Business Expo recognises small businesses
Small business owners were equipped with the right information in terms of which doors they could knock on in order to receive help and funding.
Sine Thwala
CONCERNED with the rising issue of the outsourcing of services to companies from out of town, the Local Business Forum challenged the AbaQulusi Municipality to utilise the services of local business instead, and help grow the local economy.
According to Mbali Zungu, a member of the forum, the fact that many of these outside contractors are paid upfront only to leave the job half done, is a matter of deep concern.
Other matters, included the request that the AbaQulusi Municipality should put together a roster of local businesses that can offer services the municipality requires, in order to be able to rotate the rendering of the service among local businesses giving them all a chance to earn a bit of money.
“We also raised the point of the importance of keeping the Chamber of Commerce in the loop about available business opportunities as we could in turn notify small business owners who could avail themselves,” said Zungu.
Following these discussions, the Business Forum decided to hold a business seminar on Wednesday, May 25 where all local small business owners were invited to share their vision. The business owners were also equipped with the right information in terms of which doors they could knock on in order to receive help and funding.
“Ward councillors helped spread the word about the seminar to their wards. We are still requesting local councillors to make it their duty to create databases with the information of all small business owners in their areas as these will be very useful in future,” she said.
“We are encouraging local small businesses to unite in order for us to save the struggling local economy,” she said in conclusion.
