With slow economic growth expected to persist in 2014 and rising input costs set to continue, small business owners will have to implement strategies to keep head above water and grow their enterprises. It is anticipated to be a matter of “sink or swim” for those businesses who already found the past year challenging. The… [Continue Reading]

With awareness amplified on South African manufactured goods through advertising campaigns worth millions of rands, business owners stand to benefit two-fold from government’s recently launched Buy Back SA campaign. The campaign aims not only to encourage consumers to buy local, but also to get big business to procure from local small suppliers. A book by… [Continue Reading]

In a bid to grow local business, government has invested R2.4 million in a national campaign launched recently to promote locally manufactured goods. The Buy Back South Africa campaign, a partnership between the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Proudly South Africa and the Manufacturing Circle, kicked off the first phase ahead of the 2013… [Continue Reading]

Business owners who import goods that have been designated by the minister of trade and industry for local procurement – such as clothing, pharmaceutical products, office and school furniture and components for solar-water heaters – could see their BEE score significantly affected. Under the amended BEE codes of good practice, which were gazetted in October,… [Continue Reading]

Business owners who con-travene the recently gazetted meat labelling regulations face being fined up to R1 million of their annual turnover or 12 months’ imprisonment. This comes after research by Stellenbosch University revealed earlier this year that meat was not being labelled accurately and that some products contained undisclosed meat products. According to Sidwell Medupe,… [Continue Reading]

With the festive season fast approaching, thoughts are now turning to prolonged holiday excursions and a break away from work – for everyone, that is, but business owners who are normally at their busiest during that time of the year. But is it all work and no play for all business owners or is there… [Continue Reading]

Protecting your intellectual property is crucial because it could prevent your product or design being ripped off later – a key lesson learnt by two business owners who were both recently involved in spats with Woolworths. Last month, Small Business Connect featured Mike Schmidt, owner of Frankie’s Olde Soft Drink Company. Schmidt alleged that Woolworths… [Continue Reading]

After 10 months of intense practical training, 18 successful young KwaZulu-Natal entrepreneurs recently graduated from Dimension Data’s Enterprise Development Incubator Programme. The incubator programme was developed to promote entrepreneurial skills and to broaden the supplier base in the Information Communications and Technology (ICT) industry. It is targeted at Dimension Data’s current service providers and black South African… [Continue Reading]

Newly appointed tax ombuds-man Bernard Ngoepe is under no illusions about the enormity of the task at hand, but believes his role can help “remove unnecessary obstacles” that have hurt small businesses in the past. Ngoepe is considered one of the most respected judicial figures in the country. He was appointed as Judge President of… [Continue Reading]

The use of so-called consultants to assist co-operative members to register the details of their business with the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC) is a growing problem in the Eastern Cape. This has emerged after Director-General of Trade and Industry, Lionel October, recently warned about the practice. Nomaci Qabaka, who owns the successful Xhobani… [Continue Reading]