Small Business Fair Hailed A Success

19 September, 2008

_{Top Table: Thandeka Xaba, of Sweety-NU-4-U, Ntokozo Biyela of Mzansi Mobile Fridge, Ian Roberts of Innoval Property Solutions and Luba Schotter of EnerGi Foods will be among 350 exhibitors at the Small Business Fair starting today. Picture by: Siyabonga Maphumulo}

More than 10 000 people descended at the Durban Exhibition Centre, this past week end, to witness yet another successful Small Business Fair, which had more than 400 exhibitors showcasing their products and services.

This tenth anniversary of the Small Business Fair was certainly the biggest fair-ever hosted by city's Business Support Unit (BSU) in partnership with the KZN Department of Economic Development. Besides the exhibition, the fair featured a packed programme, including a business conference, the popular business linkages programme, and one-on-one business meetings between small business and corporate executives-all under one roof.

Exhibitors represented all sectors of industry ranging from manufacturing, construction, arts and crafts, ITC, tourism, services,and more. Many contacts were made, deals were brokered and smmes networked with each other, and the thousands of visitors who attended.

The introduction of a Fashion Designer showcased initiative to the small business fair contextualised the fashion and textile industry as an emerging industry albeit with many established players in the industry. The fair provided the perfect platform to raise the profile of existing talent in the industry and create an awareness of government's intention to strengthen the sector through cluster initiatives which will directly address challenges, issues, needs of individuals and businesses within the overall Fashion Community.

Amongst the highlights, were the SMME (Small, Medium and Micro Enterprise) Business Conference, which featured knowledgeable experts with national profile in the business fraternity such as  Brand Pretorius, CEO, McCarthy Holdings; Moses Tembe, President, Durban Chamber; Sandile Zungu, CEO, ZICO; Charles Watkinson, CEO, Corrocoat, amongst others.

The business linkage programme proved as popular as ever with 24 top corporate companies and more than 400 smmes registered to participate in the linkages programme.

"The fair has provided my business with an ideal marketing opportunity. I have made so many contacts and sales. I will definitely be here next year as my product is a definite hit with the ladies," commented Veronica Mbali who owns Shoebby - a company that markets a
transparent shoe box.

Business Support Unit head, Philip Sithole says he was extremely pleased with the success of the fair. "The fact that government, the private sector and smmes all want to participate in the fair is very positive as it shows that there are results yielded from the fair ".

Next year we plan to introduce a buyers' programme that would add more value and mileage for smmes participating. We hope to tap in on the tourism sector and attract tourists to the fair,"

Cllr Logie Nadioo, Chairperson of the Economic Development Committee proudly referred to the 10th annual Small Business Fair as a watershed event.  "Going forward, we will be approaching more corporate companies to get involved and "adopt" an smme so they can graduate into bigger businesses.

Mayor Obed Mlaba described the fair as a big success "I think we are on the right track.  The number of exhibitors is growing and interaction between small and big business is crucial. We need to focus our investment to emerging entrepreneurs in order to develop a
skilled society."

The Mayor however said there are still some challenges that need to be addressed, that there are not enough entrepreneurs coming up and corporate companies should take the issue of Black Empowerment.

The Mayor also stressed the importance of partnerships between Government and the private sector, to ensure that through SMMEs unemployment is curtailed. "We will continue to push for SMME expansion and growth and for all the policies of Black Economic Empowerment," he added.

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