Trade and Investment
The TIDP provides different types
of training and assistance directed
at the needs of these small businesses.
South African SMMEs with the potential
to compete internationally will
benefit through:-
Phase 1
- Business-oriented training courses
and information seminars for SMMEs,
which introduce businesses to
exporting.
- Participating businesses may
have little or no previous export
experience. To date the TIDP has
held 16 seminars on International
Competitiveness around the country
and 48 businesses have completed
the Export Orientation Course.
- Further seminars and Export
Orientation Courses are planned
for 2001.
Phase 2
Technical assistance to businesses
is the next step. Here the TIDP
focus is on support services in:
- Quality control
- Production systems
- Product and market development
A very carefully selected group
of established businesses will receive
assistance to maximise their export
opportunities.
To date, the TIDP has assessed
the needs of 41 SMMEs and has initiated
technical assistance to 21 of them.
The process of evaluation and providing
technical assistance will continue
the rest of the year.
Phase 3
The third phase of the TIDP is
an international partnership programme
designed to identify business opportunities
and partnerships for South African
SMMEs with small firms in the European
Union. This is being done through
events that provide businesses,
which have reached a certain level
of expertise, or which are already
exporting, with the opportunity
to meet with potential foreign partners.
In 2000, 56 businesses from various
sectors participated in 3 events
in Europe; and 26 businesses in
the automotive industry met with
European counterparts here in South
Africa. More of these networking
events are being planned for the
next two years.
Ntsika is being assisted in the
implementation of this programme
by a consortium of local and European
consultants led by Imani Development
(International) Ltd, a southern
African consulting firm.
Enquiries about the programme from
SMMEs or business associations representing
SMMEs are welcome. For further information,
please contact:
The Project Management Unit
Trade and Investment Development
Programme
Ntsika Enterprise Promotion Agency
Tel no: (012) 4832000
Fax no: (012) 4832088 or 4832076
Toll free: 0800 113857
or contact the dti, Customer Contact Centre on 0861 843 384
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