On 12 & 13 May 2022 the North West was home to the Ministerial SMME Roadshow hosted by the National Department of Small Business Development (DSBD). Led by Minister for Small Business Development, Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams, SMME Dialogues were held in Taung and Moretele on 12 May and in Matlosana on 13 May 2022.

The sessions were held under the theme: Unlocking Opportunities for SMMEs and Co-operatives for Economic Growth and Job Creation. At all three roadshows, NWDC exhibited services and fielded questions from SMMEs at their exhibition stall alongside DEDECT.

The Minister was accompanied by agencies such as Small Enterprise Development Agency (Seda) and the Small Enterprise Finance Agency (sefa) together with local SMMEs from each area, showcasing their products and services.

Taung – Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati District

Deputy Minister Deputy Minister of Small Business Development, Sdumo Dlamini and MEC for Economic Development, Environment, Conservation and Tourism, Kenetswe Mosenogi led the roadshow sessions held in Taung on 12 May. Deputy Minister Dlamini and MEC Mosenogi visited one of the businesses which was funded – Druzaray Aluminum and Glass, before proceeding to Mmabana, Taung to engage owners of small, medium and micro enterprises from different municipalities under Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati.

Moretele – Bojanala Platinum District

Simultaneously, also on 12 May 2022, Minister for Small Business Development, Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams, led the roadshow discussions in Moretele in the Bojanala Platinum District accompanied by MEC for Education, Wendy Matsemela. The Minister assured SMMEs that government will do everything in its power to support small businesses and co-operatives, as she responded to issued raised, such as greater need for support for start-up businesses in rural areas, nepotism and favouritism in issuing of local contracts to small businesses.

Matlosana- Kenneth Kaunda District

The second day of the SMMEs roadshow in the North West, brought the Minister, Deputy Minister and MEC for DEDECT to the Recreational Hall in Klerksdorp, Matlosana on 13 May 2022.
Speaking when closing SMMEs roadshow, the Minister said government has set aside budget for emerging entrepreneurs especially for people living in townships and rural communities.
“We have set aside R 963 million towards township and rural enterprise Programme, R 2 billion on credit guarantee not less than R 200 million per province, R 76 million for Co-operatives
“For someone who has raised a question on funding for a child who is physically challenged, we do have vulindlela funding Programme via SIFA targeting small businesses for physically challenged people which goes up to a sum of R 15 million,” she explained.
Minister Ndabeni-Abrahams admitted that there is “red tape” and a lot of other barriers in the processes of supporting and funding small businesses. She emphasised that government has already started to address making it easy for emerging entrepreneurs in South Africa.