Aspirant black entrepreneurs, survivalists, and emerging SMME in Alexander, Johannesburg, will tomorrow be empowered on how to participate in the main stream economy.
The Department of Trade and Industry (the dti) and the South African Black Entrepreneurs Forum (SABEF) will be hosting an outreach/information session at 9h30 tomorrow morning at Atrec Hall, 410 Eastbank Avenue in Alexander.
SABEF is a business network that targets black entrepreneurs and business owners. It stands to Promote, Inspire and Grow entrepreneurship though value creation and adding impact towards developing the black SMME sector.
The Trade and Industry’s Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) Chief Director, Nomonde Mesatywa, says the session will create a platform that provides entrepreneurs opportunity to engage on any matters related to B-BBEE.
"This will entail how small enterprise can leverage on the benefits of the BBBEE policy and how to position themselves to participate in company’s supply chains and in enterprise development initiatives in view of the enhanced elevated status that has been granted to black owned enterprises. The Trade and Industry incentives targeted at black enterprises will also be showcased,’ said Mesatywa.
She said that one of the dti‘s key strategic objectives is to forge strategic partnerships and collaboration with civil society in the implementation of Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE).
“We seek to foster these partnerships by promoting key elements of the scorecard such as enterprise & supplier development, and procurement as key areas that small enterprises should be capitalising on taking into account government’s re-orientation of the B-BBEE scorecard and focus on new entrants and how to access financial support from the dti,” she said.
According to Mesatywa, the growth of black suppliers is central to broadening participation and the dti is continuously striving to facilitate their enhancement and penetration into the broader economy.
“We are committed to this because we believe that having a growing number of sustainable small, micro and emerging enterprises is an effective way of addressing the scourge of poverty, underdevelopment and unemployment which currently confronts our country” concluded Mesatywa.
Enquiries:
Sidwell Medupe
Departmental Spokesperson
Cell: 079 492 1774
Tel: 012 394 1650
E-mail: MSMedupe@thedti.gov.za
Follow us on Twitter: @the_dti
