By Tumelo Khotha
The Gauteng government’s failure to provide basic services, such as running water, power, and infrastructure, among others, undermines the ability of Small, Medium, and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs) in the Gauteng Metro Municipalities (Jo’burg, Tshwane, and Ekurhuleni) to perform at their best.
This, according to Sunlight’s business analyst, Candice Koakoa, who viewed the upcoming local government elections as an opportunity for political parties to showcase their ability to serve the community.
Koakoa also noted that the high unemployment rate should be one of the main challenges that municipalities tackle. This is the only way to win and regain voters’ trust.
“People are tired of being told history about the political veterans like Nelson Mandela, Oliver Tambo, and Walter Sisulu, while they sleep with empty stomachs on the side of the roads,” said Koakoa.
On the other hand, the Tshwane Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s (TEDA’s) acting communication specialist, Kholiswa Moncho, said while the agency is not mandated as an SMME development agency, it recognises the important role that small businesses play in driving economic growth.
Moncho said to support this initiative, TEDA provides strategic platforms that connect entrepreneurs with markets, investors, corporates, and government opportunities.
She said these include the Tshwane Women in Business Awards (TWIBA), the Tshwane SMME Symposium, and the Tshwane Business Connect programme.
She added that these initiatives are designed to provide exposure, facilitate networking, create business linkages, and improve market access for Tshwane-based entrepreneurs, while complementing TEDA’s broader investment and export promotion.
She further pointed out that the agency promotes the City of Tshwane as a competitive investment destination, facilitates local and foreign direct investment, assists investors in navigating government processes, and supports Tshwane-based businesses in accessing regional and international markets through its export promotional programs.
“This includes facilitating trade missions, exhibitions, market intelligence, and market access opportunities for local businesses,” she said.
The Joburg DA’s Shadow MMC of Economic Development, Lebohang Nkosi, highlighted that the Local Economic Department focuses primarily on entrepreneurship training, mentorship, stakeholder engagement, and business support.
“While initiatives such as the Export Awareness Programme connected businesses with the Department of Trade, Industry, and Competition (DTIC), Gauteng Enterprise Propeller (GEP), and Productivity SA, only 22 SMMEs participated, and the programme merely introduced them to funding opportunities rather than direct financial assistance,” he said.
He elaborated that the Department’s report acknowledged the scale of Johannesburg’s unemployment crisis, with official unemployment at 34.3% and youth unemployment at 60.3%, and with more than 1 million residents unemployed.
“Similarly, the Department’s emphasis on investment attraction and business retention is aimed at attracting private investment into Johannesburg, rather than providing grants, seed funding, working capital, or loan guarantees to local businesses,” he said.
Gabriel Tshabalala, a tuck shop owner, is satisfied the government is doing enough to support the local businesses; however, poor infrastructure remains a serious challenge.
He pointed a finger at some municipal officials who he said do not want to see SMMEs moving forward, even though the government is opening opportunities for everyone in the business sector.
Hair salon owner Zoleka Mbanjwa, on the other hand, is happy about the way the local municipalities are keen to help SMMEs to achieve their goals of shaking the markets and fighting poverty.
She has been in the business sector for almost ten years, and her business is gaining momentum every single year.
