Page 19 - RBIDZ

DEVELOPMENT AND GROWTH OF

EMERGING BUSINESSES PRIORITISED BY

VARIOUS STRUCTURES IN THE COMMUNITY

“Empowering black businesses, particularly your small-medium
enterprises, is absolutely essential if we are going to transform and
grow the economy of our country” - Cyril Ramaphosa, Chairman of the
Cyril Ramaphosa Foundation

As an emerging country, boasting more than 5.6 million small, medium-
sized and micro enterprises (SMMEs), South Africa needs to find ways
to increase the contribution of these game changers to the nation’s
economic structure.

Acknowledging the statement, coming from Esikhaleni and neighbouring
areas, hopefuls and determined emerging entrepreneurs were privileged
to attend the quarterly business development workshop held at
Esikhaleni - New Hall, on the 5th of October 2017, which for them,
generates a huge impact as it modifies their business sense and raises to contribute and heighten the jurisdiction’s economic landscape by
awareness on relevant trade topics, and implemented policies that they attracting domestic and foreign investments to stimulate economic
may not be aware of. growth, create job opportunities, develop skills, positively incorporate
and support SMME’s, evaluate awarding of contracts and objectively
Hosted by the Shanduka Black Umbrellas, a non-profit enterprise complying with the B-BBEE Codes of Good Practice, including the
development incubation organisation, based in Richards Bay, the business revised regulations of the Preferential Procurement Policy Framework
development workshop was aimed to inform clients on institutions Act (PPPFA) of 2017.
that can assist small businesses towards their development, as it
thrives to support emerging black businesses through the incubation Richards Bay Industrial Development Zone’s Supply Chain Management
programme so that they are able to emerge as independent, competitive representative, Mr Lethu Ngubane delivered an enlightening presentation
and sustainable businesses. with the emphasis on procurement subjects presenting possible
opportunities that exist within the RBIDZ, encouraging SMME’s to
Amongst other accredited financial institutions that were present on validly register their trades on the Treasury database and other relevant
the day, were the South African Revenue Services (SARS), Standard agencies like SARS and ensure that their dealings remain transparent
Bank and Old Mutual, who prepared informative presentations on and compliant with SARS.
funding opportunities, loan support possibilities and compliance
specifications; relaying tax eligibility issues, tax clearing matters and In conclusion, Lethu assured those in attendance of the RBIDZ’s
business management. commitment to support and develop the emerging entrepreneurs with
the broad objective of accelerating them into the economic main -stream,
The workshop was positively received by young entrepreneurs with obviously with the aspirations that they possess attributes to become
majority turnout, of which most were seeking funding to mature employers of the bigger numbers of unemployed youth, women and public
their businesses and supplementing to that, strategies for business in general, within their communities. Further, he made emphasis on the
recognition and expansion. The Richards Bay Industrial Development fact that it is everyone’s responsibility to assist government in the fight
Zone was invited to partake in this business information sharing session, of various social ills, amongst others being unemployment and inequality.
as the regional‘s prominent economic development agency, positioned

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