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The Eastern Cape Development Corporation (ECDC) has handed over working equipment to 19 informal business operators under the King Sabata Dalindyebo (KSD) Local Municipality, as part of the corporation’s Informal Business Support Programme (IBS).
The aim of the handover over is to help the businesses that benefited to quickly transition from informal to formal businesses, according to ECDC regional manager, Mpumelelo Nobanda.
“The economy of the OR Tambo District is dominated by informal traders and the assistance we are providing through the ISB programme forms part of the endeavours to change that outlook, and ignite formal trade,” Nobanda said during the handover.
Nobanda said that the ISB programme was specifically designed to support informal traders operating in the welding, clothing and textile, as well as the manufacturing sectors.
These sectors, according to Nobanda, have the potential to create jobs in numbers which will help decrease the high unemployment rate and help fight poverty in the Eastern Cape.
“Manufacturing promises sustainable jobs, especially in the OR Tambo District which is currently a consuming and not manufacturing region,” added Nobanda.
He further said that they would also be rolling out several non-financial support programmes to informal traders that benefited from the ISB, that will help them sustain their business whilst ensuring that they grow to becoming formal businesses.
Landiwe Mkamndeni of Fast First Tailors was one of the business owners who received working equipment from the ISB programme. She says that the equipment will help grow her business and has given rise to the need to hire more staff to assist her.
“The equipment will help in increasing production, which means I need to hire two or three more people to assist me. I have been working as a tailor since 1992 and this is the first time that my business has received support from government. I am very happy with the equipment,” she said.
She added that the equipment would help her business reach new heights, and help her realise her dream of having her designs sold nationwide.
Mkamndeni received two brand new sewing machines, and other sewing materials from the ECDC.
“I feel privileged to have benefited from the ISB programme, and the equipment will serve as a catalyst for me to extend my business offerings. Currently my business employs two people, and the equipment will ensure that the business creates more job opportunities especially the youth,” added another beneficiary, Aphiwe Jongihlathi.
Jongihlathi is the founder and chief executive of PhiweTech Interiors, which deals with interior designs and home renovations.
The support extended to informal business by the ECDC is a grant that those who benefited need not pay back to the corporation.
The handover of the equipment was held at ECDC regional offices in Fort Gale, Mthatha, on March 30.
