Business hub in Ekurhuleni to attract billions
A one-stop modern business network set to attract investment to the value of R6.5-billion per annum will be unveiled by Ekurhuleni on January 31.
According to metro acting spokesperson, Themba Gadebe, the development will translate to increased domestic and foreign direct investment into the city.
“The development will drive economic-growth and bring assault to the city’s 28.8 per cent unemployment rate by creating sustainable job opportunities,” says Gadebe.
The city’s head of Economic Development, Caiphus Chauke, says Ekurhuleni will pull all stops to create a favourable business environment to also attract exports.
“We seek to develop and promote exports and the provision of aftercare services for business and investment retention and expansion,” says Chauke.
Chauke says the business network boasts an investment and development application window, which caters for all major and strategic investment and development applications to be processed through an electronic document management system.
“This will provide an improved turnaround time for decision-making around investments and development proposals. The business network is equipped with a sophisticated lobby lounge established for networking sessions with investors, developers and business at large,” explains Chauke.
Chauke further explains that the business network will also house a business centre to stimulate the city’s enterprise development goals, and will champion poverty alleviation efforts, economic empowerment, and township economic development through provision of economic infrastructure and market access opportunities.
“The centre hosts an array of enterprise development initiatives focusing on entrepreneurship, incubation projects, and innovation business support services and funding, this will assist businesses to access opportunities from State-owned enterprises and progressive blue-chip companies.
The business centre will also give focus to individuals who will walk in to get business advice and coaching, also offering tender advice to businesses on how to access business opportunities and how to fill the Ekurhuleni tender documents,” assures Chauke.
Some of the services that Ekurhuleni residents can expect to access at the centre are:
Small Enterprise Development Agency (Seda) will provide comprehensive small business development programmes, such as Business Planning Support Services, Quality Assurance Services, Export Awareness Programme, Office co-location and Business Advisory Services amongst others.
BizSpark Incubation Centre will recruit 60 individuals and SMME’s for a period of 12 months for individuals, and three years for selected SMME’s to receive training on: Technology, software and programming mentoring, business development support, software and business development training and skills development of unemployed graduates, amongst others.
The participants will receive Microsoft internationally-accredited certificates for training successfully completed.
