Mpumalanga informal traders receive big boost from Department of Small Business Development

22 Feb 2019

Minister of Small Business Development Ms. Lindiwe Zulu, MEC for Finance, Economic Development and Tourism, Mr Sikhumbuzo Kholwane and the Executive Mayor of Nkomazi Local Municipality, Cllr. Johan Mkhatshwa, will on Saturday, 23 February 2019 hand over tools and equipment to 138 informal business owners in Nkomazi, Mpumalanga.

The handover of business tools and equipment is part of the Informal and Micro Enterprise Development Programme, a pragmatic intervention by the Department of Small Business Development which strives to accelerate the growth of informal and micro enterprises by improving their competitiveness and sustainability to become formal businesses and partake in the mainstream economy.

It is expected that more than 3000 community members will attend the prestigious event that is envisaged to maximize the potential of SMME’s, informal traders, cooperatives and the youth in the entrepreneurship fraternity. Communities will also experience on-site service delivery from the Mpumalanga provincial government and key development agencies during the event.

In his 2019 State of the Nation Address, President Cyril Ramaphosa committed to significantly expand the Small Business Incubation Programme which provides budding entrepreneurs with physical space, infrastructure and shared services, access to specialised knowledge, market linkages, training in the use of new technologies and access to finance. The IMEDP Programme is a catalytic instrument with a potential to improve efficiency and productivity that may lead to profitability. The ultimate objective is to see evolution of informal businesses into formal medium-sized businesses that will participate meaningfully in global value chains.

Members of the media are invited to the event taking place as follows:

Date: Saturday, 23 February 2019
Venue: Kwamhlushwa Stadium, Malelane, Mpumalanga
Time: 10:00

“It is imperative that we improve our support to informal traders with a sole focus to enable them to be competitive and sustainable. As a matter of fact, this is the sector that creates more jobs and directly help reduce poverty” says Zulu.

Enquiries:
Noko Manyelo
Tel: 060 972 5221
E-mail: nmanyelo@dsbd.gov.za