The Mayor of Ndwedwe Local Municipality, Councillor Sam Mfeka, has urged the KwaZulu-Natal businesspeople to take advantage of the support that is provided by government in order to grow their business, create jobs and alleviate poverty.
Mfeka was speaking at a business seminar that was hosted by the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (the dtic), in partnership with the Maphumulo and Ndwedwe local municipalities.
More than hundred businesspeople participated in the seminar that took place at the Maphumulo Town Hall today. The seminar was part of several engagements that the dtic is leading in KwaZulu-Natal as part of the build-up to the Presidential Imbizo that will take place in Durban on Friday.
“Today’s event brought all spheres of government under one roof to share information with the entrepreneurs of Maphumulo and Ndwedwe on how they can access support that will empower them in order to grow their businesses. I urge our businesspeople to use this information on the financial and non-financial support that is provided by various government departments and their entities to their advantage,” said Mfeka.
“This information will be valuable in that as they access funding from government to grow their business, this will have far-reaching positive spin-offs. The growth of their businesses will mean that they will be able to create jobs for other members of our communities, thereby contributing in eliminating poverty and growing the economy of these rural areas,” he added.
Mfeka also noted that unemployment was one of South Africa’s biggest challenges. He encouraged the businesspeople to work hard in their businesses, as Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) have the capacity to contribute greatly in creating jobs and reducing unemployment.
He expressed confidence that there would be some entrepreneurs amongst those attending the session that would soon approach the various entities that shared information on their incentives for funding.
The departments and entities that shared information on their products and services included the dtic’s incentives branch, KwaZulu-Natal Department of Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs (EDETEA), Small Enterprise Development Agency (Seda), Small Enterprise Finance Agency (Sefa), Enterprise Ilembe, National Empowerment Fund (NEF), Richards Bay Special Economic Zone, and the Dube Trade Port.
The Deputy Mayor of Ndwedwe, Councillor Zandile Thoolsie, echoed Mayor Mfeka’s views expressing confidence about the tangible positive impact that the seminar will have on the SMEs of the rural municipalities of Ndwedwe and Maphumulo.
“Local rural economic development is one of our priority areas as the two municipalities. We want to see their economies growing. Our businesspeople have a lot to contribute by creating jobs and growing the economies. This will ensure that we arrest the brain drain and reduce the high dependence on social grants that characterise the two municipalities,” added Thoolsie.
Businesswomen, Ms Siphelele Ngidi and Ms Sanelisiwe Ngubane said they would definitely be approaching the development finance institutions to seek funding as they both plan to expand their businesses. Ngubane currently produces crops and would like to start an agro-processing plant, while Ngidi plans to start a vineyard and a winery for the wines that she currently produces in the Western Cape and distributes in KwaZulu-Natal.
The Mayor of Ndwedwe Local Municipality, Councillor Sam Mfeka addressing businesspeople at a business seminar in Maphumulo, KwaZulu-Natal, today.
Ndwedwe businesswoman, Ms Siphelele Ngidi will seek assistance to bring the production of her wines to KwaZulu-Natal.
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