Johannesburg nearly came to a standstill last Saturday morning, when a group of people mainly from Venda, staged a traditional dance to welcome their hero, Barry Banga Ramunenyiwa, on his way from London, where he just scooped an award of being the National Entrepreneur of the year, 2002.

A group of about forty people, mainly family members of Ramunenyiwa, his wife and children, Vevisa Lodge staff members, a Tshigombela dance group comprising of young children and old women, together with friends, where at the centre of attraction immediately when they arrived at the airport at around 06:45.

It looked like the people were attracted mainly by the dressing code, Minwenda, which make the group to be clearly identifiable among hundreds of people who were at the airport.

The moment of truth arrived at around 07:35, when Banga Ramunenyiwa approached from the tunnel.

In a true African and Venda way, drum-beat started to echo under the ground-floor building of the airport, while the young girls where dancing to the Tshigombela tune. The elderly women, who together with the young girls were dressed in their Minwenda, were singing praise songs to Banga Ramunenyiwa.

Like a true son of the soil, Ramunenyiwa himself joined the young ladies and danced to the tune of loud, but portable drums. A gift of crafted elephant head was presented to Ramunenyiwa by his sister Mphodo, as a sign of his wonderful achievement.

While almost half of the people at the airport, including staff members, where still trying to get a glimpse of the strange dance, Tshigombela, Ramunenyiwa then asked for a pause before he delivered his short thank you speech to all who came to give him a heroic welcome.

He also thanked the Department of Tourism, his staff members and customers at Vevisa Lodge for helping him to win the important award in the country. There was a sign of dissatisfaction from onlookers when Ramunenyiwa went on his knees and saluted the ancestors before he led his group out of the airport.

Ramunenyiwa received a commemorative plaque and a cheque of R30 000 to invest in his business by the South African Tourism Chief Executive Officer, Cheryl Carolus. The Chief Executive Officer of Limpopo Tourism and Parks Board, Edgar Mushwana said they were excited about the acknowledgement and recognition given to Ramunenyiwa. "This is an achievement of the province. It clearly shows the undying commitment and the efforts of our government in transforming the tourism industry and giving everyone a fair chance to be in the mainstream of the economy through tourism," said Mushwana.

Mushwana said the board would like to congratulate Ramunenyiwa and everyone at Vevisa Lodge on their achievement and also encourage other emerging tourism entrepreneurs in the province to take part in programmes like this one.

Carolus said ETEYA was developed to showcase and reward the inspiration and fresh business ideas of South Africa's emerging entrepreneur like Ramunenyiwa. She said the award is a celebration of the winning spirit of South Africa and a demonstration of our commitment in supporting the emerging tourism business that offer a uniquely African experience for visitors to our beautiful country," said Carolus.

Vevisa Lodge is a luxury bed and breakfast in Thohoyandou, along JJ Motors road to Thohoyandou Complex. It started operating in January 2002 after two years of planning and development. The lodge employs fourteen people from the local community. Ramunenyiwa and his wife Sandra, manage it.

The lodge has eleven en-suite bedrooms, which can accommodate three people each at a time and it boasts with an up-market restaurant and a well-secured parking.