The wonderful thing about South Africa is how unregulated we are as a country; when it comes to putting one’s entrepeneurial skills into practice and starting a business.
We are essentially a pioneering country; made -up of immigrants; just like America. It all started when Dutch traders led by Jan Van Riebeek landed in Capetown and started a refreshment station in Table Bay so their sailors could get fresh produce and avoid getting scurvy.
Now, in 2025, 375 years later, we are a highly developed country; and despite a series of failing governments; particularly the most destructive present one, South Africa is still one of the most exciting places in the world to visit or live in.
Back to Busy Bee Editing …
After runnng a series of small businesses, including a home-based secretarial service, a coffee shop in Agulhas, and a local advertising magazine; none of which set the world on fire, my partner Brenda and I were in the library in Gordons Bay one day. We were chatting with someone who mentioned that she was looking for a person to edit a poem she had written, and we offered to help her with that, and later that day, Brenda and I had a chat about what had happened and a flash of inspiration hit us and we thought – Maybe we could do that to make some extra money – We could become proofreaders! – Why not give it a go?
We made up some pamphlets; distributed them around the area and started getting orders for proofreading work.
That was around twelve years ago and now – here we are with a very busy full-fledged proofreading and editing business.
We have been working twelve hours a day; seven days a week for a long time, and we are now in desperate need of a break – hopefully very soon!
The fact is that if you have some skills and are prepared to work very hard you can start a business in South Africa and make it work. You don’t be a slave to a boss; you can choose your own hours, plan your own vacations and avoid all the red tape and all the regulations put in place to discourage small businesses.
The truth is that the government top echelon have shot themselves in the foot. The government didn’t realise that the more they tried to block entrepeneurial activity; the more it was forcing the vast majority of poorer South Africans to evade regulation, the more they were being forced to start small business enterprises, simply to keep themselves and their families alive!
The tragedy is that the more poor families are subsidised by pathetically small grants; the more such families remain slaves; trapped in a cycle of poverty, in unsanitary, unhealthy conditions, and the more it benefits the government, as indigent families remain silent slaves; instead of rising up against the system.
So, the only way to avoid this trap is to take the grants, keep making babies; but fight your way out of this trap by identifying your talents and by hook or by crook start a small business; which is easy to do in South Africa, due to the lack of regulation, and work your ass off to make it grow!
(By the way, in light of the fact that we let the government pass the Bella Act and so our public education system is now useless – and thanks to advancements in technology – families can now educate their children at home; and probably do a better job than they would get at a school.)
Now – You knew it was coming – so here comes the Sales Pitch … For perfect proofreading and editing – contact Busy Bee Editing.
CONTACT DETAILS
Website: www,busybeediting.co.za
Email: info@busybeeediting.co.za
You will find us at the top of page 1 under proofreading and editing South Africa in Google.
To read our latest blogposts, just Google Proofreading and Editing South Africa and our website will come-up. Then you can click on Busy Bee Editing Facebook to get into our Facebook page.
Videos: to view our videos – just type busybeeediting into the searchbar and our videos will come up.
or phone us on 0722444363
Recent Comments