Mbombela — The MEC for Economic Development and Tourism, Ms. Makhosazane Masilela together with the Mpumalanga Green Cluster Agency (MGCA) will host the third Mpumalanga Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Green Innovation Challenge in the Gert Sibande District Municipality, to unlock opportunities available in the green economy.
The Green Innovation Challenge is a pitching competition organised by the MGCA with the aim to accelerate innovative solutions to address pressing environmental challenges in Mpumalanga by fostering local innovation that contributes to sustainability and economic growth. The Green Innovation Challenge offers up to one hundred thousand Rand (R 100 000.00) for the first prize winner.
The 2025 MSME Mpumalanga Green Innovation is hosted in partnership with the Just Transition to a Decarbonised Economy for South Africa (Just SA), Seriti Green, SASOL, and Coca-Cola Beverages South Africa.
The MGCCA with its establishment supported by the Mpumalanga Provincial government, uses the triple helix cluster model with representation from Government, Industry and Academia as part of its design set up. The Mpumalanga Green Cluster Agency works at the interface between business, government and academia in order to identify and remove barriers to economically viable green economy catalysing their uptake to enable the region and its citizens to prosper. Mpumalanga is a world leading region in creating decent, green jobs by creating the enabling environment for new investments in low carbon growth.
The 2025 Mpumalanga MSME Green Innovation challenge targets innovations within the following priority sectors, Renewable Energy Solutions, Water Resource Management, Sustainable Agriculture, Waste Management and Circular Economy and Conservation and Biodiversity as well as Green Tourism.
Details of the event are as follows:
Date : Thursday, 05 June 2025
Venue : Secunda, Sasol Recreation Centre, Gert Sibande District Municipality
Time : 09hOO- 15hOO
All media is invited.
For media confirmations: Mr. Thomas Msiza @ 079 500 0137/ 013 766 4328/tmsiza@mpg.gov.za
-ENDS-
Issued jointly by the Department of Economic Development and Tourism and the Mpumalanga Green Cluster Agency (MGCA)
Media Enquiries: Mr Silence Mhlaba, Acting Head Of Communication on 066 475 7963 or Ms. Nomthandazo Mpangane, MLO of the MEC on 073 510 0525 or Zanele Sifundza, Enterprise Development Officer, MGCA 078 097 9885.
Notes to Editors:
The Department of Economic Development and Tourism, under the Mpumalanga Provincial Government, is mandated to stimulate economic growth and development in the Province, so as to create sustainable and decent employment, economic transformation and to alleviate poverty. The Department has three (3) Public Entities; namely, Mpumalanga Economic Growth Agency (MEGA), Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency (MTPA), and Mpumalanga Economic Regulator (MER), to which it has delegated some of its constitutionally-mandated functions. These functions relate to: trade and investment promotion; funding of SMMEs; tourism growth and development; tourism marketing; regulation of the gambling and liquor industries, including collection of gambling levies and liquor license fees, amongst others.
P.S: Mpumalanga will host the G20 Tourism Ministers' Meeting in September 2025