20 February 2006
The first mobile RED (Real Enterprise Development) door was launched by
Tasneem Essop, MEC for Environment, Planning and Economic Development in the
Western Cape today (Monday, 20 February). The Mobile Red Door is one of the
Provincial Government's Krismis Box deliverables, as outlined by Premier
Ebrahim Rasool late last year.
Red Door is a one-stop shop for budding entrepreneurs, where they can be
mentored and assisted with accessing finance.
Women, youth and people with disabilities will be especially encouraged to
make appointments at the mobile unit and will be given greater opportunities to
access start-up capital in a fund especially set aside for them as part of the
Siyabulela targets set by the Premier in his State of the Province Address.
Minister Essop has set aside R2m to support 60 sustainable youth enterprises
and R4m for women's enterprises. "Government wants to ensure people have access
to government services. The Mobile Red Door is the Department of Economic
Development's initiative to ensure that especially our poor people will be able
to go to our one stop shop to get support to start a new business, to support
existing business and to get training and access to finance," Minister Essop
said.
The RED Door mobile unit will travel between the Bellville Interchange, the
Sivuyile College and the Wynberg Library. The venues were identified in
conjunction with the assistance from the City of Cape Town.
Neo Seleke, a business advisor will initially travel between the Bellville
Interchange, Sivuyile College and the Wynberg Library.
People wanting to start their own business will be helped at the Sivuyile
College on Tuesdays, every Wednesday at the Bellville interchange at every
Thursday at the Wynberg library.
Monday's and Fridays will be for follow-ups and administration. Mr Seleke
will be based at these points and an administrative official will ensure that
the diary and database management will be taken care of. Mr Seleke has the
required technology to ensure that the database is maintained.
This pilot will run for three to six months, before the mobile unit is
rolled out to other areas across the Province.
Nine stationery RED doors are operational in Mitchells Plain, Khayelitsha,
Atlantis, Knysna, Oudtshoorn, Paarl, Vredenburg, Hermanus and Beaufort
West.
More than 17 000 people have been assisted by Red Door staff.
For further enquiries, please contact:
Lynnette Johns
Media Liaison Officer to Tasneem Essop
Tel: (021) 483 3915/2769
Fax: (021) 483 6081
Cell: 083 3100 113
Olivia Dyers
Tel: (021)483 9118
Cell: 082 780 7143
Issued by: Western Cape Provincial Government, Department of Environment,
Planning and Economic Development
20 February 2006
