The Department of Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs (DETEA) in partnership with the Department of Social Development and the Thabo Mofutsanyane District Municipality will be hosting Cooperative Expo in Phuthaditjhaba, Charles Mopeli Stadium on 12 to 13 March 2013.
The purpose of the expo is to support and increase the strategic impact of transformation of the economic situation in the Free State. It will also be a platform whereby cooperatives are revitalised to sustain employment, also be made aware of the opportunities that are available. This summit will also expose the capacity and intensity that cooperatives have to alleviate poverty, sharing of skills and high intention of productivity.
The cooperatives are a critical component of government’s enterprise development strategy to both grow and increase participation in the economy and enable citizens to come up with self employment creation initiatives. Resolutions paving a way forward for cooperatives will be made during this two-day expo.
As cooperatives form part of SMMEs, the economic environment has realised that cooperatives need to take advantage of procurement opportunities that prevail in the wholesale and retail sector.
Government has decided to prioritise cooperatives and recognises their ability in reducing poverty levels, creating employment and stimulating economic development, this can then be achieved through providing support for the development of cooperatives in the province. The theme for this Cooperative Expo is: “The Sustainable Highway of building Sustainable Economic Growth and Poverty Eradication”.
For further enquiries contact:
Thenjiwe Mbashe
Tel: 051 400 9550
E-mail: mbashet@detea.fs.gov.za
