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15 April 2009

The launch of the seventh incubation centre, to kick-start the redevelopment and growth of the furniture and wood industries, will be launched by the Minister of Trade and Industry (the dti), Mandisi Mpahlwa, in Mthatha, OR Tambo District Municipality in the Eastern Cape on Saturday, 18 April 2009. The project is envisaged to further diversify and expand the value chain of the forestry sector in the region.

The Furntech Mthatha Incubation Centre is part of government's Integrated and Sustainable Rural Development Initiative, intended to provide a protected and enabling micro-environment wherein emerging small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs) in the furniture and wood products sectors can develop their production skills. The incubation programme involves assisting selected entrepreneurs with all aspects of starting up and developing their businesses.

The Integrated Development Plans (IDPs) of the district and local municipalities identified the forestry industry as one of the sectors to facilitate economic development in the Eastern Cape. Aligned to this, the dti launched its National Industrial Policy Framework (NIPF) during the 2007/08 financial year, with the forestry sector and its value chain featuring prominently as one of the priority sectors for industrial growth in the country.

The Forestry Charter which was launched in December last year, will further enhance access to opportunities and trigger economic participation of SMMEs which will stimulate much needed growth in the OR Tambo District Municipality.

The furniture technology trust, Furntech, was established in 2000 by the dti. Furntech is a business (manufacturing) incubator for wood and furniture products. The scope of its core delivery objectives are business incubation and accredited occupational skills development programmes for the furniture and wood products sectors. Furntech is also the only National Forest Industries Education and Training Authority (FIETA) accredited service provider for the furniture industry.

The Mthatha Furniture Incubator is one of the centres supported by the dti, through the Small Enterprise Development Agency (seda). Furntech currently has six centres, which are located across the country in the following areas:

* Cape Town, Western Cape
* White River, Mpumalanga
* Durban, KwaZulu-Natal
* Umzimkhulu, KwaZulu-Natal
* George, Western Cape
* Johannesburg, Gauteng.

For more information, contact:
Sidwell Medupe
Tel: 012 394 1650
Cell: 073 522 6801
E-mail: MSMedupe@thedti.gov.za

Issued by: Department of Trade and Industry
15 April 2009