Ex Military Veteran launches the first female owned conference centre in Austerville

Greta Apelgren-Narkedien, ex military veteran launches the first ever female owned conference centre in Austerville.

Greta Apelgren-Narkedien holds a BA degree and a number of relevant certificates and a diploma. She has experience of more than 20 years in the public service particularly in the provincial sphere. She has held numerous senior positions, ranging from the position of Director: Special Projects Directorate, Office of the Premier in the Northern Cape, Deputy Director-General: Branch Head: Fisheries, National Department of Agriculture, Forestries and Fisheries in Cape Town and Head of Department, Social Welfare in the Northern Cape. During the time she spent at Human Settlements in the Northern Cape, she was exposed to and worked closely with the local sphere of government.

Greta Apelgren-Narkedien, is the title deed holder of the residential property at 6 Berg Place, Austerville, Durban. The property is 566m² in size. It has been converted, renovated, furnished and equipped for use as business premises, a mini-conference centre, training centre and showroom.

The name of the company [IMIZUMBE] is based on the name of the farm [Umzumbe Farm] owned by the late Gustav Karl Apelgren, Greta’s Swedish great grandfather. Umzumbe Farm was located in Hibberdene, a few kilometres from the Umzumbe River, located in the now broader municipal area named Umzumbe Municipality on the Lower South Coast of KwaZulu Natal.

The English understanding of the Zulu word Umzumbe refers to a wild bean, hence the plural version namely Imizumbe [wild beans].

Imizumbe’s VISION is to provide professional services which will:

create jobs for unemployed youth, women, artisans and military veterans;

increase the number of female managers and leaders in the workplace;

increase the numbers of gap-income households with partly state-subsidized

bonded housing.