Author: MIL-OSI Publisher

Twenty emerging entrepreneurs from across eThekwini in KwaZulu-Natal have secured places in the prestigious Project 10X Unicorn Programme which is designed to accelerate business growth and improve market readiness.

The entrepreneurs, who were selected from more than 200 applicants, were announced during a launch event held at KZN Oils in Briardene, north of Durban, on Friday.

The programme is a partnership between eThekwini Municipality, the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs (EDTEA), KZN Oils, and the RR Foundation.

The successful candidates will participate in a 10-month enterprise and supplier development programme offering mentorship, incubation support, business development training, and financial assistance.

Chairperson of eThekwini Municipality’s Economic Development and Planning Committee, Thembo Ntuli, said the initiative aims to create opportunities for entrepreneurs to become active participants in the mainstream economy.

“Project 10X is not just a training programme; it is an investment in building resilient, high-growth businesses capable of creating jobs, reducing poverty, and driving inclusive economic growth. Through mentorship, incubation support and access to new opportunities, we are creating a bridge between business potential and market integration,” Ntuli said.

KZN Oils Chief Executive Officer, Esay Reddy, said entrepreneurship remains a powerful tool for transforming lives and tackling unemployment.

“This initiative goes far beyond business development. Its impact reaches families and communities,” Reddy said.

Reddy highlighted that KZN Oils has been in business for more than 25 years, and the journey has not been easy.

She encouraged beneficiaries to remain patient, courageous and committed.

“The Project 10X philosophy is about thinking beyond and challenging businesses to realise their full potential.”

EDTEA representative Thami Zondi said the department is proud to support initiatives that strengthen small businesses, unlock economic opportunities, and contribute to sustainable growth in KwaZulu-Natal.

One of the beneficiaries, Nozipho Memela, founder of governance, risk, compliance and audit software company Dimeri AI, described her selection as a significant milestone.

She said this opportunity will help her build a sustainable and successful business.”

“Being chosen from among hundreds of applicants is a proud achievement. I look forward to learning, growing strategically and professionally, and benefiting from the support and expertise of industry leaders. This opportunity will help me build a sustainable and successful business,” Memela said.

The programme builds on the success of its inaugural cohort in 2025 which helped participants improve in business compliance, financial literacy, operational capacity and market readiness, and demonstrating the impact of targeted support for emerging enterprises. – SAnews.gov.za
 

Government is stepping up efforts to help thousands of spaza shop owners formalise their businesses, meet compliance requirements and access financial support through the R500 million Spaza Shop Support Fund, as part of a broader drive to strengthen township and rural economies.

The Department of Small Business Development (DSBD), in partnership with the South African Local Government Association (SALGA), is finalising a nationwide process aimed at assisting small and informal businesses with registration and compliance requirements.

The initiative seeks to address one of the biggest barriers facing informal businesses by helping entrepreneurs meet the requirements needed to access government support and participate more fully in the formal economy.

As part of this intervention, government will once again roll out a nationwide outreach and awareness campaign from June 2026 to encourage more qualifying spaza shop owners to apply for the fund. 

The campaign is expected to provide practical guidance to business owners on meeting application requirements, improving compliance and accessing funding opportunities to grow and sustain their enterprises.

The support fund forms part of government’s commitment to increasing the participation of South African-owned spaza shops in the township and rural retail sector, while helping businesses improve competitiveness, create jobs and contribute to local economic development.

The fund was launched last year by the Department of Small Business Development (DSBD) and the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (the dtic). 

It is being implemented through the Small Enterprise Development and Finance Agency (SEDFA) and the National Empowerment Fund (NEF).

To date, 4,522 complete applications have been received nationally, of which 4,240 have been assessed.

“The assessment process continues to highlight a key structural constraint within the sector, with only 58% of applicants linked to valid business licences or temporary permits issued by municipalities.

“As a result, a significant number of applications remain unable to progress until licensing and compliance requirements have been addressed,” a joint statement by the Department of Small Business and the dtic said.

Despite these compliance challenges, the fund has continued to gain momentum, reflecting strong demand from entrepreneurs seeking support to expand and formalise their businesses.

The Spaza Shop Support Fund forms part of government’s broader commitment to strengthening township economies, supporting informal businesses, creating employment opportunities and expanding economic participation within local communities.

Through targeted support for women, young entrepreneurs and other designated groups, the fund contributes to building a more inclusive and representative economy while advancing the objectives of economic transformation and localisation.

