The Minister of Small Business Development, Ms Lindiwe Zulu and the MEC for Finance Economy and Enterprise Development in the North West, Ms Wendy Nelson, will host this year’s International Cooperative Day Conference and Exhibition in Taung, North West, on Friday and Saturday.

About 1 500 co-operative members from all nine provinces, industry associations, policy and decision-makers within the private and public sectors and other key stakeholders are expected to attend the conference. The central focus of the Conference will be on equality.

“Inequality has serious negative socio-economic and security consequences. Co-operatives help to reduce inequality by empowering people through dignified and sustainable ways of making a living.  Co-operatives are a proven force for economic and social inclusion”, said Minister Lindiwe Zulu.

MEC Wendy Nelson said: “Under the slogan, “Choose Cooperative, Choose Equality”, the conference will discuss issues that are pertinent to members of co-operatives. We expect conference to emerge with resolutions that will empower cooperatives to participate meaningfully in the mainstream economy”.

Members of the media are invited to attend the International Day of Co-operatives which will be held as follows:

DATE            : Friday, 3 July 2015 to Saturday 4 July 2015

TIME               : 09:00

VENUE          : Mmabana, Taung

In addition to the conference, there will be exhibitions which will seek to expose cooperatives to support services that are provided by government departments, development agencies and private sector players which will run concurrently with the conference.

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RSVP: Sharlene Packree (079 088 3912; SPackree@dsbd.gov.za) or Baabua Thukubi (082 374 7161; bthukubi@nwpg.gov.za)

Enquiries: Cornelius Monama, (082 578 4063; CMonama@dsbd.gov.za; twitter: @cmonama) or Dumisa Seshabela, (079 522 7375; DSeshabela@nwpg.gov.za)

 

Issued by Government Communications (GCIS) on behalf of the Department of Small Business Development and the North West Department of Finance, Economy and Enterprise Development

02 July 2015