Dube TradePort Corporation has successfully graduated its first class of Small Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs) that benefited from the organisation’s SMME Development Programme, which aims at strengthening entrepreneurial business management skills.

In line with national government’s efforts to champion the development of SMMEs within the South African economy, Dube TradePort Corporation’s Supply Chain Management (SCM) division established an Enterprise Development training programme. This programme offers specialised training to SMMEs on the fundamentals of business and SCM related areas, which amongst others include tender estimation and calculation, project management, SHEQ management for tendering purposes, the maintaining of proper financial records and business operation to ensure their long-term sustainability.

“The Small Medium and Micro Enterprise Development Programme works to strengthen entrepreneurial management skills through capacity building and training that fosters the adoption of good workplace practices. Dube TradePort seeks to promote an enterprise culture within which businesses achieve higher productivity and sustained competitiveness. This programme therefore helps in gearing SMMEs up to a level where they can successfully compete for business opportunities available within Dube TradePort and other businesses,” says Mr Sibusiso Mkhize, Senior Manager: Supply Chain Management, Dube TradePort Corporation.

The enterprises identified for the specialised training are sourced from Dube TradePort’s own supplier database along with that of the Small Business Development Agency. The focus for the first session was on the construction industry and related sectors. The next training session will be geared towards SMMEs providing general goods and services, for example, supplying stationary or servicing vehicles.

Each training session comprises of two to four days of specialised tutoring on the basics of complying with the various management practices necessary to run a sustainable business.

Dube TradePort understands that creating economic growth and job creation in South Africa depends largely on both the public and private sectors collaborating to create an enabling environment for SMME’s, to compete on an equal footing with established firms. Dube TradePort is therefore contributing to this movement by ensuring that these enterprises have the prerequisite skills to compete, and therefore they are excited to announce the successful conclusion of the first session of its SMME’s training programme and is looking forward to hosting more workshops of this nature that are geared towards ensuring the long-term growth and development of SMMEs, helping them to participate in the broader economy of South Africa.