In a bold move to bridge the gap between aspiration and action, the Mayor of the City of uMhlathuze, Cllr Xolani Ngwezi, hosted the Mayoral Youth Support Programme at Umfolozi TVET College’s Esikhawini Campus, an inspiring event that saw 100 youth-led businesses receiving working implements to strengthen their ventures.
What stood out was not just the handover of tools, but the powerful messages shared by various stakeholders determined to reshape the local economic landscape.
A speaker opened the programme by emphasizing the importance of supporting local businesses. This call was reinforced humorously but pointedly by Mr Gumede, who “commanded” councillors not to leave the venue without buying from the young vendors exhibiting at the event. His message was clear: support begins right here.
COO Thembeka Khumalo Sikhakhane challenged small business owners to be proactive and align themselves with the major economic developments planned for the region. Referencing the Transnet Port Expansion Masterplan and Eskom’s proposed projects, she reminded SMMEs that the future belongs to those who are ready. “The value chain is real,” she said, illustrating how a small hair salon can create demand for other businesses like nearby fast food outlets. “Small businesses aren’t just surviving, they’re driving local economic growth.”
Representatives from SARS used the opportunity to educate SMMEs on tax matters, coinciding with International SMME Day as declared by the UN. Earlier that morning, they had hosted a session for local entrepreneurs to demystify income tax, VAT, and compliance, positioning SARS not as a threat, but a crucial partner in national sustainability.
Kwanda Zungu, NYDA District Manager for King Cetshwayo, outlined the agency’s role in equipping youth for success. He revealed that R2.4 million had already been distributed in grants during 2024. Local successes such as Khulubuse Fast Food and Isolezwe Internet Café, both based in Esikhawini, stand as proof of what the NYDA can make possible.
Muzi Mkhwanazi of the Zululand Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ZCCI) addressed a key frustration for most SMMEs: access to funding. “Compliance and documentation are a challenge,” he said. He called on the City to not only support SMMEs with tools, but also with skills development, training, and consistent monitoring of their growth journeys.
Two beneficiaries of last year’s programme gave emotional testimonies. Nobuhle Msomi, a baker, shared how a new industrial oven bought through the City’s intervention has increased her production capacity, allowing her to take more orders and prepare to hire staff. Mr Mpanza, founder of Cream North Ice Cream, began as a vendor in 2021 and caught the Mayor’s attention in 2023. He has since won multiple awards, including UKZN’s Social Entrepreneur of the Year, proving how far support can go.
A speaker from King Cetshwayo District Municipality warned against a nation idle in productivity, noting that inactivity often leads to poverty and unrest. She applauded the City of uMhlathuze’s approach of equipping young people to actively fight unemployment.
Closing the programme, Mayor Xolani Ngwezi made it clear that this was not charity, it was strategy. “The funds meant for the June 16 celebration were redirected to support youth in business,” he announced. “People are hungry now, they need food now, and they are unemployed now. We need urgent solutions.”
Ngwezi emphasized the need to circulate money within black communities, tapping into the black buying power to uplift townships. “By empowering SMMEs,” he added, “we reduce the number of indigent people and grow the base of ratepayers.”
The Mayoral Youth Support Programme is not just another handover event, it’s a statement of intent from a City investing in its people. With every welding machine, baking oven, or ice cream cart handed over, the City of uMhlathuze is nurturing a new wave of township entrepreneurs ready to rewrite the economy from the ground up.
