Entrepreneurship symposium hosted by Unizulu

HIGHER education has an important role to play in the development of Small, Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs).

This is according to Dr Thami Mazwai, the Special Advisor to the Minister of Small Business Development, who was speaking at the University of Zululand’s Entrepreneurship Symposium at Protea Hotel, Waterfront.

Mazwai was among a number of speakers at the two-day symposium which looked into practical solutions to address challenges faced by small business owners in the northern Zululand region and South Africa at large.

‘The coalition between universities, municipalities, national departments and organised business, have a far better chance of succeeding in developing businesses than a number of policies that have been tried and tested. This coalition must find an approach to the issues faced by local businesses,’ Dr Mazwai said.

Speaking on behalf of City of uMhlathuze Mayor, Councillor Thamsanqa Phahla highlighted the important role played by entrepreneurs in boosting the economy.

He said the municipality is committed to supporting small businesses and envisions itself as a one-stop-shop for SMMEs, hence the establishment of SMME hubs in Richards Bay and Esikhaleni.

Lecturer in the Department of Business Management and Economics at UNIZULU, Makhosazana Magigaba said ‘among the objectives of the symposium is to see an entrepreneurship centre up and running within the University.

‘In as much as we are trying to pull some work to assist our co-operatives and the businesses around, we want to have a formal structure which people will associate with the University.

‘We want to make a mark that we are here, we exist and we want to be visited by surrounding communities,’ she said.

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