According to Mr. Motau, SASDC invited Reba to one of their seminars in 2011. During the seminar, Reba was invited to go through the SASDC certification process to become a certified supplier that would appear on the SASDC database. Around the same time, Rand Water (a SASDC Corporate Member) advertised a tender invitation for a supplier of water treatment chemicals. Reba applied for this tender and since their business was already on the SASDC supplier database as certified suppliers, the result was a smooth and successful business linkage that extended from 2011 to 2014.

THE RAND WATER – REBA LINKAGES 
As a result of the Rand Water contract, Reba Chemicals was able to move into bigger premises wherein they are able to manufacture and store chemicals for various industries. Additional staff were retained and sent on industry-specific training so as to improve service delivery. 
Reba Chemicals was also able to settle an existing loan and take on an additional loan so as to expand their business into Africa. Lastly, Reba was able to devote more resources to strategic planning and the direction of their business, and have spent a considerable amount of time gathering market intelligence so as to better place their business. 

Rand Water found “SASDC’s certification of black-owned or women-owned suppliers to be robust and helpful in identifying qualified suppliers like Reba. In addition, SASDC’s annual conference and business opportunity fairs are very useful for corporate members seeking B-BBEE suppliers”. Rand Water indicated that both SASDC’s and its own supplier development initiatives help to build the capacity of suppliers. Rand Water also indicated that it “would recommend Reba Chemicals to any of the water utilities in South Africa”.

Over the last few years, Reba Chemicals has grown substantially over the years and has evolved into an exporter of its manufactured products. In order to meet different industry specifications and needs, Mr. Motau has sent his staff on specialist training. He is also looking into the possibility of acquiring or merging with other small businesses operating in this space. 
Mr. Motau spends a significant portion of his time doing market research to gain insights into the industry so as to inform strategic decisions, and is looking into expanding Reba’s operations elsewhere in Africa.