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Informal traders record a historical
92% completion rate in first learnership
implementation

Over 275 youth traders in KwaZulu-Natal graduated from
the Small Traders Empowerment Programme (STEP) aimed at
empowering them to start their own businesses and create self- W&RSETA leadership chair at University of
Johannesburg appointed
employment. The young people were placed within informal
businesses for the New Venture Creation learnership which The W&RSETA established its third Wholesale and Retail
was a first learnership with informal traders for the W&RSETA. Leadership Chair at the University of Johannesburg this year
Additionally, 120 liquor traders and seven associations were and appointed Dr Beate Stiehler-Mulder as the Leadership Chair
capacitated and graduated in October 2021. The project was in April. The Leadership Chair is focusing on sector research,
implemented at a cost of R19 million. international collaboration, postgraduate studies and facilitate
public-private partnerships
Please visit www.wrseta.org.za for podcasts on topical issues that
the Leadership Chair has engaged sector experts on.

W&RSETA and CGCSA’s partnership empowers
Informal traders get a hand up to grow the township SMME manufacturers
economy
The latest programme from the collaboration between the
As part of its concerted efforts to grow the township economy, the W&RSETA and the Consumer Goods Council of South Africa
SETA implemented its annual national Informal Traders and Micro is the SMME Access to Retail - Shelf Readiness Training
Enterprises Development (ITAMED) programme. Introduced in Programme. The objective of the project was to capacitate small
2017, ITAMED capacitates informal traders and micro enterprises manufacturers for the retail market. It prepares manufacturers to
owners with basic business management skills to enable them to access the retail market and sustain themselves. The programme
run profitable and sustainable businesses. About 2 400 informal encompassed regulatory and compliance to offtake agreements,
traders benefited from this programme which includes a R3000 which are some of the entry barriers for emerging producers. The
grant to each participant. This year the SETA recorded over 7200 programme has assisted 30 SMME emerging food and non-food
beneficiaries of the programme since inception. producers.

CEO’s stakeholder engagements

s part of ongoing efforts to strengthen relationships with which are part of the W&RSETA’s stakeholder engagement
A stakeholders, the CEO of the W&RSETA, Tom Mkhwanazi strategy allow the CEO to engage stakeholders on the SETA’s
has been interacting with senior officials from various wholesale strategic priorities and receive feedback on critical areas. .
and retail companies and other key stakeholders. The interactions
W&RSETA | November 2021 6