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23 Jul 2012

The Deputy Minister of Department of Trade and Industry (the dti), Ms Thandi Tobias-Pokolo says citizens should explore entrepreneurship as a way of assisting government achieves its strategic objectives of poverty eradication and unemployment. She was speaking during the outreach campaign youth programme held today in at Ga-Seleka in Lephalale, Limpopo province.

The purpose of the campaign is to create awareness about the dti’s products and services, as well as small business support services offered by its agencies.

Deputy Minister Tobias-Pokolo said that this campaign is designed to target businesses and entrepreneurs in and around Lephalale and it seeks to strengthen government’s commitment to empowering rural and peri-urban communities to accelerate job creation and sustainable economic development in the country.

"Studies have proven that small enterprises play a critical role in the economic growth of a country, and it is the mandate of my department to ensure that your entry is a smooth and seamless introduction," she said.

Aspirant entrepreneurs attending the event were advised on how to start, grow and sustain their businesses by the dti agencies that included the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC), the South African Micro-Finance Apex Fund(SAMAF), Small Enterprise Development Agency (SEDA), the South African Women Entrepreneurs’ Network (SAWEN), The Enterprise Organisation (TEO), Trade and Investment South Africa (TISA), The Consumer and Corporate Regulation Division (CCRD) and the Cooperatives Development Unit.

Enquiries:
Sidwell Medupe, Departmental Spokesperson
Tel: 012 394 1650
Cell: 079 492 1774
E-mail: MSMedupe@thedti.gov.za

Issued by: Department of Trade and Industry
23 Jul 2012

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