SANParks’ Bontebok National Park partnered with the Small Enterprise Development and Finance Agency (SEDFA) to host a Business Compliance Workshop in Swellendam. The workshop provided Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) from the area with skills and tools required to operate compliant and sustainable businesses.
Focused of the workshop included the importance of business compliance as a requirement to enable access to procurement opportunities within government institutions and public entities such as SANParks.
Key institutions involved in the business compliance ecosystem, including the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC), South African Revenue Service (SARS) and National Treasury, participated in the workshop and provided practical guidance to local businesses. SEDFA and the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) also presented available funding and business support opportunities.
The workshop was attended by 38 MSMEs from Swellendam, reflecting the strong interest among local entrepreneurs in accessing markets and growing their businesses.
The ultimate goal of these interventions is to create a stronger pipeline of local, compliant and market-ready MSMEs that can participate in economic opportunities within and around national parks. SANParks seeks to see more procurement and enterprise development opportunities within parks such as Bontebok National Park benefiting local businesses and contributing to inclusive local economic development.