Government has defended entrepreneurship as one of the best models to uplift communities and contribute towards job creation. Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry, Ms Elizabeth Thabethe told more than 300 small business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs that entrepreneurship was the right model to assist government to reach its target of five million jobs by 2020. She was speaking during the "Taking the dti to the People" outreach campaign that was held today at Douglas, outside Kimberly, in the Northern Cape.
The campaign seeks to reinforce government’s commitment to empowering rural and peri-urban communities to accelerate job creation and sustainable economic development in the country.
Thabethe said that for government to reach the commitment to empowering rural and peri-urban communities to accelerate job creation, it is important for small businesses to be registered.
"Registering and formalising of businesses is the only channel to receive assistance from government and as much as registering of businesses is important, I also need to stress that you need to guard against fraudsters masquerading as the dti agents. For you to register your company you don’t need a middle man and it does not amount to the exorbitant fees that you are being charged by unscrupulous people posing as agents of the dti," she said.
Deputy Minister said that government can not afford just giving out money without educating small business owners and aspirant entrepreneurs about business opportunities, products and their responsibilities.
‘Our job here today is not only to make sure we assist you so that you rid yourself of poverty and underdevelopment, but to also make sure that we empower you. Today we are not bringing with us bags full of money, but bring you the knowledge to teach you how to get to those millions,” added Thabethe.
Small business owners and aspirant entrepreneurs who attended the event were workshopped on how to start, grow and sustain their businesses. Exhibition stalls were also set up by different agencies for a more comprehensive discussion. The agencies included the Small Enterprise Development Agency (Seda) Company and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC), South African Micro-finance Apex Fund (Samaf), Khula, South African Women Entrepreneurs’ Network (SAWEN), National Empowerment (NEF) and Productivity South Africa (PSA).
Some of business owners and aspirant entrepreneurs who attended the workshop, said the information they receive will assist them in bettering their businesses and said such workshops should also spread to other parts of the province.
Enquiries:
Sidwell Medupe (Departmental Spokesperson)
Tel: 012 394 1650
Cell: 079 492 1774
E-mail: MSMedupe@thedti.gov.za
