |
| Refilwe Mokoena | M&E and Reporting Manager | M&E specialist, 9 yrs | 30% | refilwe@thelinksouthafrica.com |
Programme-allocated payroll register for the reporting month. Each row links to the downloadable payslip — full transparency on how the professional-fees budget translates into actual people paid.
| Employee | Period | Gross | PAYE | UIF | Net | Status | Payslip |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nomvula Khumalo | July 2026 | R 38 000 | R 8 550 | R 177 | R 29 273 | Scheduled | |
| Dr Sipho Mbatha | July 2026 | R 32 000 | R 6 720 | R 177 | R 25 103 | Scheduled | |
| Lerato Pillay | July 2026 | R 26 500 | R 4 982 | R 177 | R 21 341 | Scheduled | |
| Thandi Naidoo | July 2026 | R 19 500 | R 3 120 | R 177 | R 16 203 | Scheduled | |
| Bongani Dlamini | July 2026 | R 24 000 | R 4 080 | R 177 | R 19 743 | Scheduled | |
| Ayesha Patel | July 2026 | R 14 000 | R 1 820 | R 140 | R 12 040 | Scheduled | |
| Refilwe Mokoena | July 2026 | R 22 500 | R 3 825 | R 177 | R 18 498 | Scheduled |
Diagnostic scorecards, knowledge checks, supplier-readiness self-assessments and mid/end-programme growth assessments completed by each beneficiary. Every score feeds the impact report.
| Beneficiary | Assessment | Date | Score | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thabisong Management | Baseline Diagnostic Scorecard | Due 14 Jul 2026 | — | Scheduled |
| Thabisong Management | Financial Literacy Quiz (FIN-101) | Due 25 Sep 2026 | — | Scheduled |
| Sipho Esihle Trading | Baseline Diagnostic Scorecard | Due 21 Jul 2026 | — | Scheduled |
| Sipho Esihle Trading | Supplier Readiness Self-Assessment | Due 23 Oct 2026 | — | Scheduled |
| MaThando Kitchen | Baseline Diagnostic Scorecard | Due 04 Aug 2026 | — | Scheduled |
| MaThando Kitchen | Food Safety Knowledge Check | Due 09 Oct 2026 | — | Scheduled |
| Pink Sprinkles | Baseline Diagnostic Scorecard | Due 11 Aug 2026 | — | Scheduled |
| Pink Sprinkles | Digital Maturity Assessment | Due 09 Oct 2026 | — | Scheduled |
| Pink Sprinkles | Mid-programme Growth Assessment | Due 27 Nov 2026 | — | Scheduled |