Seda’s boost for small businesses

Informal and micro enterprise owners in the Capricorn district received tools of trade donated by the Small Enterprise Development Agency (Seda) and the Department of Small Business Development to help them boost their businesses and make it easy for them to render quality services to customers.
The official handover of equipment was conducted during a ceremony in the city on Friday. Seda acting Provincial Manager Martin Rafferty stated that they had received 741 applications requesting assistance amounting to over R6 million from small business owners in the province and confirmed that 591 applicants to the tune of over R4 million were successfully verified.
He further emphasised that to date they had handed over equipment to 274 beneficiaries from all the five districts in Limpopo. On the day, 27 beneficiaries from Capricorn district received tools such as fridges, printers, car wash and catering equipment as part of Seda’s Informal and Micro Enterprise Development Programme (IMEDP).
“Through the IMEDP we are dealing with two significant aspects of this sector being skills and resources. We believe by addressing these two key factors we will be uplifting informal sector and empower owners to look at business differently and see potential for expansion and growth in their businesses,” Rafferty explained.
He urged beneficiaries to look after the equipment and added that in six months’ time they will follow up with all the recipients to see how their business have grown and assess where Seda can provide further business development and growth interventions.
Seda Capricorn district branch manager Peter Maredi applauded informal and micro enterprise owners for trying their best even without adequate tools. He further said he was confident that the beneficiaries would do more with the tools they received as they would help them to be efficient, competitive and render quality services. Maredi emphasised that the economy of this country depends more on small businesses and urged beneficiaries to use the resources wisely.
The gathering was also addressed by acting Polokwane Executive Mayor, Councillor Hafiz Shaikh who gave a brief summary of his business journey and encouraged informal and micro business owners to keep pushing no matter the obstacles.

Story and photos: ENDY SENYATSI
>>endy@observer.co.za