In a bid to strengthen support to small enterprises and impart valuable comprehensive economic development information, the MEC for Economic Development and Tourism, Ms. Makhosazane Masilela held successive enterprise development seminars and exhibitions sessions for MSMEs and Cooperatives in the Thaba Chweu and Bushbuckridge Local Municipalities, on 19 and 20 May 2025, respectively.
The seminars and exhibitions for MSMEs and Cooperatives served as a platform for the Department, development finance institutions and the private sector to engage and strengthen support to small enterprises by providing financial and non-financial support. The MEC also used the MSMEs and Cooperatives seminars and exhibitions to reaffirm government’s clearest commitment to support and promote MSMEs and Cooperatives.
“As a Department, one crucial function within our mandate, is to support MSMEs and Cooperatives by empowering and nurturing them. MSMEs are, in fact, the backbone of our economy, and if we do not support them, our economy will not grow, it will become stagnant. Accordingly, these events are not only intended to impart valuable economic development information and skills, but we also use them as a barometer to gauge the level of awareness of our small enterprises about the programmes and interventions by government in collaboration with private sector geared towards stimulating growth of their businesses”, explained MEC Masilela.
The Department, together with its implementing agencies, the Mpumalanga Economic Growth Agency (MEGA), the Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency (MTPA), the Mpumalanga Economic Regulator (MER), and the various development finance institutions such as Small Enterprise Development Finance Agency (SEDFA), National Empowerment Fund (NEF) and many others were part of the seminars and exhibitions.
These enterprise development seminars and exhibitions forms part of government’s strategic intervention that seeks to breathe life to government’s resolve to support small businesses and create a conducive environment for them to thrive.
”Our focus and priority as the seventh Administration is the implementation of socio-economic interventions aimed at intent and resolve to maximise job creation, eradicate poverty and reduce inequality. We have also committed to work with the private sector and our social partners to create jobs for our people and support small enterprise development”, concluded Masilela.
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