I’ll help make your businesses grow
27 January 2017
The City of Johannesburg would spare no cent to see the small and medium enterprises (SME) sector developing into a significant roleplayer in the economy, Johannesburg Executive Mayor Cllr Herman Mashaba said in Soweto on Thursday January 26.
In a recorded address, Mayor Mashaba told a business warm-up forum at the Soweto Theatre in Jabulani, organised by the City’s Economic Development Department, that SMEs were key drivers of economic development.
The forum attracted more than 200 established and budding businesses. The aim of the forum, according to the department’s Edwell Gumbo, was to provide a platform for local businesses to interact, share ideas, learn from each other, teach one another and network.
“Above all, the aim was to make the local entrepreneurs aware of the services and opportunities that the City has made available for them to thrive,” Gumbo said.
In its 10-point plan, the City has committed itself to growing the Johannesburg economy by 5% by 2021 to create jobs and eradicate poverty and inequality.
“Small businesses are very important in this city,” Mayor Mashaba, himself a distinguished entrepreneur, told the forum.
“They are my passion. I started my business, Black Like Me [Hair Products], when I was 22 years old. And now, 22 years into democracy, I want to tell you that under my watch, every small business enterprise in the townships and in informal settlements will be afforded the opportunity to develop and grow.
“The City will provide you with the necessary skills, knowledge and information to grow your business. Every tender that the City will advertise out there, a percentage of it will be tailor-made for SMEs,” said Mashaba.
According to Gumbo, the City is in the process of establishing more one-stop business information hubs for the benefit of budding and aspiring businesspeople.
“Our people will now be able to go to these hubs and get all the information they need to start a business, register a business and write a business plan. They will also provide information on how and where to access finance. All this should see you setting up a business in a short period of time.
“Currently, one has to go to many different places to access this service, with the possibility of setting up a business in six to 12 months. We aim to reduce that time significantly,” Gumbo said.
DA MP Tobby Charles said to be a successful businessperson, one needed to be an innovative thinker.
“Think, and think and keep thinking. Go out there and sell your idea. You don’t always need that capital to get started. The business idea itself is your capital.
“Funders out there are more than willing to invest in an idea they believe is sustainable. From an idea, Henry Ford manufactured a vehicle. Bill Gates, Richard Branson, Steve Jobs, Warren Buffet, Winfrey Oprah and many others did the same,” said Charles.
He said locally Mashaba, with nothing, started a small business selling hair products that catapulted him to multimillionaire status.
“There are many. Richard Maponya, Patrice Motsepe, Jomo Sono, Kaizer Motaung, Dingaan Thobela ... The list is endless. You can be one of them. Just think big. Go for the idea. Follow your dream. Put fear aside. Embrace failure. See failure as a challenge. Make failure a curve on the raid. Don’t give up,” he said.
Various established businesses shared their experiences and encouraged budding entrepreneurs and those wishing to start businesses.