Amajuba District Municipality
KwaZulu-Natal
South Africa
Umzinyathi District Municipality
uThungulu District Municipality
Sector
Business Support Services
Development Finance
Public Sector Entity
Boyce Mntambo, Communications manager
mntambob@kznded.gov.za
Tel
+27 33 264 2500
Fax
+27 86 679 6404
MEC for Finance and Economic Development Dr Zweli Mkhize, when he approved the Conceptual Framework for the KZN Integrated Business Support Programme, gave the go-ahead to the establishment of the ‘SMME and Cooperatives One Stop Shop Business Support Centres’, to be set up in all district municipalities in KwaZulu-Natal.
These outlets would provide a wide range of business information – ranging from details on how to start a co-operative enterprise to the establishment of partnerships and joint ventures by emerging entrepreneurs with their established counterparts.
To date, Support Centres have been established in the Amajuba (Newcastle), uThungulu (Richards Bay) and Umzinyathi (Dundee) District Municipalities. These centres are providing the following services to the SMMEs and cooperative, in particular, in the region:
- General business advice
- Training, in the form of business management and technical skills training
- Tender advice
- Access to finance and referrals to funding and finance institutions
- Business incubation and mentoring
- Access to government grants for community and business projects
- Institutional capacity building for SMMEs
- Access to markets
- Business registration, in the case of cooperatives
- A client advisory service
The DED has secured the buy-in, support and partnership of the key stakeholders in small enterprise development in the province. These include the Small Enterprise Development Agency (seda), district and local municipalities, the Umsobomvu Youth Fund, the Ithala Development Finance Corporation, the KZN Department of Education and FET Colleges and various government departments under the economic cluster.
While the support centres will play a pivotal role in the development of SMMEs and other small entrepreneurial enterprises, the role can also extend to the benefit of established businesses in the region. The centres will prove to be the ideal point of contact for big businesses seeking to invest in small start-ups or those established companies seeking to conclude BEE deals and enter into joint ventures with BEE companies.
