Today, Alfred Nzo District Municipality, in partnership with the South African Local Government Association (SALGA), is hosting a dialogue with entrepreneurs from various parts of the District. The District Entrepreneurial Dialogue is convened as a pre-investment and enterprise development intervention, aimed at strengthening coordination, unlocking support, and building a pipeline of locally grounded businesses. The programme was led by MMC for Local Economic Development, Cllr. Banele Qwayede.
It primarily seeks to convene municipalities, entrepreneurs, Development Finance Institutions (DFIs), private sector partners, academic institutions, and ecosystem enablers to collaboratively strengthen the local entrepreneurship ecosystem, improve investment readiness, and expand access to markets and procurement opportunities across the District.
The session brought together a number of stakeholders, including: the Business Chambers from Mbizana and EmaXesibeni, iFarm Group, Women’s Business Chamber, a number of cooperatives, Eastern Cape COGTA, Small Enterprise & Development Agency (SEDA), DEDEAT, the Walter Sisulu University as well as representatives from Ntabankulu Local Municipality.
Deputy Executive Mayor, Cllr. Nomasomi Mshuqwana, representing the Executive Mayor, called upon funding institutions to be consistent in their support and push entrepreneurs towards growth rather than perpetual dependence. “But those who receive this support must also be serious and be productive and contribute to economic growth by providing employment opportunities”, she said.
Ms. Wela Zozo from SALGA spoke about unlocking economic opportunities, emphasizing that economic growth begins on the ground, from the bottom upwards. “We’re all siting at the face of harsh and difficult economic realities. Our economic growth plans must begin at the local level, small towns and rural areas. Government and private sector institutions must also move away from gatekeeping to enabling entrepreneurs to grow and thrive”, she commented.
Some of the participating entrepreneurs raised their concerns, particularly around the red-tapes and challenges related to access to funding opportunities. They strongly spoke out against political interference with regards to accessing opportunities, claiming that the Municipality fails them when it comes to support as many of their applications end up in thin air – without any feedback or capacitation to assist them comply.
The Entrepreneurial Dialogue provided a space and platform for robust and honest discussions about some of the critical challenges that are impeding economic growth in the District, as well as challenges facing local entrepreneurs.
