The State of Small Business

26/07/2025

SMALL BUSINESSES IN GQEBERHA GEAR FOR A TWO-DAY MSME CONFERENCE

The Deputy Minister of Transport Mkhuleko Hlengwa will deliver a keynote address at the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise (MSME) Conference which is scheduled to take place in Gqeberha from 28 until 29 July 2025

The conference will provide a platform for small businesses in the cross-border road transport industry to discuss challenges, opportunities, and develop solutions to issues affecting them.

26/07/2025

On 1 July 2025, the South African Reserve Bank’s Prudential Authority approved the name change from YWBN to eNL Mutual Bank.
On Friday, 25 July 2025 eNL Mutual Bank was gazetted by South African Government.

26/07/2025

Why You, as a Leader, need a Personal Brand That Truly Resonates

By Mpume Cele - Brand Growth Strategist

Mpume Helps Entrepreneurs & Executives Build Influence & Visibility | Brand Growth Strategist | Filmmaker | Marketing Communications | 2024 Honoree: Igugu Lesizwe Celebrating 30 Years of SA Democracy | Writer | Speaker/MC

They say no man is an island. And today, especially for leaders, this truth holds even greater weight. Leadership is no longer just about decision-making behind closed doors. It is about visibility, influence, and connection. It is about building a personal brand that not only represents who you are, but also inspires trust, mobilizes others, and creates opportunities that extend far beyond your current role or title.

People are no longer just looking for experts, they are looking for authenticity, relevance, and inspiration. They are looking for you. But here’s the thing: even the best leaders cannot build their brands alone.

Building a personal brand is not about promoting yourself endlessly. It is about positioning your expertise and values in ways that serve others. And yes, sometimes it means asking for help, being open to fresh perspectives, strategic insights, and guidance to refine your story, messaging, and digital presence.

The internet was created for connection, and social media has made that connection immediate and powerful. You now have access to knowledge, mentorship, and influence like never before. Yet many executives, professionals, and entrepreneurs are still navigating their brand alone.

Whether you are an entrepreneur scaling your business or a C-suite executive shaping culture and innovation, your personal brand is your leadership currency. It influences how people perceive your voice, your credibility, and your ability to lead in a complex and fast-changing world.

That’s why I’m inviting you to join my upcoming FREE online masterclass: Building a Personal Brand That Thrives. Registration link: https://forms.office.com/r/NrWXRaiKFi

Masterclass
📅 Date: 31 July 2025

🕔 Time: 5:00 PM – 6:30 PM (SAST)

💻 Platform: Microsoft Teams (Link will be shared upon registration)

This session will help you:

Define and refine your leadership story
Leverage social media as a strategic leadership tool
Learn how to position your brand for visibility and impact
Ask the right questions to elevate your influence

Register here: https://forms.office.com/r/NrWXRaiKFi

Your brand is not just what you say, it’s how people experience your leadership. Let’s align your brand with the legacy you want to build.

Image: Mpume Cele

26/07/2025

Women-Centred Sports Research

Professor Corlia Brandt is the South African International Urogynaecology Association Physiotherapy representative and on the IUGA Africa Advisory Board; the Vice-President of the International Organisation for Physiotherapists in Pelvic and Women’s Health (World Physiotherapy), chair of the Professional Development Portfolio on the National Executive Committee (SASP), President of the South African Sexual Health Association; on the editorial board for the African Journal of Primary Health Care and Family Medicine; and Scientific Chair for several national and international congresses.

Her main areas of interest are neuromusculoskeletal, sport, pelvic and women's health, and research.

Brandt says: "Women’s health has become much more comprehensive than focusing only on gynaecological and related issues. Different trends are seen in females when looking at systemic diseases and injury patterns as well. None of these have been explored in-depth in women, and even less in an athletic population and on the African continent.

"There are many conditions that only relate to women and can affect performance, such as pelvic floor dysfunction, pregnancy-related changes, and the menstrual cycle, to name a few. With female sport growing and women becoming more competitive every day, research must shift to investigate these aspects and performance as related to female physiology."

26/07/2025

"Emotions and objectivity in business need a fine balance.
A business needs three things: “Plan, Margin, and Model” - By Nicolette Mashile!

26/07/2025

25/07/2025

Partner with SAIGA in Public Sector Development Training!

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Apply for SAIGA Training Office Accreditation and join a network dedicated to advancing auditing and accountability across Southern Africa.

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25/07/2025

Sponsorship deals for women’s sport

Sharon Jessop is an ultra-endurance athlete and entrepreneur who has run over 5,600 kilometres through 35 Big Five game reserves to raise awareness for rhino conservation.

She has completed three Comrades Marathons and three Two Oceans Marathons. In 2020, she set a new Guinness World Record by running 102 consecutive half marathons, earning a new women’s record.

Jessop says: "The biggest barrier that women+ athletes face in the world arena of professional sports is sponsorship allocation. Male athletes receive by far the lion’s share of sponsorship deals across all sports disciplines. The women+ I’m watching as they advocate for equality in sport are Caster Semenya, Tegla Loroupe, Asisat Oshoala, Faith Kipyegon and Marie Josée Ta Lou-Smith."

25/07/2025

It's Small Business Friday

By Mzukona Mantshontsho

We live in a country where the latest unemployment statistics from Statistics South Africa suggest that the unemployment rate is at a staggering 32.9% South Africans.

This figure was reduced by the increase in informal businesses in our communities. With two thirds of the population in South Africa being the youth, the youth is mostly affected by unemployment.

Youth unemployment has been high for many years in South Africa and is one of the country’s major socio-economic challenges. Cross-country comparisons regularly affirm that South Africa’s unemployment rates are among the highest in the world.

Unemployed youth are characterised by their lack of employability resulting from a range of socio-economic factors. They often have low levels of education, have dropped out of school and invariably do not have the literacy, numeracy and communication skills needed in the labour market.

They also have little work experience, which is a particularly undesirable characteristic for employers.

These unemployed youth are characterised by their lack of employability resulting from a range of socio-economic factors.
They often have low levels of education, have dropped out of school and invariably do not have the literacy, numeracy and communication skills needed in the labour market. They also have little work experience, which is a particularly undesirable characteristic for employers.

These young people lack strong networks or social capital that allow them to source job opportunities and tend not to have sufficient financial resources to enable mobility to areas where there is demand for labour. Of those who do have resources available as a result of their family support or network, they often have unrealistically high reservation wages, thereby resulting in relatively long periods of unsuccessful searching.

These socio-economic factors have resulted in a gap between productivity and entry-level wages for young workers, which is a constraint on job creation.

Why support small businesses?

It’s convenient as they’re in your local community,
They offer that personal touch,
They often offer unique products or services,
You’ll be making a positive impact on the economy,
Your purchase has a positive impact on the business-owner, the employees, their families and the community,
You can help small businesses grow, employ more, reduce unemployment and nurture the country’s entrepreneurial spirit by spreading the word about