The Deputy Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, Mr Zuko Godlimpi has once again urged emerging entrepreneures in local communities to forge partnerships amongst each other to give themselves a competitive edge that will propel their businesses to succes.
He was addressing an empowerment workshop of the Methodist Church’s Young Women’s Manyano at Ku Gompo city in the Eastern Cape.
The event, also attended by the Buffalo City Mayor, Ms Princess Faku, was aimed at empowering the young women in attendance, with information on how to access various government support programmes to boost local businesses.
During the address in the workshop Godlimpi appealed to the women in attendance to understand how concepts of scale and purchasing power will help push them to greater success than if they pursued ventures as individuals. Using their skills which were also in display through a mini exhibition of products such as beadwork, pottery and textile, he encouraged them to work together and form partnerships and cooperatives that will assist them to buy and sell in bulk to expedite their growth.
“It is these strategies of scale and usage of purchasing power that have enabled foreign nationals to dominate the Spaza Shop sector in the townships and villages. They have mastered the art of clubbing together, therefore township businesses need to work together in the same way to procure from wholesalers if they wish to compete with foreign-owned spaza stores,” he said.
A report by the Competition Commission of South Africa released last week on the Township and Rural Economy found that local businesses face constraints in sourcing, selling and regulatory compliance that prevent many from scaling, formalising or integrating more fully into broader value chains.
At the workshop, Godlimpi encouraged the women to mordenise their businesses by making use of technology and ensuring online presence to market their products, but also look beyond the borders of South Africa to expland their ventures.
Deputy Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, Mr Zuko Godlimpi addressing attendees at the empowerment workshop of the Methodist Church’s Young Women’s Manyano at KuGompo city in the Eastern Cape.
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Issued by: The Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (the dtic)
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