Department of Economic Development rolling out Opportunity Centres across the city

These Opportunity Centres (OC) are channelled based on a model that is set to uplift the profile of emerging entrepreneurs, allowing them to benefit extensively from the services offered at these centres.

The new OC business model allows the department to increase the number of centres; this is mainly to facilitate ease of access by people in various communities and surrounding areas. Mayor Mashaba officially opened the City’s third Opportunity Centre on 13 September in Diepsloot. This follows two Opportunity Centres successfully launched in March and July respectively: Khoebo Opportunity Centre at 88 Marshall Street in Marshalltown and Isiqalo based at the Civic Theatre in Roodeport.

In an effort to empower entrepreneurs, the Department of Economic Development plans a total of 14 Opportunity Centres, by the end of the 2020/2021 financial year.

The City has said that it strongly believes that the development and support of SMMEs, and entrepreneurs play a critical role in assisting the City to achieve its target of a 5% economic growth by 2021, and a reduction in the unemployment rate within Johannesburg.

Through an ongoing partnership with the private-sector partners TUHF, ABSA, SEDA, SARS, SAICA, GenAfrica, Discovery, Umastandi, Productivity SA, CIPS, Innovation Hub, and Smart Procurement World; the city aims to continue empowering youth in business, through the multiple skills offered at these centres.

Some of the standardised services that will be offered at the OCs are: 

1. General business information and advice;
2. Business assessments, gap analysis and development plans;
3. Business management training seminars, including financial literacy, marketing sales and operations management;
4. Training on Tax compliance and including company registration;
5. Managed workshops, meeting rooms and internet Wi-Fi services for business research;
6. Funding facilitation including funding products awareness and application support;
7. Enterprise development services delivery points;
8. Assistance with city supplier database and compliance issues;
9. Business Idea Generation and Supply Chain training to enable access to markets; and
10. Referral to relevant business support services;

All Opportunity Centres have a job seekers desk, which essentially allows public and private sector companies’ access to a pool of applicants utilising the database.

The City urges SMME’s and entrepreneurs to visit an Opportunity Centres closest to them.