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Small business owners from Ndlambe Local Municipality gathered at the Port Alfred Council Chambers on 24 October 2025 to access urgent business support. The Integrated DEDEAT Services Workshop, linked to the Spaza Shop Fund Campaign, connected entrepreneurs with practical tools to grow and sustain their ventures.
What Happened?
The Department of Economic Development, Environmental Affairs and Tourism (DEDEAT), working with Department of Small Business Development (DSBD), the Department of Trade Industry and Competition (DTIC) and Ndlambe Municipality, brought financial and advisory services directly to the community.
Entrepreneurs learned about:
- Formalizing businesses
- Funding programs for township and rural traders
- Compliance requirements
- Market access pathways
Vendors from across the municipality — including bakers, barbers, braai stalls and spaza shop owners — filled the chamber with their ideas and questions.
No awards or rankings were presented at this workshop, however new application windows and business support sessions will open soon.
Official Response
Officials emphasized that government must meet entrepreneurs where they operate.
“We want every township and rural business to access real opportunities. This campaign ensures that local entrepreneurs do not get left behind,” said a DEDEAT representative.
They confirmed that the program continues across the Eastern Cape in the coming weeks.
Community Impact
Local business owners welcomed the initiative as a step toward economic independence.
More start-ups joining the formal economy means:
- New jobs
- Stronger revenue circulation
- Safer and more stable trading conditions
Residents hope this marks a long-term partnership with the government, not a once-off activation.
