​Business Incubators play an important role in encouraging and developing new business within the local community. By assisting a local entrepreneur to start a company, the community is likely to benefit from an increase in the number of available jobs and the additional revenue that is brought to the city as a result of the new business activities. Together these elements can help to rejuvenate a local economy and therefore enhance the quality of life for everyone who lives and works in the area.

The Business Development Unit within the Local Economic Development Directorate indentified eThekwini Municipality as one of the municipalities with the best strategies on how to support and grow SMMEs in its region, as a result of this eThekwini’s Business Support Unit in partnership with MILE and Smart Exchange Centre of Excellence hosted delegates from Buffalo City Metro Municipality on a two-day learning exchange focusing on Business Incubation.

Participants spent the duration of the engaging in informative discussion sessions and exploring sites which best showcase the type of infrastructures that exist with eThekwini. They toured places such as the SEDA Construction Incubator as well as the Smart Exchange ICT Incubator.

Ms Xolewa Majiza, Programme Manager of Business Development at Buffalo City found the learning exchange to be very useful.

“The City was well prepared for hosting this learning exchange. I have learned a lot especially on the linkages of business development. We will take back everything we have learned and share the knowledge with our colleagues. This is not the end of our partnership with eThekwini Municipality, we will engage further for future learning events of this nature, said Ms Majiza.

Officials left the Learning Exchange determined to make a positive difference within Buffalo City Metro Municipality. 

View or Download the detailed Learning Note below:

Buffalo City Learning Exchange LN.pdf

Keywords: Business Incubation

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