The MEC for Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs, Siboniso Duma, praised the iLembe district and KwaDukuza mayors for igniting entrepreneurship following the launch of the InvestSA One Stop Shop, a joint initiative by Enterprise iLembe and Trade and Investment KwaZulu-Natal (TIKZN).
Held at the KwaDukuza Town Hall last Friday, the launch of the concept hopes to spark a generation of wealth creation by assisting potential job creators who often don’t know where to start when it comes to getting a business off the ground.
Duma said KwaDukuza is strategically located between the Richards Bay Industrial Development Zone and the Dube TradePort, and that one-stop shops located in these economic zones had already facilitated billions in investment, thereby creating much-needed jobs.
“As we rebuild these areas as engines of provincial economic development, we want to ensure inclusive economic growth, a redistribution of wealth and the creation of an equal society,” he said.
Duma pointed out that investors and entrepreneurs across iLembe would no longer need to travel to Durban to access services offered by the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission and the South African Revenue Service (Sars).
With the launch of the InvestSA One Stop Shop, investors and local entrepreneurs would be able to, among other benefits, register companies, handle company annual returns and registering for income tax and VAT registration.
Situated in King Shaka Street in KwaDukuza, the one-stop shop can be found at the Enterprise iLembe Business Incubator offices, where business mentorship programmes can also be accessed.
“For us to reach growth targets, entrepreneurs should not only go to Durban to apply for Ithala business loans. This service will now be offered locally and if things go according to plan, black industrialists will be allowed to apply for funding that is offered by the KZN Growth Fund,” said Duma.
Businesspeople would also be able to apply for business and tourism visas through services offered at these one-stop shops.
“I want to pay tribute to the leadership of iLembe and KwaDukuza municipalities, Enterprise iLembe, TIKZN, Ithala Bank, Home Affairs, Sars and other role-players,” he said in response to their collective efforts in getting the one-stop shop project going.
On the issue of property development and tourism, Duma urged all spheres of government to continue to work together to guide the development of several North Coast projects, including Zululami Luxury Coastal Estate, Nonoti Beach Resort, Blythedale Coastal Resort and Club Med Tinley Manor Resort, which he said would collectively create 112 900 temporary jobs and 16 230 permanent jobs.
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