By The Free State Province Department of Tourism and Economic Development formerly known as DESTEA has given financial supported to 90 enterprises across the province during the past 18 months.
As the department endeavours to grow the provincial economy by investing in Small, Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMME) with the aim of creating jobs; according to the MEC for the department Mr Ketso Makume, the department has by far spent R49.9 million in support of the enterprises.
Makume explained that amongst the 90 enterprises, 36 of them are female owned and 38 of them are youth owned enterprises, and they have preserved and created more than two hundred and fifty jobs.
“During the remainder of this financial year, we commit to provide financial support to enterprises, valued at R17.5m,” said the MEC.
MEC Ketso Makume said the department has partnered with the private sector and institutions of higher learning to assist business owners through both financial and non-financial support.
“In acceleration of our support for innovative business ideas, we will strengthen our collaboration with Centres for Entrepreneurship and Rapid Incubator at Maluti, Motheo, and Goldfields TVET, to support start-ups. We have supported eight incubates in the last financial year to the value of R620 000 so that they can start their businesses. One of the shining examples is Ms Bokang Lehloenya, the owner of Wa Rona Food Enterprise (Pty) Ltd, whom the department supported with a Nissan NP200 van in order to facilitate the delivery of products to her clients,” he said.
“Our support for youth start-ups is a priority for the 7th administration. To this end, we will revive our Memorandum of Understanding with the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) to work together to increase our reach to youth-owned enterprises who need both financial and non-financial support. We will do this by augmenting the NYDA grant funding with a further R1.5m in the 2024/25 financial year,” continued Makume.
According to the MEC, the department has made strides in getting support for small businesses in the different municipalities across the province, including tuck shops. He said they have also partnered up with Coca Cola Beverages South Africa (CCBSA).
“The department has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Coca Cola Beverages South Africa (CCBSA) to support local enterprises in areas such as business financing and supplier development. Through this partnership, 27 tuck-shops, mostly youth-owned, were supported in the area of Intabazwe and Makgolokweng by refurbishing structures or building and procuring equipment worth a total of R1.4m.
DESTEA and CCBSA hosted a Youth Business Pitching Competition where CCBSA contributed R825 000 and DESTEA R100 000 to enterprises providing laundry and ITC services,” said MEC Makume.
Makume said during the 2024/25 financial year, together with CCBSA they will ensure that they reach as many SMMEs as possible, committing to supporting tuck-shops in Maluti-A-Phofung Local Municipality and Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality with a R2.6 million budget for provision of both financial and non-financial assistance.
“The department is also providing both financial and non-financial support to aspiring industrialists in order to transform the patterns of ownership in key economic sectors, as well as to achieve economic growth, transformation and job creation. The FDC has spent over R2.7m in rental incentives at its industrial parks and over 25 SMMEs benefited from these incentives,” said MEC Ketso Makume.
