Earlier this week, Alderman James Vos, Mayoral Committee Member for Economic Opportunities and Asset Management, together with local councillors from the subcouncil, joined the Mobile Business Hub team to meet local entrepreneurs and other business people in Mitchells Plain. The Hub’s team fielded numerous queries from small enterprise owners on product and supplier development, aimed at cutting red tape to make it easier to do business and compete for big contracts, while also responding to other issues.
I have often found in my interactions with businesses that their biggest hurdles in maintaining and growing their operations are finding information around financing, tendering, or simply landing big contract opportunities. And this is why the Business Hub is such an important platform: the team provides clear, concise and immediate feedback that empowers young enterprises.
Our visit comes on the back of a meeting with members of the Plein Chamber and Mitchells Plain entrepreneurs, at which the City promised that the Mobile Hub team would meet with community members.
A healthy business ecosystem in communities is good for local residents and the broader Cape Town landscape. Mitchells Plain is a significant contributor to the City’s economy.
Following the Hub activation, we will be returning to the area in the coming weeks to solidify our engagements with local business leaders.
With the ability to take our service on the road, the City has been able to support businesses where they are based rather than making them come to us.
The mobile help desk, an extension of The Business Hub, which launched in 2019, first took to the road in March this year to assist SMMEs and entrepreneurs in their communities.
Last year, the hub received 2 850 service requests and resolved 98% of these within two working days. Over the past six months, it has supported hundreds more businesses.
The numbers speak for themselves and show that the services offered are having a positive impact on the growth of business, the economy and employment in Cape Town.
It’s been particularly encouraging to see how we have been able to make an immediate impact for both existing and aspiring business owners.
As a City, initiatives such as The Business Hub are about building a healthy business ecosystem, empowering communities and providing opportunities for residents in their areas.
Because thriving communities mean a thriving Cape Town!