To date, 2,369 businesses have been approved for support through the fund.

SEDFA has approved 1,316 applications valued at R79.6 million, while the National Empowerment Fund has approved 1,053 enterprises worth R99.9 million.

Collectively, the two implementing agencies have approved support to the value of approximately R179.6 million across all nine provinces.

The approved support includes stock purchases, point-of-sale devices, infrastructure upgrades, inventory support, business improvements and non-financial business development support aimed at improving sustainability and competitiveness within the township and rural retail sector.

“Beyond financial support, the Fund is designed to drive long-term sustainability. SEDFA and the NEF continue to provide targeted business development support, including training and compliance assistance.

“This covers areas such as business and financial management, point-of-sale systems training, digital literacy, credit management, regulatory compliance, and business formalisation support,” the departments said.

The fund has also contributed meaningfully towards government’s transformation objectives, with 43% of approved enterprises being women-owned businesses, 18% youth-owned businesses and 2% businesses owned by persons with disabilities.

This demonstrates the fund’s contribution towards broadening economic participation and supporting greater inclusion within township and rural economies. –SAnews.gov.za

The Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs, Mosa Chabane, has urged government departments to implement all the plans outlined by President Cyril Ramaphosa to address illegal migration.

In a statement on Sunday, the Chairperson said the plans should be implemented urgently, as many of the initiatives have already been included in the annual performance plans of various departments.

“We welcome the clear and comprehensive directives issued by the President. A failure to implement these measures will undermine the authority of the Head of State,” Chabane emphasised.

The Chairperson further noted that the President’s reaffirmation of the state’s authority to enforce the law is particularly important at a time of heightened anti-foreigner sentiment in the country.

He said law enforcement agencies must intensify their efforts to ensure that immigration laws are upheld and enforced effectively.

Chabane also underscored the importance of fighting corruption, noting that it has significantly weakened the implementation of the country’s immigration laws.

“Corruption is a cancer that erodes both the spirit and the intent of our immigration laws. Eradicating corruption will help ensure that our laws are implemented effectively and are not undermined,” Chabane said.

He also welcomed the President’s intention to engage fellow African countries on migration-related matters.

Chabane noted that illegal migration cannot be addressed in isolation, as it is closely linked to broader socio-economic and developmental challenges across the region and the African continent.

“What is critical is a coordinated, government-wide response aimed at enforcing the immigration laws that are already in force,” he said.

The Chairperson said plans to increase the number of labour inspectors within the Department of Employment and Labour, as well as immigration officers within the Department of Home Affairs, are critical to ensuring compliance with labour legislation by employers and the effective enforcement of immigration laws and regulations. –SAnews.gov.za

More than 700 000 households have now been removed from Eskom’s load reduction.

This as the power utility continues its programme to eliminate load reduction by 2027.

“About 714 513 customers across South Africa are no longer impacted, representing more than 42% of targeted households, with full elimination achieved in the Northern and Western Cape.

“The programme targets 971 feeders and will benefit approximately 1.69 million customers across all provinces, out of Eskom’s total customer base of 7.2 million. Key interventions include the rollout of smart meters, the integration of Distributed Energy Resources, and the expansion of Free Basic Electricity (FBE) support. These measures will be accompanied by targeted customer education initiatives,” Eskom said.

Since the inception of the programme, some 1.6 million smart meters have been deployed to households across the country.

“Of these, 295 462 units have been deployed on load reduction feeders, representing about 18% allocation to high priority areas. This targeted deployment is critical to easing grid pressure while empowering customers with real time consumption data and greater control over their energy usage.

“The rollout is deliberately focused on high-loss areas affected by illegal connections, meter bypassing, overloaded infrastructure and widespread electricity theft,” the power utility explained.

However, the rollout of smart meters has hit some challenges.

“Eskom has undertaken extensive community and stakeholder engagement through ward councillors, public meetings, radio platforms and social media to support the implementation of the programme.

“Despite these efforts, installation teams continue to face persistent resistance, including intimidation, violent incidents and repeated work stoppages. These disruptions have led to deployment delays, the redeployment of teams, and heightened safety risks for Eskom employees and contractors.

“As a result, over 122 000 planned meter conversions have been delayed to date, undermining the stability and predictability of the rollout programme,” Eskom noted.

Meanwhile, the power utility has recorded more than 385 days without implementing load shedding.
“System performance remains on an upward trajectory, with the financial year-to-date Energy Availability Factor improving to 63.05%, up from 57.67% over the same period last year, an increase of 5.38%.

