CITY OF EKURHULENI LAUNCHES A COMMUNITY FUND OVER R120M

The City of Ekurhuleni has launched a fund of over R120m called Ekurhuleni Community Enterprise Development Fund. On 1 November 2019, Ekurhuleni Council approved the implementation of the Ekurhuleni Community Enterprise Development Fund Policy in line with the Municipal Finance Management Act (MFMA).

The purpose of the Ekurhuleni Community Enterprise Development Fund (ECEDF) is to support the development of community enterprises in the form of individual entrepreneurs, small, micro and medium enterprises, cooperatives, informal traders and formal businesses as prescribed.

The ECED fund is anchored by the Ekurhuleni Ten Point Economic Plan; a deliberate programme to position Gauteng Eastern Development Corridor as the anchor and footprint of the provincial economy. The City has prioritised Small Media Enterprises (SMEs) sector as a job creation catalyst that must be leveraged on immediately.

The fund seeks to address township economy; industrialisation; business services; environmental services and human development.

The fund is characterised by the following groups: PHANDA (which is SA slang for ‘hustling’), XIMILANI (meaning ‘germinating seed’) and FETOLA (meaning ‘transform’).

Business Incubators and agricultural organisations are invited to apply. Information sessions on the fund will take place across the City through to January from 10h00 to 12h00 in the following areas:

• Thembisa – 19 November, Sam Hlalele Community Hall, 113 Dan Nkabinde Drive, Esangweni,
• Katlehong – 26 November, DH Williams Hall, 2097 Gumede Street
• Germiston – 3 December, City Hall, 275 President Street
• Boksburg – 10 December, City Hall, Trichardt Street
• Springs – 20 January 2020, City Hall, South Main Reef Road
• Thembisa – 27 January 2020, Rabasotho Hall in Thembisa