By Karabo Siyoko
The Small Enterprise Development Agency (SEDA) last week held its annual stakeholder forum on the work done for small enterprises in the last financial (2021/22) year at the Kalahari Lodge.
The event had about 40 attendees including the SEDA stakeholders along with their respective partners from the Small Enterprise Finance Agency (SEFA), the South African Revenue Service, Nedbank, National Empowerment Fund, the Department of Public Works and smme’s they have worked with.
Kedisaletse Williams, the provincial manager at SEDA explained that the forum gave feedback to stakeholders and reported to the public on all the work they have done before the new financial year starts on 1 April.
Williams further explained that in the year under review 2021/22 Seda measured its performance on thirty targeted indicators at the output level.
The organisation achieved and exceeded the set targets on twenty-four indicators which reflect an achievement of 80 percent.
“On the performance overview, the total number of SMMEs and cooperatives supported are 181 984. The jobs opportunities created and sustained number 5176. Seda branches rose to 54 while incubation centers are 110 and ecosystems 52 830”, added Williams.
Siphiwe George, founder of “Hustle School” remarked that she was an integral part of the SMMEs. “We are trying to work in an ecosystem that is inclusive and work together with SEDA and encourage the stakeholders to always listen to their clients the SMME’s”.
George said: “Let us improve on the quality assurance as it doesn’t help doing it at the end. We need to be proactive and do it at the start”.
Rebaone Mabour, owner of Lebone Artifice, remarked that she was a client of SEDA and came to know about it when she was attending a pop-up market. She got assigned to a business developer and through SEDA had opportunities to showcase her handmade accessories. “They have supported my journey and I managed to increase my turnover and accessed new clients”.
Williams mentioned three business success stories one of which is in the ZF Mgcawu district in Upinton’s industrial area namely Thebe-Ya-Sechaba Investment Holdings.
“The business operates in the green economy space and provides waste management and recycling services to industries such as the mining and engineering sectors.
It faced challenges as it lacked business skills and was not familiar with tendering processes. Neither did they have the requisite knowledge in supply chain management or procurement and tender processes”.
Seda Intervened and the business was supported with machinery and equipment through the Informal Micro- Enterprises Development Programme (IMEDP). The business was further supported with in–service mentoring and coaching.
The outcome was that the business successfully applied for contracts with several corporates including WHBO, Empa Structures and Nordex in Cape Town as well as Dikwena Mines in Postmasburg.
In the process of evolving the business was able to increase its employees from ten to 20.
Comments are closed.