Kwa-Thema Business Association pushes for united local economy
The newly formed Kwa-Thema Business Association is calling on residents to work together in building a thriving, self-sustaining economy that creates opportunities and honours the vision of late community leader, Tshepo Mwelase.
The newly established Kwa-Thema Business Association is urging the community to stand with them in building a formidable local economy that will benefit all the people of Kwa-Thema.
“The organisation was formed after the residents successfully drove out foreign national tuck shop owners last year. There was a gap in supplying our people with the products that they used to buy from these tuck shops. And this gap is supposed to be filled by local people,” said the association’s chairperson, Kgadile Mohlabane.
The organisation said it is working closely with the SAPS and the metro to ensure that businesses are compliant.
“We discovered, earlier, that some foreign nationals who ran tuck shops were sleeping in the same rooms where they ran the businesses. That is not okay. And in other instances, we find mechanics who contravene municipal by-laws by leaving vehicles outside their yards.
“Sometimes they even leave oil stains on public roads. We need everyone to work together if this system is going to be successful,” explained Bafana Mazibuko.
The organisation also extends assistance to property owners who have handed over their title deeds to other business owners.
“Landlords should be aware that once your address is used to register a business, it affects your rates and taxes. Even if you had an indigent status, that changes once there is a business on your property,” added Cebile Nkosi.
The initiative was the brainchild of the late Tshepo Mwelase, a community leader, who was gunned down in early 2024.
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“Tshepo was instrumental in championing this radical economic transformation. His legacy will live on through this initiative,” said Mohlabane.
The organisation’s long-term goals include regulating prices and having a single distribution centre.
“We are already seeing positive results as some of our brothers who were unemployed and hanging around in the streets have now started their own small businesses.
“There are workshops to capacitate those who are running businesses so that they know how to maximise on what they have,” added Mazibuko.
For more information about the association, contact Ntombi Msiza on 063 494 4338 or Mohlabane on 084 795 2125.
