News & Media

Unisa empowers SMMEs

Share

Unisa’s Enterprise Supplier Development (ESD) programme, in partnership with the Unisa Centre for Lifelong Learning (UCL), have started their 2019 training for small, micro and medium enterprises (SMMEs) across the country. The aim of the project is to enhance the knowledge, skills, capabilities and competencies of exempted micro-enterprises (EME) suppliers.

ESD Project Leader, Prof Marcus Ambe, tutoring one of the ESD classes on Supply Chain Management at the Muckleneuk Campus.

According to Business Unity South Africa (BUSA), the SMME sector employs about 47% of South Africa’s workforce, contributes more than 20% to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP), and pays about 6% of corporate taxes. In acknowledging the contribution and role of SMMEs in the economy, Unisa’s Council approved the project and it was first piloted in 2018 as a catalyst to transformation and an enabler to address the stubbornly high unemployment rate in the country.

ESD project leader, Prof Marcus Ambe, believes that the project will make a meaningful contribution to support socio-economic transformation and development in the country. "The ESD project is unique as it is built on three pillars: (1) a six-month short learning programme; (2) an ESD support programme; as well as (3) an ESD incubation programme. This year we have 250 suppliers (EMEs) participating in this capacity development programme across seven (7) provinces in the country, namely: Gauteng, Limpopo, North West, KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, Eastern Cape, and Western Cape," said Ambe.

UCL acting director, Mr Sam Kekana, expressed gratitude on behalf of UCL for being a strategic partner that ensures the success of the project. :The primary role of UCL is to manage all student walk activities from application to certification and to also ensure the sound administration of logistics in support of teaching and learning activities. UCL supported the ESD short learning programme from conceptualisation until it was approved by Senex," remarked Mr Kekana.

* By Bongani Mahlangu, Marketing Officer, Unisa Centre for Lifelong Learning

 

Share

Publish date: 2019-09-17 00:00:00.0

Unisa Shop