Current Edition >> Archives Section >> Spot Coverage >> August 2004
Present at a well-attended Mangaung Economic Development, Business Plan & Partnerships Workshop held on 15 July 2004 at the Bram Fisher Building, Bloemfontein, were from left Christine Prinsloo (Dept. Local Government & Housing), John Herbst (Pam Golding Properties, Johannesburg), Tebogo Kgagara (Urban-Econ Consultants), Jason Lai (chairperson Taiwanese Chamber of Commerce at Mangaung), Diane Abrahams (Mangaung Local Municipality) and Lesole Mogorosi (chairperson Fabcos Free State). The implementation of business plans covering various developmental topics in the Mangaung Region was discussed in detail.
The Innovation Summit to be held 1 - 5 November 2004 at the Central University of Technology, Free State (CUT) promises to provide entrepreneurs, NGO's and representatives from the business industry in the Free State with latest state-of-the-art guidance on entrepreneurship, economic growth, partnerships and empowerment in the Free State.
In 2002 the CUT presented its first bi-annual Innovation Summit with some 300 representatives from higher education institutions, government, business, industry and NGO's. This year the focus of the summit will be on the promotion of innovation and entrepreneurship, the creation of wealth and the establishment of networks. Seven different workshops and seminars on a variety of topics will be presented, all with a view to enhance the understanding of innovation and entrepreneurship, to strengthen the co-operation between higher education, government, business and industry and to develop the Free State province as an innovation hub. Delegates can look forward to workshops and seminars on incubation and technology transfer, community development and service-learning, while an academic workshop will introduce delegates to issues relating to intellectual property, innovation and entrepreneurship.
An exhibition on technological developments will also form part of the programme. Information can be obtained from Ms Edith Sempe at the Science Park, tel: (051) 507 3556. More great news is that the best paper from each seminar will be published in the Journal for New Generation Sciences. As each session is scheduled according to their own programme for the day, it is imperative for delegates to register individually for each workshop. D-date is 30 September 2004.
Information on the contents, format and registration of the workshops and seminars can be obtained from Ms Elma Viljoen at (051) 507 3505, or e-mail eviljoen@tfs.ac.za. For more information on the summit, see website http://www.cut.ac.za/www/news-folder/innovation.
“Although an arid region, it's got space, unique natural resources and people with an enterprising spirit on its side. Therefore I believe the Xhariep region is on the very threshold of a new era. “ So the Executive Mayor of the Xhariep District Municipality, Mr. Teboho Mofokeng, told the Free State Business Bulletin during an interview in his office in the new office complex at Trompsburg housing the Municipality.
Mofokeng said although unemployment and poverty remain the two biggest problems, the potential for unlimited development is very real. Almost at every town and in every community in the region people are taking of their own accord initiative for development. “However, what we direly need and are welcoming with open arms to boost this momentum, is new investments - from elsewhere in SA and also from abroad”, Mofokeng said.
Coming across as someone not thinking that the world owes him, Mofokeng is clearly passionate about development in the region, telling the Free State Business Bulletin that another definite need in the region is effective co-operation and partnerships between public and private sectors. He and his staff can be contacted at (051) 713 9300.
On 14 July 2004, the Independent Communications Authority of SA (ICASA) held a public information session for the Free State at the Bram Fischer Building in Bloemfontein. Well-attended, the meeting that was initially labelled as “a public information session, “ received so many enquiries and opinions from those present, that the senior Icasa staff from both Johannesburg and Bloemfontein addressing the meeting, later conceded that it was more of a workshop nature. They undertook to summarise the inputs and table them at head office in Johannesburg.
During the presentations, those present enquired especially about struggling to obtain community radio licences in the Free State. Ms. Lydia Jordaan, Icasa Senior Manager Licensing Division, said that on the basis of periodical public hearings, licensing allocations are established on two year cycles. After the latest round some time ago, the Northern Cape, North West, Mpumalanga and Limpopo were provincially-wise prioritised ahead of the Free State.
Afterwards some of those present commented quite critically to the Free State Business Bulletin about the session, with one saying : “This information today we could have got from the Icasa website. What people in the Free State want is licensing and stations.”
On the photo left some of those present, from left Mr. Aynon Doyle (Icasa Senior Policy Development & Research, Johannesburg), Dr. Lourens Bester (chairperson of the board of Med FM, a prospective community radio station, Bloemfontein), Ms. Lydia Jordaan (Icasa Senior Manager Licensing, Monitoring & Complaints, Johannesburg) and Mr. Quinten Eister (CEO of Interstate Bus Lines, Bloemfontein).
The telephone number of the Icasa regional office in Bloemfontein is (051) 447 3001.
The current role of small, medium and micro enterprises (SMME's) in SA was outlined by Dr Vusi Gumedi, a senior economist in the Policy Unit of the Presidency at a Wits-Ekurhuleni Symposium held in Brakpan. Gumedi said that the SMME sector makes up more than 95% of the total enterprises in the country, contributing more than half of employment and about 35% of gross domestic product.
Indeed, according to Gumedi, small and medium manufacturing enterprises dominate economic activity in the manufacturing sector. “Calculations suggest that more than 90% of the number of manufacturing enterprises is small and medium in size, which means that more than 30% of manufacturing GDP and more than 40% of employment in the manufacturing sector can be attributed to these enterprises,” he noted.
However, it is believed that, despite the prominence of SMME's in South Africa's manufacturing sector and indeed in the entire economy, there are still a number of external and internal constraints that affect the performances of these SMME's. According to Gumedi, some of the main internal constraints confronting SMMEs include poor quality of products and services, a lack of skills, poor employee relations, a lack of finance, and a lack of planning. External constraints, he suggested, include high inflation and interest rates, a lack of access to market and customer information and stringent competition.
As far as exporting is concerned, Gumedi noted that it is perhaps easier for small enterprises to break into foreign markets than to maintain their export activities. “Small and medium manufacturing enterprises can venture into exporting with relative ease if they are connected to another enterprise or an intermediary and also if they can access information about export markets.
However, Gumedi observed that enterprises are more likely to use suppliers, customers and industry associations to gather market-related information than government agencies, even though the latter may be better sources for information. “Enterprises should be encouraged to seek information from government, while government agencies should market their activities more effectively for the benefit of, especially small enterprises,” Gumedi said.
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