Limpopo Business 2017-18 edition

OVERVIEW
Municipality in the Sekhukhune
District and Molemole Local
Municipality in the Capricorn
District.
The National Department
of Small Business Development
(DSBD) has several programmes to
assist SMMEs and co-operatives.
These include:
• The Black Business Supplier
Development Programme, a
cost-sharing grant to promote
competitiveness
• The Co-operative Incentive
Scheme, a 100% grant.
The Small Enterprise
Development Agency (Seda) is
a subsidiary of the DSDB and is
one of the most active agencies in
supporting entrepreneurs. Seda is
not a financial agency, focussing
rather on training and administrative
support, although the agency
will help SMMEs get in touch with
financial bodies.
The Seda Limpopo Jewellery
Incubator (SLJI) develops entrepreneurship
among jewellers in
Limpopo. In the south-east of the
province the Biofuels Incubator
promotes skills in that important
sector.
Seda has initiated a national
programme designed to make
co-operatives and jointly owned
enterprises stronger. As part of
the Cooperatives and Community
Public Private Partnership (CPPP)
programme, Seda is supporting a
project in Tarentaal.
The National Gazelles is a national
SMME accelerator jointly
funded by Seda and the DSBD.
The aim is to identify and support
SMEs with growth potential
across priority sectors aligned
with the National Development
Plan and Seda’s SMME strategy. Businesses can receive up to R1-million
for training, productivity advice, business skills development and the
purchase of equipment.
The Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) disburses about R400-
million annually in Limpopo. Projects include an Nguni cattle breeding
scheme, a new hospital in Lebowakgomo, the development of a
ferrochrome smelter and a facility for making coking coal briquettes.
The Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) is another major
funder of public projects.
Private sector
One of the best ways of supporting SMMEs in Limpopo is through
the supply chain for the province’s mines. The provincial Premier has
challenged mines to achieve a 20% SMME procurement target.
A private initiative that has used the supply chain to create employment
is Anglo American’s Zimele, which has established 29 small
business hubs in areas such as Mokopane and Burgersfort.
More than 20 small businesses are registered as clients with the
Shanduka Black Umbrella incubator in Lephalale. The sectors in which
these companies operate range from plant hire and construction
to training and marketing. Individual mentors for these enterprises
are drawn from the local TVET college, the Limpopo Economic
Development Agency and private businesses.
The major banks all have SMME offerings. Standard Bank runs a
Community Investment Fund and Nedbank offers an enterprise development
product for businesses with turnovers up to R35-million.
Agri-business and agri-processing are among the three sectors that
are targeted by the Masisizane Fund for loan financing. The others are
franchising/commercial and supply chain/manufacturing. Over and
above loans that are available, training is offered through a Business
Accelerator Programme.
ONLINE RESOURCES
Development Bank of Southern Africa: www.dbsa.org
Gazelles: www.nationalgazelles.org.za
Industrial Development Corporation: www.idc.co.za
Limpopo Department of Economic Development, Environment and
Tourism: www.ledet.gov.za
National Department of Small Business Development:
www.dsbd.gov.za
Shanduka Black Umbrellas: www.shandukablackumbrellas.org
Small Enterprise Development Agency: www.seda.org.za
Small Enterprise Finance Agency: www.sefa.co.za
81 LIMPOPO BUSINESS 2017/18