Community Empowerment

Major Boost for Township Clothing and Textile Businesses

By Super User 520

The National Department of Small Business Development has initiated the Township Entrepreneurship Fund for township and village based enterprises.

The aim of this fund is to support small enterprises within the clothing, textile or leather business sectors by encouraging them to participate in the personal protective equipment value chain.

Member of Mayoral Committee (MMC) for Finance and Economic Development Cllr Nkosindiphile Xhakaza, said “We want to facilitate the participation of small business enterprises in the reshaping and rebuilding of the textile sector. We want to assist them to improve the quality and competitiveness of small scale clothing, textile and leather enterprises for both domestic supply and export markets.”

The programme consists of a finance and business development support of up to R10 000 working capital to cover the cost of production inputs through a Small Enterprise Finance Agency (SEFA)  backed revolving credit facility; assistance to comply with relevant industry standards and bodies; business management support and mentorship through unemployed graduate scheme; facilitate participation in the Clothing and Textile Competitiveness Programme; facilitate compliance with SABS standards for relevant products; facilitate trade test certification and municipal business licensing support.

Qualification criteria

  • Interested businesses must apply at the National SMME database on https://smmesa.gov.za/
  • Be informal, micro or cooperative businesses
  • Be registered as a legal entity through CIPC, SARS
  • 100% South African ownership
  • 70% employees South African
  • Valid SA IDs
  • Six-month minimum trading period
  • Have a valid business bank account
  • Willing to participate in the bulk buying scheme as organised by the Department of Small Business Development and its agencies
  • Operating in a township or village
  • Enterprise must be owner managed.

Who can apply?

  • Seamstresses
  • Sewers
  • Garment makers (tailors or dress makers)
  • Pattern makers, pattern calculators, pattern cutters
  • Designers
  • Art designers
  • Knitters
  • Machinists,

 

How to apply?

  • Register on http://smmesa.gov.za
  • Complete an online application form/clothing, textile and leather support
  • Complete all the mandatory fields
  • Upload the required supporting documents
  • Submit your application online

For assistance, call 0860 663 7867 or info@dsbd.gov.za.