South Africa gives Zimbabwean SMMEs a shake-up

International relations

South Africa and Zimbabwe have agreed to step up the implementation of the small, micro and medium enterprise (SMME) cooperation signed late last year.

The cooperation commits the two countries to exchange visits and promote mutual trade. Recently qualified graduates will also be trained at technology centres in Zimbabwe. The commitment followed a meeting in Harare between Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry Elizabeth Thabethe and the Zimbabwe Minister of Small and Medium Enterprises and Cooperative Development, Sthembiso Nyoni, recently.

Deputy Minister Thabethe said the cooperation would assist Zimbabwean SMMEs and Cooperatives, and help to resuscitate the nine distress sectors identified by Zimbabwe to the South African government.

According to Thabethe, the South African government, through the Department of Trade and Industry, would play a key role in reviving the sectors identified by Zimbabwe.

“South Africa will assist the ministry through the Small Enterprise Development Agency (Seda) with the incubation strategy, commit human resources for skills transfer and also share knowledge of the SMME sector with the Zimbabwean government,” she added.

She said the commitment is in line with the newly elected government’s strategy to indigenise the economy, empower people and create jobs.

Minister Nyoni said she welcomed and appreciated South Africa’s effort to continuously support and work with the Zimbabwean government.

She added that her Ministry fully supported the implementation of the cooperation, and would observe and learn from the best practices that are currently being implemented by the South African government.