The City of Cape Town celebrated the launch of a new business development support centre in Khayelitsha on Wednesday, 14 November 2012. The centre is a branch of The Business Place (TBP), a well-established business support organization assisted by the City. TBP is currently operating successfully in the central city and in Philippi. The Khayelitsha branch is situated in a City of Cape Town-owned building managed by the Violence Prevention through Urban Upgrade programme.
The objective of TBP Khayelitsha is to help local entrepreneurs start or grow a business. TBP offers entrepreneurs one-on-one consultation sessions, where they are assisted in identifying the next steps in starting or growing their business. Entrepreneurs are then referred onto support services which will be able to help them take these next steps.
TBP itself offers support services including, business skills training, access to business information via Internet or hard copy, office resources, help with compliancy (i.e company registration, BBBEE certificates access to pro bono legal services) and access to business opportunities. The centre aims to assist entrepreneurs throughout the entrepreneurial journey.
“There are so many business support services available in Cape Town and it is so important that entrepreneurs have somewhere to go for advice on how to access support. I am thrilled to see the launch of a new branch of the TBP and I have no doubt that this centre will see many small businesses grow and develop in Khayelitsha” says Alderman Belinda Walker, Mayoral Committee Member for Economic, Environmental and Spatial Planning.
