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27 August 2008

The Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry (the dti), Ms Elizabeth Thabethe will be the main speaker at a small business imbizo that will be held at the Umzimkhulu College of Education in KwaZulu-Natal on Thursday, 28 August 2008 from 09h00. The media is invited to attend.

The imbizo is organised by the dti in conjunction with the Umzimkhulu Local Municipality. It is part of the dti's outreach programme named "Taking the dti to the people", which was launched by Deputy Minister Thabethe in July 2006. The purpose of the programme is to empower township and rural potential, emerging and established small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs), by creating awareness about the dti group products and services, as well as small business support services that are offered by the dti agencies.

These agencies include the Companies and Intellectual Property Registration Office (CIPRO), Khula, South Africa Micro-finance Apex Fund (Samaf), Small Enterprise Development Agency (Seda), and the South African Women Entrepreneurs' Network (SAWEN).

Residents of Umzimkhulu and the surrounding villages will learn more about issues such as how to start, register, grow, sustain and get finance for a small business. Small businesses are a means of creating employment and fighting off poverty among the people of South Africa.

This joint imbizo is in line with Batho Pele principles as residents will be provided with information and have access to service providers. Members of the community will also be allowed to ask questions relating to services/products offered by the dti. This will be done with an aim of fast-tracking service delivery.

For more information, contact:
Bongani Lukhele
Tel: 012 394 1643
Cell: 078 526 8572
E-mail: blukhele@thedti.gov.za

Issued by: Department of Trade and Industry
27 August 2008