from FUTHI MBHELE in Durban
KwaZulu Natal Bureau
DURBAN, (CAJ News) – WHAT started in 1998 as an arts and craft exhibition with less than 100 exhibitors outside Durban City Hall has grown to become South Africa’s premier business exhibition platform.
Durban Business Fair (DBF) is celebrating 25 years of empowering small, medium, and micro enterprises (SMMEs).
Phili Ndlovu, the Deputy Chairperson of the Economic Development and Planning Committee for Ethekwini, said more than 100 000 people have participated in the DBF over the years, with over 20 000 sustainable jobs created.
Ndlovu said this year, there will be an International Pavilion which facilitates export opportunities.
The main fair is scheduled for September 22-24 at the Durban Exhibition Centre, under the theme, “25 Years of Building Sustainable Businesses.”
Other features include the Furniture Manufacturing Pavilion, Creative Hub, Fashion Hub, Make-and Beauty Masterclass, Agri-Hub, Tech-Zone, Digital Marketing Masterclass, Wholesale and Retail Masterclass, Durban Business Fair Street Market, Kiddiepreneur Garden, Durban Business Fair Excellence Awards, the Durban Fashion Fair Recognition Awards and Lion’s Den Business Plan Competition Awards.
The Durban Fashion Fair will take place simultaneously with the DBF.
The launch of this year’s DBF was held at Nto’s Boutique Hotel in La Lucia.
A panel of Durban Business Fair success stories shared their journey of how the platform and other support provided by the eThekwini Municipality elevated their businesses. These business owners included (from left) Nkazimulo Ngidi of Amabheshu Innovators, the co-founder of Afromed Medical Services, Sthembiso Ngubo, Agnes Mhlongo of Switched On Trade CC and House of St Luke founder, Mxo Mkhize
Business owners that shared their stories of success included Nkazimulo Ngidi, founder of Amabheshu Innovators; Sthembiso Ngubo of Afromed Medical Services; Agnes Mhlongo of Switched On Trade CC; and House of St Luke owner Mxo Mkhize.
“The platform has been great as we have gained exposure and established partnerships and clients which helped our business grow,” Ngubo said.
Afromed won the Lion’s Den Business Plan competition in 2012, which offered both financial and technical skills as well as mentorship support to kickstart the business idea.
To date, they have 11 ambulances and employ more than 40 permanent staff and around 80 part-time staff.
The company has expanded its base to different areas and recently built the Afromed Medical School which will educate the youth about lifesaving skills while creating employment.
“We remain grateful to eThekwini for the opportunity to develop our business,” Ngubo said.
Ngidi, who manufactures traditional attire, said the DBF had enabled Amabheshu Innovators to extend its client base outside South Africa.
– CAJ News