06/12/2012
The essence of the Local Procurement Accord and the Industrial Policy Action Plan (IPAP2), the importance of Buy Local and the various government incentives, programmes, initiatives and opportunities available to small enterprises and other companies wereworkshopped during a Proudly South African Business Forum hosted by Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University recently. The event, which was presented at the NMMU George Campus for the second consecutive year, was attended by more than 30 representatives of the local business sector and other stakeholdersfrom George and environs.
Speakers included Proudly South African board member and leader of various local economic development initiatives in the Southern Cape/Garden Route, Mr Guy Harris, Ms Mahlatsi Ndhlovu of the South African Department of Trade and Industry (the dti), Mr Paul Hoffman of the George branch of the Small Enterprise Development Agency (an agency of the dti which focuses specifically on small business development) and Ms Dalene du Preez, the Proudly South African Campaign’s Marketing and Communications manager.
NMMU George lecturers Sam Webber (second from right) and Johan Jordaan, and entrepreneur, Elsabe Jordaan, who has made great strides in establishing a local family business (Soaps from Heaven) that produces individually hand-made natural soaps, made use of the opportunity to sharpen their business skills and to network with stakeholders during the PSA Business Forum. They are joined here by the Campaign’s Marketing and Communications Executive, Dalene du Preez (right).