DEPUTY MINISTER THABETHE HONOURED BY SMMEs
By BRIAN KAJENGO
South
Africa has made progress in transforming Small
Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs) and affording them the opportunity to
contribute to the economy.
The Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry, Ms Elizabeth
Thabethe said this. She was speaking at a gala dinner hosted last night in her
honour, by SMMEs who worked with her during her term in office.
In her speech
Thabethe pledged her continuous dedication to transforming SMMEs and broadening
participation in the South African economy.
“South
Africa is now a better place to invest in,
do business and for small businesses to flourish. However, there is a lot to done.
The challenges are still there and are addressable when we work together,” she
said.
Thabethe, who shared tears of joy, thanked the SMMEs
for their willingness to contribute to job-creation and positioning South Africa as
a better place to do business. She encouraged them to further take advantage of
the opportunities that government has provided to support them.
Thabethe cautioned the SMMEs of forever emerging.
“While government is supporting you as small
businesses, you need to be able to sustain your businesses, grow them, and
employ more people. You cannot be emerging forever,” she advised.
She acknowledged all those who took the challenge of
positioning South Africa
and showcasing what the country can offer to the world and at the same time
contributing to the economy.
The Chief Executive Officer and founder of Unique
Holding, Lebogang Moepeng who previously participated in the Department of
Trade and Industry (the dti’s) Investment Trade Initiatives (ITI) led by
Deputy Minister Thabethe, described her as a mother and a caring leader.
Moepeng said Thabethe’s leadership had opened doors for his company in Nigeria and
other African countries.
The dinner also hosted to thank the dti for
affording a number of youth based small businesses opportunities, through the
ITI programme, to go all over the world building international relations and
creating platforms for SMME’s to expand their businesses.
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