New business incubator in Ekurhuleni set to empower township SMEs

Source: Unsplash

The incubator provides an enabling environment for small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs) to grow and become sustainable through the provision of affordable space, business support and the facilitation of market opportunities.

The Gibela Business Incubator is a result of a partnership between the Gibela Rail Transport Consortium, the City of Ekurhuleni and the Small Enterprise Development Agency (Seda).

The incubator provides business and technical development services to qualifying entrepreneurs and small businesses operating in Nigel, Kwa-Thema, Duduza, Tsakane and the greater Ekurhuleni area – with a view to mitigating the risk of failure in the early stages of startups.

Five SMMEs in various sectors are expected to be awarded certificates for the successful completion of incubator’s three-year programme in which these businesses have achieved some key milestones in business development including market readiness and self-sustaining businesses.

The Gibela Business Incubator is one of the 110 incubators and hubs supported by Seda. It advances the Department of Small Business Development’s mandate to lead and coordinate an integrated approach for the promotion and development of entrepreneurship, SMMEs and co-operatives, and to ensure an enabling environment to support their growth and sustainability.