The Department of Tourism officially opened the Atrium Boutique Hotel in Polokwane on August 6. The four-star property is 100% black-owned and majority women-owned with Lesetja Johanna Mukwevho holding 60% of the shareholding. She co-founded the hotel with Matodzi Joseph Mukwevho.
The hotel was developed with funding from multiple government agencies including:
- National Empowerment Fund: R10 million loan (US$563 800)
- Tourism Transformation Fund: R5 million grant (US$281 900)
- Small Enterprise Development and Finance Agency: R9.8 million (US$552 524)
- Tourism Equity Fund: R5 million (US$$281 900)
Total investment in the development amounted to R31.3 million (US$1 764 694), which covered construction, furnishing, a solar energy system and six months of operational sustainability. Facilities include 26 luxury rooms, a 100-seater restaurant, 100-seater conference venue, 15-seater boardroom and 10-seater bar. The project has created 16 permanent jobs.
The hotel is aligned with the Polokwane Municipality’s Integrated Development Plan as a catalytic project and aims to address gaps in graded accommodation for the city’s mid to high-end tourism market.
Speaking at the launch, South Africa’s Deputy Minister of Tourism Maggie Sotyu said: “The Atrium Boutique Hotel is a fully operational tourism development, highlighting the significant role of women entrepreneurs in fostering economic growth.”
She reiterated the importance of women’s participation in the tourism economy and stressed the role of the Tourism Transformation Fund in enabling black ownership, skills development and business sustainability.
