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The Small Enterprise Development Agency (Seda) under the Department of Small Businesses Development (DSBD) hosted its 13th Annual Stakeholder Forum (ASF) on the 22nd to the 23rd of November 2021 at Boeketlong Lodge in Jane Furse, Ga-Moloi in Sekhukhune District in the Limpopo Province.  The ASF is an event at which Seda share the annual performance. In the year under review, 2020/21, Seda measured its performance on 23 indicators achieved and exceeded on 12 indicators, this performance reflect an achievement of 52% on set indicators. 

Minister of Small Business Development, Honourable Ms Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams provided the keynote speaker at the Annual Stakeholder Forum (ASF) 2021. The event was also graced by the Deputy Minister of Small Business Development, Mr Sidumo Dlamini; the MEC of Limpopo Economic Development and Tourism (LEDET), Mr Thabo Mokone and other dignitaries representing provincial, local government, private sector and business owners.

Minister Ndabeni-Abrahams said, “We need to help our country achieve economic transformation”. The Minister highlighted the key programmes focusing on the youth entrepreneurship and rural entrepreneurship as priority. Minister Ndabeni-Abrahams announced the Youth Challenge Fund, which was recently launched in Durban. She urged the youth owned businesses and innovators to take advantage of this opportunity to access funding to develop their business. Applications for this fund are open details are available at www.seda.org.za; www.sefa.org.za and www.dsbd.gov.za

The Deputy Minister of Small Business Sidumo Dlamini gave the vote of thanks and thanked all delegates for attending the ASF and contributing to small business development. MEC Thabo Mokone’s address focused on the economic development within Limpopo and future partnership with Seda. He emphasised the importance of working together with agencies such as Seda to curb the duplication of efforts. 

Seda Board Chairperson Dr Joy Ndlovu gave remarks on Seda’s performance in the challenging year in which among others Seda faced a cyber-attack that affected Seda’s performance during the 2020/21 financial year. She also highlighted some of key achievements such as the expansion of Seda’s incubation footprint reaching of 100 incubators.

Acting CEO of Seda Mr Nkosikhona Mbatha shared highlights of the 2020/21 performance. A total of 52 139 SMMEs and Cooperatives were supported in the 2020-21 financial year. Seda supported 14 657 SMMEs and Cooperatives who are based in Township and Rural areas through the Township and Rural Entrepreneurship Programme (TREP). Seda obtained the Unqualified Audit Opinion in the year under review.

The ASF not only focused on results but the first of the two days event focused on challenges faced by the entrepreneurs. Seda ecosystem partners such as Limpopo Economic Development Agency (LEDA), Sekhukhune Secondary Cooperative and Sekhukhune Chamber of Commerce shared their views on how the challenge of market access can be addressed with other partners like the Small Enterprise Finance Agency (sefa) and Standard Bank focusing on challenges of access to finance.

Issued by Small Enterprise Development Agency