Eighty informal business owners from across the Greater Tzaneen Municipality (GTM) area last week received a financial boost and training from the Wholesale and Retail Sector Education and Training Authority (WRSETA).
Each received a R3000 cash injection into their businesses from WRSETA’s Informal Traders and Micro Enterprise Development Programme.
The programme, facilitated by GTM, is aimed at addressing the challenges faced by local informal traders and micro enterprises through skills development.
“It assists local traders and micro-enterprises to position their businesses and to compete with big retailers that are entering the township market as well as foreign traders,” said municipal spokesperson, Neville Ndlala.
The group of informal traders identified by the municipal councillors, mostly made up of young people, underwent a full day of training offered by the WRSETA at the Nkowankowa Community Hall.
They were equipped with skills in marketing, financial management, customer service and entrepreneurship.
Sannie Tiba, a councillor and head of the Economic Development portfolio in GTM, urged the beneficiaries to use their R3000 vouchers to strengthen their businesses.
She encouraged them to put into practice the knowledge gained from the WRSETA training. One of the beneficiaries, Nthabiseng Selowa from Kgwekgwe in Bolobedu South, sells cleaning chemicals such as dishwashing liquid and polish.
She said that the training was an ‘eye-opener’, especially on stocktaking. Another beneficiary, Nelly Rakgabale from Mokwakwaila said she found the training on merchandising of great value as she runs a spaza shop.
She now knows how to attract customers through merchandising. Mathoka Mahlo, a senior citizen who sells cooked meals in Mogoboya outside Lenyenye, said the money will be helpful.
The training was conducted by Thuto Lore Academy.
Sourecd from Letaba Herald