“This marks sustained progress under Eskom’s turnaround strategy and a 9.89% [4.99GW] improvement compared to the corresponding period three years ago, supported by a continued reduction in unplanned outages and more consistent plant performance.

“To further ensure a stable electricity supply, Eskom will bring 3 903MW of generation capacity online ahead of the evening peak [tonight],” Eskom said. – SAnews.gov.za

Parliament will this week host a special intergenerational dialogue marking the 50th anniversary of the 1976 June 16 uprising, alongside a packed programme of debates, ministerial question sessions and committee meetings.

The dialogue, titled: “Youth Voices, Reading and Democracy”, will take place in the Good Hope Chamber on Monday and is being organised by Parliament’s Library Service in partnership with external stakeholders. 

The event will reflect on the legacy of the 1976 student uprising and its contribution to South Africa’s democracy. It will also serve as the launch of the National Library of South Africa’s Reading Ambassadors Programme.

The National Assembly will convene on Tuesday afternoon to consider a range of committee reports, statements and decisions. 

Among the key items on the agenda is a statement by the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment on the recently signed Beneficiation Scheme Framework Agreement with land claimants of the Kruger National Park. The agreement is intended to address land dispossession and promote inclusive economic participation.

Members of Parliament will also debate reports arising from oversight visits by defence and correctional services committees. 

These include assessments of military deployments along the South Africa-Zimbabwe border, visits to military bases and inspections of facilities such as Denel, Armscor and the Defence College.

The Assembly will further consider recommendations relating to the appointment of the Small Enterprise Ombud, as well as determinations on the remuneration of public office-bearers and members of independent constitutional institutions for the 2025/26 financial year.

In the National Council of Provinces (NCOP), policy debates on Tuesday will focus on the budgets of the Police Service, the Independent Police Investigative Directorate and the Civilian Secretariat for Police.

On Wednesday, Ministers in the Social Services Cluster will appear before the National Assembly to answer questions from MPs. The cluster includes the Ministers responsible for Basic Education, Health, Higher Education, Human Settlements, Social Development, Sport, Arts and Culture, and Water and Sanitation.

The NCOP will continue with policy debates during the week, including discussions on Public Works and Infrastructure, Tourism, Small Business Development and Cooperative Governance.

A key legislative matter before the National Assembly on Thursday will be the Defence Amendment Bill. The bill seeks to strengthen military justice by enhancing the independence of military judges and senior military judges.

Parliament’s oversight work will continue through two virtual mini-plenary sessions on Friday, where MPs will consider reports on oversight visits conducted in several provinces. 

The week’s programme will conclude with a meeting of the South African Speakers’ Forum in Johannesburg. The forum, which brings together parliamentary and provincial legislative leaders, serves as the highest coordinating structure of South Africa’s legislative sector.

In addition to sittings of both Houses, Parliament has scheduled 45 committee meetings during the week. – SAnews.gov.za

Government will establish an Intelligent Population Register containing biometric data for every person in South Africa and introduce new regulations to prevent the misuse of Traffic Registration Numbers (TRNs).

This is part of a broader effort to strengthen migration management while upholding constitutional values and human dignity.

Addressing the nation on migration and illegal immigration on Sunday evening, President Cyril Ramaphosa said government was taking decisive steps to strengthen identity management systems, close loopholes in immigration controls and improve enforcement against undocumented migration.

At the centre of the reforms is the creation of an Intelligent Population Register that will use biometric data to verify the identities of all people in the country and lay the foundation for a Digital ID system.

“We are establishing an Intelligent Population Register that contains biometric data for every person in the country, laying the foundation for a Digital ID,” the President said.

The move is intended to strengthen the integrity of South Africa’s identity management system and combat identity fraud. 

As part of the process, government will progressively phase out the green barcoded identity book, which President Ramaphosa said has been exploited by undocumented immigrants and criminal syndicates to facilitate identity theft.

“The Department of Home Affairs will set a date after which the green ID books will not be recognised,” he said.

Government is also moving to address the misuse of Traffic Registration Numbers, which are issued to foreign nationals for vehicle registration and ownership purposes. 

According to the President, the system has increasingly been used as a substitute form of identification, creating weaknesses in the country’s broader identification framework.

“We will end the abuse of the Traffic Registration Number, which foreign nationals require to register or buy vehicles, but which is being used as a form of identification,” Ramaphosa said.

