City unveils first township business incubator

12 July 2016

 

The City of Johannesburg on Tuesday, 12 July 2016, unveiled the first JoziMyBeginning Community Innovation Fund Micro-Mall in Ivory Park which is set to break down barriers into the metropolitan’s economy for entrepreneurs and community-based enterprises.

 

The Ivory Park Micro-Mall, which is an initiative by the City - in partnership with the University of Johannesburg (UJ), was unveiled by Johannesburg Executive Mayor, Cllr Parks Tau as an extension of Jozi@Work – a municipality initiative designed to empower community-based enterprises.

This followed a lengthy process of proof of concept by Resolution Circle, which is a company owned by UJ and the implementing experts of the JoziMyBeginning Community Innovation Fund.

“The Ivory Park Micro-Mall is a container facility that will see township businesses in the services, retail and manufacturing sectors incubated to develop into sustainable operations. The site of the micro-mall is owned by 61 local community members who have been given equity in the micro-mall,” Mayor Tau said.

Mayor Tau further pointed out that the 61 community members are claimants on the land, which was originally promised to them as a site for shops by the Midrand MLC - prior to the unification of Johannesburg. The claimants will be paying a maintenance levy after they were given title to the Ivory Park Micro-Mall where each has a share or equity in the new retail space backed by the City.

Mayor Tau said these community members also had an option of running a store alongside other retailers supported by the municipality’s entrepreneurship skills development programmes. Adding that the equity entitled them to a share of the profits earned by the stores or businesses which are part of the City’s initiative.

Up to 20 township businesses are expected to be incubated in the new Ivory Park Micro-Mall, and these will be supported by the City’s JoziMyBeginning Community Innovation Fund and the youth initiative, Vulindlel’eJozi programme. These community enterprises are also set to receive support from corporate companies that also include Telkom.

Mayor Tau said the Ivory Park Micro-Mall contains a training centre and common facilities for all the businesses.

“It is designed to operate totally off-grid with respect to electricity, and has a minimal reliance on the local water system,” he said.
Johannesburg residents can obtain more information on the micro-malls opportunities by visiting the JoziMyBeginning website on www.jozimybeginning.co.za