LEA-assisted SMEs upbeat, grateful

The Kweneng region’s Small Medium Enterprises (SMEs) that have been assisted by Local Enterprise Authority (LEA) have hailed efforts made by the corporation in helping them grow their businesses.

SMEs doing business in sectors such as agriculture, manufacturing and tourism in Molepolole, Thamaga, and Mmopane say their enterprises are currently flourishing as a result of LEA’s keen support.

The LEA beneficiaries shared their sentiments during a media tour of LEA capacitated businesses projects on Wednesday.

Ishmael Giye – who runs manufacturing business of tents and founder of the Real Gumtree located Mmopane – said he registered with LEA in 2015 with the aim of expanding his business.

Giye, whose business is currently the supply hub of canvas and PVC products such as camping chairs and tents, expressed gratitude towards LEA for nurturing his business acumen with its viable interventions such as offering coaching and mentoring.

“LEA has played a pivotal role in the development of my business idea since its inception through taking me to the national and regional exhibitions and trade fairs by sponsoring me. I pay 15% while LEA contributes 85% for me as an SME business to participate in trade fairs of high magnitude,” Giye said.

Atamelang Kooagile of Monate wa Temo (Pty) Ltd – a Sorghum Milling business in Molepolole – said she has been assisted by LEA since 2009 when she first started the enterprise.

She applauded LEA for offering the businesss with interventions offering special training such as on Entrepreneurship Development Training (EDT), food safety and hygiene, operational health and safety with LEA sponsoring her to do the trainings.

Kooagile, who serves as the Managing Director of the company, said her business was financed by the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture Development (MYSC) through Youth Development Fund and LEA has not turned her down when approaching them for further assistance for the business sustainability for the future.

Aobakwe Mpusetsang, who owns The Agristop (Pty) Ltd in Thamaga – an Agro-chemical Company established in 2016 –, said he started working with LEA two years back.

Mpusetsang said his business is facing serious competition from the big already established giant multinationals. This however did not stop his business from penetrating the market as well supplying wide range of agricultural products such as fertilizers, medicines, poultry and livestock feeds.

He said this is all through the massive work by LEA in assisting him to get access to financial assistance, business advisory services and finding the market for his products.

Chief Executive of LEA Dr Racious Moatshe said LEA was committed to capacitating the expansion of the SMEs business sector by offering various interventions to help them grow into big business brands.

Dr Moatshe said LEA is not only offering support for the businesses to establish but keeps on monitoring the projects to check on the progress in terms of growth, saying they recognise the important role that the SME sector can play in the economic make-over by creating more jobs.