To address this, the Department of Transport will issue new regulations within the next three months to align vehicle registration processes with South Africa’s identification laws.

The measures form part of a wider Comprehensive Approach for Migration Management adopted by Cabinet last week. The strategy includes stronger enforcement of immigration and labour laws, improved border security, anti-corruption measures within the immigration system and reforms to citizenship and migration legislation.

In his weekly newsletter to the nation following the address, President Ramaphosa said on Monday many South Africans had raised concerns about illegal immigration, including its perceived impact on jobs, economic opportunities, public services and crime.

“We are responding to real concerns that communities have about the effects that unchecked illegal immigration has on jobs and economic opportunities,” he wrote.

The President stressed that government’s response would be guided by the Constitution, the rule of law and South Africa’s international obligations.

While acknowledging concerns about illegal immigration, he said the overwhelming majority of foreign nationals in South Africa were not involved in criminal activity and warned against allowing migration issues to fuel intolerance or violence.

“The task of managing migration belongs to all of us,” he said, adding that only authorised state officials may enforce immigration laws.

The President said the new identity management measures, together with stronger border controls, enforcement actions and legislative reforms, are intended to ensure that everyone living, working and conducting business in South Africa does so lawfully, while preserving the country’s commitment to human dignity and social cohesion. – SAnews.gov.za

Police in the Sarah Baartman District in the Eastern Cape have arrested 139 suspects for a range of crimes, including drug dealing, robbery with aggravating circumstances and immigration offences.

The operations, which were conducted between 1 and 7 June, led to the arrest of 35 undocumented foreign nationals, as well as a 45-year-old documented Chinese business owner. 

The business owner was taken into custody during Operation Identity, which was carried out in St Francis Bay, Humansdorp and Hankey. 

The Chinese national was arrested under Section 49(3), read in conjunction with Section 38 of the Immigration Act No. 13 of 2002, for employing foreign nationals without valid permits. Fines totalling R55 500 were issued.

The operations come as government has recently adopted the Comprehensive Approach for Migration Management, which is aimed at, among others, strengthening border security, enforcing immigration laws and tackling corruption. 

In an address to the nation on Sunday, 7 June, President Cyril Ramaphosa outlined measures that showed unequivocally that government is upping the ante on weeding out illegal immigration and its concomitant effects, including organised crime.

“Illegal migration routes increasingly overlap with organised crime. Criminal syndicates involved in trafficking, extortion, illegal mining, drugs and money laundering often use undocumented migration for recruitment and concealment of goods,” the President said.

Government is stepping up pressure on businesses that insist on hiring undocumented immigrants, paying them wages that are well below the minimum wage and making them work longer hours without due compensation. 

“Employers who knowingly hire undocumented workers and exploit their vulnerability are breaking the law. They undermine labour standards. They undermine fair competition, and they undermine opportunities for South Africans,” the President said.

Clamping down on this practice has led to the Department of Employment and Labour launching the phased recruitment of 10 000 inspectors for this financial year, in order to rebuild labour enforcement capacity.

President Ramaphosa said penalties for errant employers will be increased, including imprisonment, for the violation of the Immigration Act. 

“We cannot have a situation where employers who, after being charged and found guilty of violating our laws, merely pay a fine and continue employing undocumented foreign nationals, whom they exploit.” 

Breaking the back of the drug trade

The Crime Intelligence-led operations held in the Sarah Baartman District also resulted in the arrest of 26 suspects, 11 of whom were arrested for dealing in or possession of drugs. 

Items recovered and illicit drugs seized during these operations include mandrax, tik, cocaine, magic mushrooms, and rock kat, with a combined estimated street value of more than R311 885.

Successfully executed tracing operations led to the arrest of 43 suspects for various crimes. Tactically focused combat operations secured a further 35 arrests.

The suspects are due to appear before various Magistrate’s Courts soon.

Brigadier Abduraghmaan Humphries, the Acting District Commissioner of the Sarah Baartman District, praised the joint efforts of the South African Police Service (SAPS) and the multidisciplinary teams involved in the various operations.

“South Africa is a constitutional country governed by laws that must be respected by both citizens and foreign nationals. 

“The root cause of illegal migration is often business owners exploiting undocumented workers for cheap labour, dodging minimum wages and bypassing local labour regulations,” said Humphries.

“Locals must report illegal employment through the proper channels rather than engaging in intimidation, violence or unlawful protests.” – SAnews.gov.za