The Deputy Minister of Trade, Industry, and Competition (the dtic), Ms Nomalungelo Gina has urged small business operators in KwaZulu-Natal to appreciate their position as the backbone of the economy and take all the steps critical to their growth and development.
She was addressing a business seminar at the Ladysmith Indoor Sports Centre in the Alfred Duma Local Municipality, in KwaZulu-Natal. She said cumulatively the Small, Micro and Medium Enterprise (SMME) sector contributes immensely toward overall job creation goals of South Africa.
The interactive seminar brought various state entities and development finance institutions to the community of Ladysmith to share information on financial and non-financial support available to businesses. The seminar was part of the build-up programme to the Presidential Imbizo which takes place in the Alfred Duma Municipality in KwaZulu-Natal today.
Gina appealed to locals in attendance to identify and make use of some of existing opportunities such as the rich cultural history of the area to develop sound and workable businesses that will lift them out of poverty.
“We should consciously avoid tying our mindset to the idea that economic opportunities can only be found in major developed cities and metros such as eThekwini or Johannesburg. We must be strategic in our approach and efforts, and use what nature and history have already given us to better our lives and play a meaningful role in building the economy of our country, where we find ourselves at the moment,” she said.
She further urged them to ensure compliance with all the regulations that are in place because this will protect the integrity of their businesses and ensure they are able to access all the support measures, including in times of crisis, like the recent floods and the July unrests of 2021.
Enquiries:
Bongani Lukhele – Director: Media Relations
Tel: (012) 394 1643
Mobile: 079 5083 457
WhatsApp: 074 2998 512
E-mail: BLukhele@thedtic.gov.za /mediarelations@thedtic.gov.za
Issued by: The Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (the dtic)
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