Deputy Minister of Small Business Development says competition between foreign-owned spaza shops and those owned by locals will be fair.
It is time South Africa starts developing a generation of entrepreneurs who can create jobs in the townships, says the Deputy Minister of Small Business Development Jane Sithole.
Sithole urged small business owners to take advantage of the R500 million Spaza Shop Support Fund that was launched in Soweto last Tuesday.
“We need a nation that can create jobs for themselves instead of leaving their home towns and working in the cities.
“If our people can take the opportunities that the government is offering, we need to change this mindset of our people who always complain about unemployment.
“The aim is to create a situation in which we will see people from the township having access to work without travelling to the big cities.”
“The current situation raises a serious concern because, in every township in the morning, you see people travelling for long distances to work and at the end of the day they have to spend a huge portion of their salaries on transportation.
“So, the aim of this financial injection will assist us in achieving this goal. But for us to win this fight we need the small business owners to meet us halfway by availing themselves and applying for the business funding.”
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South Africans hesitant to start their own businesses
Sithole said the government was aware that most South Africans did not have interest in running their own businesses, instead preferring to be employees.
She said her department had been running workshops to educate, encourage and assist people to develop interest in business and understand its dynamics.
“This is not a government’s war alone, it’s for everyone, including the education sector, parents and community members at large. If you are a parent owning a business, please teach your children how to successfully manage it.
“The good thing about owning a business is that when you die your children will continue to run it, unlike your position at work and qualification which will not be used by those you leave behind.”
Spaza shops
Sithole said it was the duty of every government to put the interest of its people first.
She said competition between foreign-owned spaza shops and those owned by locals would be fair because those in the country legally and registered would continue operating.
Sithole said her department would work with law enforcement agencies and other government departments to ensure only registered tuck shops operate.
She said monitoring authorities would make sure funds reach the targeted people and urged interested people to contact the department for more information about the financial assistance.
Sithole urged those “unfairly disqualified” during the application process to report to the department’s nearest offices.
John Dludlu, CEO for the Small Business Institute, welcomed the initiative.
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