FOR the past 14 years, the Durban Business Fair has proved to be the best platform for small businesses to showcase and market their businesses so that they grow and also contribute to the South African economy.
At the recent Business Fair Buyers’ Breakfast, Nomvuzo Shabalala, Deputy Mayor of eThekwini and Chair of the Economic Development Cluster said Durban was ready to host the next fair. “The Fair has grown from strength to strength, which is a very good sign because small businesses are one important sector in our society that will one day become bigger and tackle the issues of poverty and unemployment ,” said Shabalala.
Phillip Sithole, Head of Business Support, Tourism and Markets Unit shared the same sentiment as he revealed that exhibitors had invested more than R6m in participation and exhibitor’s participation had grown from 100 to more than 2 500 exhibitors, excluding repeats, since its inception.
Sithole said the Fair not only exposed the small business sector to vast opportunities available around the world but it also gave the City a platform to showcase its world class facilities.
“We have 15 success stories that will be shared at Fair,” he said.
As part of celebrating 15 years of success and growing sustainability, the Fair will run in conjunction with the World Association for Small and Medium Enterprises (WASME) 19th International Conference on Small and Medium Enterprises (ICSME), which will be hosted in Durban for the first time. The ICSME will be hosted on 18 -21 September at Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre and the Fair will run from 20-22 September at Durban Exhibition Centre.
