Tag: Small and Medium Enterprise (SME)

The month of May is significant for the African continent because it is during this month that we celebrate Africa Day. Africa Day commemorates the formation of the African Union on May 25, 1963. It is a day when Africans celebrate the continent’s independence, freedom, and liberation from colonialism.

The sustainability concept is top priority for businesses globally, gaining significant traction in recent years. As a result, an increasing number of emerging entrepreneurs are entering the business world with a 'greener mindset', succinctly aware of issues around people and the planet.

The South African Reserve Bank increased the repo rate by 50 basis points to 4.75%, after it was previously agreed at 25bps during the May policy meeting due to the declining Rand exchange, consumers are in for a tough time. When the repo rate goes up, the lending rate goes up and the consumers' pockets are affected.

Unemployment rates in and around mining communities increase annually, with limited new job opportunities emerging. Enterprise and Supplier Development (ESD) is of national importance and can unlock significant organisational value.

In today’s age of collaboration, finding like-minded businesses to create alliances with can be one of your most valuable tools in helping your company grow. Done right, a strategic partnership can have a tremendous impact on a start-up’s success, from increasing sales and reaching new markets to driving efficiency in operations.  

This article present some thoughts on how mobile money, cross-border payments and ‘buy now, pay later’ are transforming the financial sector, particularly in emerging markets, for the better. Last year saw an unprecedented rate of change in the financial sector, with huge growth in the use of digital financial services.

The lack of access to finance is one of the main reasons small and medium enterprises (SMEs) fail worldwide. While start-up capital is crucial, access to funding in running a business is critical too. In the best of times, access to finance is vital to scale and take advantage of opportunities.

The messaging from the State of the Nation Address (SONA), hosted 10 February 2022 for the first time outside the halls of Parliament, was both encouraging and disheartening. We are glad to hear the President, the Chief of the Executive, unequivocally state that the body responsible for job creation was not government, but rather, the private sector.

As pandemic restrictions slowly ease, SA’s economy is being imbued with a fresh sense of hope for a better 2022. Recovery after the virus-induced downswing is sorely needed - Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) shows that the total number of liquidations in the country increased by a staggering 46.2% in the second quarter of 2021, compared with the same period the year before.

Entrepreneurs invest a lot of energy into getting their businesses off the ground and finding ways to differentiate themselves from their competitors. Unfortunately, due to time constraints, few put the same dedicated effort into finding the best insurance solution for their business.